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10 The Ordinary Products You Should Actually Try
“The Ordinary is known and loved for its insanely cheap skincare products that are as efficacious as they are affordable”
By now, I’m sure you all heard of The Ordinary, the Canadian brand under the parent company, DECIEM. If you haven’t heard of them yet, you definitely are missing out! This skincare brand has gone viral on social media and has left so many skincare influencers and estheticians raving about their products. What makes The Ordinary stand out from other skincare brands are their VERY affordable prices. Their products cover almost all of our skin concerns from dry skin to fine lines, acne, dark circles and so much more! And guess what? Most of their products are no more than $20! The Ordinary is truly revolutionizing the way we shop for skincare.
I gotta be honest though, shopping for The Ordinary products can be hella confusing. Why, you ask? Well that’s because The Ordinary names their products by ingredients and not some cute name that actually tells you what the product does. I don’t know about you but when I saw a bottle that was called ascorbyl tetraisopalmitate I was so conufsed. For the past month, I went through almost all of The Ordinary products to let you know what’s actually worth giving a try. Read below to see the 10 products that I read tons of great reviews on and absolutely loved trying for myself:
1) The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution
The Ordinary’s AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution is a 10-minute exfoliating facial. This derivative of plant origin has a lightweight, gel-like texture that varies in color seasonally, which may be apparent from time to time.
Who should use this? Anyone looking to smooth texture and brighten dullness
Benefits: Targets dullness & textural irregularities, Deeply exfoliates, Refines/improves skin texture & skin radiance, Reduces the appearance of blemishes & helps fight visible blemishes, Reduces the look of fine lines with continued use
#MelaninMoiTip – Use this product only once a week!
2) The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5
The Ordinary’s Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 is a hydrating formula with ultra-pure, vegan hyaluronic acid. The molecular size of hyaluronic acid determines its depth of delivery in the skin. This formulation combines low-, medium- and high-molecular weight HA, as well as a next-generation HA crosspolymer at a combined concentration of 2%.
Who should use this? Everyone! This is a great hydrating serum for all skin types
Benefits: Hydrates & balances the skin
#MelaninMoiTip – Applying hylaluronic acid makes the skin appear more dewy and younger because it improves skin elasticity
3) The Ordinary Marine Hyaluronics
The Ordinary’s Marine Hyaluronics brings together lightweight marine-derived water reservoirs that attract and hold water like hyaluronic acid (HA) but are lighter than HA in texture and feel. The formula contains exopolysaccharides from skin-friendly marine bacteria, Hawaiian red algae, glycoproteins from Antarctic marine sources, micro-filtered blue-green algae and several health-supporting amino acids. All marine derivatives in Marine Hyaluronics are sourced sustainably. The total concentration of active ingredients in this formula is 23%.
Who should use this? Anyone looking for a light-weight alternative to hyaluronic acid-based hydrating serum
Benefits: Contains health-supporting amino acids to attract and hold water
4) The Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% + ECGC
The Ordinary’s Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG is a light-textured concentrated serum that contains an extremely high 5% concentration of Caffeine, supplemented with highly-purified EGCG from green tea leaves.
Who should use this? Anyone struggling with eye issues – dark circles and puffiness
Benefits: Reduces under-eye puffiness & the appearance of dark circles
5) The Ordinary “Buffet”
The Ordinary’s ”Buffet” combines a comprehensive array of studied technologies to target multiple signs of aging at once. The technologies are Matrixyl 3,000 peptide complex (with palmitoyl-pentapeptide 7), Matrixyl Synthe’6 peptide complex (with palmitoyl tripeptide-38), Syn-Ake peptide complex (with dipeptide diaminobutyroyl benzylamide diacetate), Relistase peptide complex (with acetylarginyltryptophyl diphenylglycine), Argirelox peptide complex (with acetyl hexapeptide-8, pentapeptide-18), Probiotic complex (with lactococcus lactis lysate), in a base of 11 skin-friendly amino acids and multiple hyaluronic acid complexes. The total concentration of these technologies in the formula by weight is 25.1%.
Who should use this? People looking to treat signs of ageing, such as fine lines and wrinkles.
Benefits: Reduces and prevents multiple signs of aging, Hydrates the skin
6) The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution
The Ordinary’s Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution exfoliates and tones with 7% glycolic acid, amino acids, aloe vera, ginseng, and tasmanian pepperberry. This derivative is of plant origin and varies in color seasonally and this color variation may be apparent in the formula from time to time. Glycolic Acid has a pKa of 3.6 and pKa is the most important aspect to consider in formulating with acids. pKa implies acid availability. When pKa is close to pH, there is an ideal balance between salt and acidity, maximizing effectiveness of the acid and reducing irritation. Higher pH numbers in such a case would increase salt which counter-intuitively would make the formula even more irritating than if the formula was more acidic.
Who should use this? Anyone looking to improve skin radiance and visible clarity
Benefits: Exfoliates the skin, Refines skin texture, Improves appearance of skin texture, radiance & visible clarity
#MelaninMoiTip – Only use this toner in the PM
7) The Ordinary Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate Solution 20% in Vitamin F
A high-strength oil solution with vitamin C derivative and essential fatty acids.
Who should use this? Anyone looking for an everyday light-weight oil to add to their skincare routing
Benefits: Dullness and uneven texture, Uneven skin tone, Fine lines and wrinkles
#MelaninMoiTip – Apply an oil on your skin right before sunscreen
8) The Ordinary 100% Organic Cold-Pressed Rose Hip Seed Oil
The Ordinary’s 100% Organic Cold Pressed Rose Hip Seed Oil is a daily support formula. It uses 100% pure rose hip seed oil that is both cold-pressed and organic. Rosehip seed oil is rich in linolenic acid and pro-vitamin A, both of which degrade when the oil extraction process involves heat. While cold-pressed extraction is complex, it preserves all of the quality of this important oil which has been shown to reduce signs of photo-aging and many other skin conditions. This ingredient is completely unrefined and imparts a natural scent partly due to its high omega fatty acid content. Its scent is not an indication of rancidity – rose hip seed oil that does not have a scent is refined and offers reduced benefits.
Who should use this? Anyone looking for a hydrating oil to reduce signs of aging
Benefits: Moisturizes the skin, Provides anti-aging benefits, Supplied in UV-protective packaging
9) The Ordinary Mandelic Acid 10% + HA
The Ordinary’s Mandelic Acid 10% + HA offers superficial dermal peeling that is gentler than other alpha hydroxy acids. The molecular weight of mandelic acid is 152.1 daltons which is larger than other alpha hydroxy acids (glycolic acid is 76.0 daltons, for example). This larger size allows mandelic acid to penetrate the skin more slowly which in turn makes it very gentle and suitable for all skin types including the most sensitive skin. You don’t need a concentration of more than 10%, because then you would simply be achieving an indirect peeling strength that is more easily offered through lower percentages of glycolic acid.
Who should use this? Anyone looking to rejuvenate skin by increasing cell turnover for a brighter and clearer complexion
Benefits: Targets uneven tone, textural irregularities and fine lines, Suitable for sensitive skin types
10) The Ordinary Retinol 0.5% in Squalane
The Ordinary’s Retinol 0.5% in Squalane is a highly-stable, water-free solution of 0.5% pure retinol. Water-free solutions offering a choice of 0.2%, 0.5% or 1% pure Retinol, an ingredient that can reduce the appearances of fine lines, photo damage and general skin aging. While Retinol has been studied extensively, it is irritating to the skin and newer technologies exist that mimic the visible effects of Retinol without causing skin irritation. For this reason, The Ordinary generally recommends the use of the Granactive Retinoid formulas instead.
Who should use this? Anyone looking to tackle and prevent signs of aging
Benefits: Provides anti-aging benefits to the skin, Refines skin texture
