The Ordinary Skincare favorites

I found out about The Ordinary skincare while we were on our European trip in 2019; as we returned to the States, I purchased several of their products in hopes of revitalizing my skin after months of constant travel and changes. My skin was tired, and it was showing.

I have written about my first experience with The Ordinary here and based on its stats, you guys are actively looking into this brand as well, which made me write another, updated post about it.

The reason I’m writing this now is that The Ordinary, as well as the parent company, Deciem, is offering 23% off on all their products for the entire month of November. For the last two years, I have been shopping and stocking up on my favorites this month. The Ordinary brand remains very affordable, but since I do big orders, I like to save up as much as I can. My last order with them was placed last Wednesday, on November 10th, and I received it yesterday (they shipped it the next day after I placed it).

From my first purchase to today, the products, as well as my skin concerns have changed, and what I order now looks a bit different. For reference, I have oily skin, and my main concerns these days are anti-aging, and hyperpigmentation. I don’t order face oils anymore as I don’t use them much.

Other than that, I still love the EUK 134 0.1%, the Retinol 0.5% in Squalane (reviewed here), the Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA, the Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%, still order the Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG, as I like how it hydrates the skin around my eye (though, in all honesty, it does not get rid of my undereye bags - it plumps them just slightly), still LOVE the Lactic Acid 5% + HA (reviewed here), though I decided to up it and just ordered the Lactic Acid 10% + HA, as well as the famous AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution for the first time.

Out of the new to me products I’ve ordered from them, I absolutely love the Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution; if you’re looking for smooth, soft, and glowy skin, this is the product to help you get there! Use as directed (once a day, at night), and watch your skin transform. I personally have not experienced irritation with using it, however, if I have even the slightest broken skin, it will sting and burn upon contact (though that’s the only reaction I get). I also don’t have sensitive skin - if you do, you might experience irritation like redness, drying, and peeling. Perform a patch test before using this (or other products) to prevent that. If you experience drying skin, reduce the frequency of use - experiment to find the magic number for you.

What I’m still unsure of and can’t bring myself to use regularly is the Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%; based on reviews, people love this product. I find that it “tightens” my skin in a drying way, and breaks me out (I rarely break out these days). For that reason, I’ve never used this product consistently enough to see how it actually works… I might still give it a chance as I have two tubes left.

I have a love-hate relationship with the Vitamin C Suspension 23% + HA Spheres 2%. The product works great in smoothing the skin and improving texture, however, in my case, it stings SO BAD upon application, it’s unbearable. Mixing it with either a face serum or moisturizer helps a lot, though if used every day, I find that it sometimes dries my skin.

The takeaway here is this. The Ordinary products that exfoliate (The Lactic Acids I mentioned above, the Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution, the Mandelic Acid 10% + HA, as well as the AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution) are truly AMAZING products, especially for the price, and I have no hesitations in recommending them. However, be careful when using acids (I explained here why), and always protect your skin by wearing good sunscreen.

If you love using oils, I wholeheartedly recommend the Retinol 0.5% in Squalane (again, read my review here, and note that it needs to be refrigerated after opening). Otherwise, their Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA is great, especially for mixing with other products (I plan to do that separately with the 100% L-Ascorbic Acid Powder and 100% Niacinamide Powder that I just ordered for the first time). I also just bought the Marine Hyaluronics, the Ascorbic Acid 8% + Alpha Arbutin 2%, and the Ascorbyl Glucoside Solution 12% for the first time, in hopes of fighting the hyperpigmentation I’ve been dealing with since moving to Florida.

In conclusion, some of their products can be a hit or a miss - our skin is different and may react differently when using the same products. If you’re looking for products to address whatever skin concerns you have, The Ordinary covers, pretty much all of them. Given their low price, you can always try their products, and if they work - great; if not, keep looking for what works for you.

I hope you find this post helpful.