I have been wanting to try some products from The Ordinary for a while, but one of the products that I wanted was out of stock for quite some time so it was only recently that I put an order together.
In case you have been hiding under a rock The Ordinary is a skincare brand from Canadian company Deciem who have a stable of brands including NIOD and Hylamide. Deciem's slogan is 'The Abnormal Beauty Company' so you know to expect something a little different from mainstream beauty brands and The Ordinary is definitely that!
Simply packaged and sold (online only in the US) without the aid of advertising the range is known for being basic and extremely affordable. The products aren't tested on animals and they are free from parabens, mineral oils and such like (you can get more information on the mission statement from the website) and are all very basic. Rather than containing a cocktail of ingredients as many conventional facial products do the majority of them are composed of one treatment ingredient in a base. It's a little daunting at first but the website contains a lot of information and if you know what your skin's concerns are and have a very basic knowledge of skincare ingredients you can quite easily select and mix and match products to meet your skincare needs. I'm certainly no scientist but I love the idea of tailoring my own skincare range!
I've not even opened half of what I have but here's a brief look and my first impressions of the brand and products.
Making an order.
Initially I wanted to buy their Glycolic Toner but it was out of stock for what seemed like the longest time. (Annoying but something that I think is not a bad thing as you know that products are fresh when you eventually do receive them.) I signed up for a notification when it was restocked and was pleasantly surprised when I received an email telling me when it was - I must note that I haven't otherwise had my inbox inundated with promo emails and advertising from them which I appreciate.
I found the website easy to use and navigate. Each product is pictured alongside a tick box which gives basic at a glance information and below that there are more detailed scientific explanations of the product.
Shipping.
I received a shipment notification and my order arrived in a few days. Everything was well packaged in a white box branded with Deciem. Shipping in the US is free on orders of $25.00 and above.
Packaging.
When I opened my order my first impression was that the products were very well packaged. I had been expecting them to be in flimsy cardboard packs but each product had it's own printed box that was comparable, if not better, than that of most high end brands. There is no printed insert with the product but there is a simple outline of what it is and what it is used for printed on the box and the website has everything in more detail if you need further information.
The simple graphic design and clinical appearance of the packaging reflect the contents and is pleasing to the eye.
The Products I Bought.
Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution.
240ml - $8.70/£6.80
I've been using this for a couple of weeks and I like it a lot! At 7% there's enough AHA in this to give a bit of a tingle yet I find it gentle enough to use daily (I only use it in the evenings). This contains ginseng, aloe vera and pepperberry. It puts me in mind of a slightly stronger Pixi Glow Tonic but I prefer it and the bottle is huge. This is going to last me a very long time but I can see myself repurchasing this when it does eventually run out.
Hyaluronic Acid 2%+B5
For hydration and repair - 30ml - $6.80/£5.90
I love Hyaluronic Acid in beauty products as I have skin that gets easily dehydrated no matter how much water I drink! My daytime serum is normally some sort of HA product and I bought this to use as that. I've only used this a couple of times and I have to say that it is very thick and gloopy. I found it a little hard to spread over dry skin but when I misted my skin beforehand it was easier to apply. I needed to leave this for a few minutes before applying my moisturiser as my skin was quite tacky but when I did apply cream on top it sank in well and my skin felt nicely prepped for make up.
I'm not sure that I would get this again simply because I have other HA products that I prefer but I will use this up and, who knows, I may come to love it!
I'm not sure that I would get this again simply because I have other HA products that I prefer but I will use this up and, who knows, I may come to love it!
Lactic Acid 5%+HA2%
For the treatment of fine lines and texture - 30ml - $6.50/£5.80.
I bought this because Lactic Acid is the principle ingredient in my night time serum of choice - Sunday Riley Good Genes. I've not used this yet but I was curious to try it and compare it to GG. In all honesty I'm not expecting it to live up to GG which is possibly my favourite ever skincare item but imagine how happy I would be if it did!
Granactive Retinoid 2% Emulsion
Treats texture and signs of aging - 30ml - $13.90/£8.00.
Retinoids and Retinol confuse me and I've yet to find one that I love. They also intimidate me a little and although I don't have particularly fragile skin I don't want to go too hardcore. There are seven versions of retinol/retinoid available from The Ordinary, this one is the mildest and is described as being of moderate strength with no irritation. It's also the only one that comes in the form of a creamy emulsion which I prefer over one that is very liquid.
I'm happy to experiment with reliable retinol/retinoid products when they come at such a low price point and if I like this I will most likely step up to a slightly stronger format.
Caffeine Solution 5%+EGCG
Eye area treatment with green tea extract for puffiness and dark circles - 30ml - $6.70/£5.80.
This was an impulse buy, I have used caffeine products before and found them to be highly effective and I thought this product sounded intriguing.
I do have some discolouration and slight puffiness under my eyes but nothing too bad. I bought this intending to use it occasionally if I feel it's needed, rather than as a daily treatment.
Overall.
I am most impressed with the packaging, the customer service, the website and, of course the price! My initial feeling is that the products will be a mixed bag with some I love and some that I don't. But who knows? Time will tell.
I love that The Ordinary provides an opportunity to try out different skincare solutions without having to invest a lot of money in a product and that I can build a wardrobe of skincare to suit my needs. I also like the fact that I could travel with a basic selection of the products and not be upset if they were lost or spilled along the way.
I know that I will make another order before too long as I have my eye on a few products and I'm excited to try the rest of the products that I already have.
I love that The Ordinary provides an opportunity to try out different skincare solutions without having to invest a lot of money in a product and that I can build a wardrobe of skincare to suit my needs. I also like the fact that I could travel with a basic selection of the products and not be upset if they were lost or spilled along the way.
I know that I will make another order before too long as I have my eye on a few products and I'm excited to try the rest of the products that I already have.
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