The Ordinary Skincare Review

I am a huge believer in making skincare a priority, so this seems like an appropriate first post. Why put so much time and money into my makeup if I'm not properly caring for my canvas? While browsing r/SkincareAddiction/ a while back, I noticed that people were going crazy about a brand that I hadn't heard of before called The Ordinary. 

What made me the most curious about this brand was the pricing- most products were anywhere from $6-$15! Considering the difference in price compared to my beloved Kiehl's products, I figured I had nothing to lose by placing an order. 

I ended up making my purchase through Beautylish, which was super simple and fast. Here is what I picked up: 

Lactic Acid 10% + HA 2%

This was my first foray into the world of lactic acids. There are two lactic acid options that The Ordinary. offers: a lower strength of Lactic Acid 5% + HA 2% and this one. My skin isn't very sensitive and I was looking for maximum effect, thus I chose the stronger version. Probably not a brilliant choice to go balls out and start with the most intense one but I got lucky and my choice paid off. You know your skin best so if you have any concerns, I would go with the more mild formula. I use this at night after cleansing and applying toner. One thing that I love about this other than its effectiveness is that it is very hydrating. 

Advanced Retinoid 2%

This also happens to be my first retinoid product. I am approaching 30 and my skin is changing. This product is intended to reduce wrinkles and signs of aging, so it is honestly hard to gauge how well it's working in the moment. However, it feels nice going on, and my skin looks good in the morning after applying it at night. Something to take heed of is that retinoids will make your skin sensitive to UV rays. You NEED to wear sunscreen daily regardless, but it is especially important with this product. This product should not be used at the same time as AHAs or Vitamin C products, so I alternate nightly between this, the Lactic Acid, and Ascorbyl Glucoside. 

Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5

I have super dry skin, so this has been a fantastic purchase. I use it after cleansing both in the morning and at night. I can feel a huge difference in my skin after applying this. After this step my skin has a nice, hydrated bounce to it. If your skin isn't super dry, you could probably moisturize with this alone. I like to take things a few steps extra by applying a cream moisturizer and Rose Hip Oil on top of the Hyaluronic Acid. There is honestly not much more to be said- it's just good. 

Ascorbyl Glucoside Solution 12%

This is a Vitamin C product that is intended to brighten skin and reduce signs of aging. It can be applied during the morning and night. I don't use it every day- I use it a few times throughout the week at night and whenever I feel like adding the extra step in the morning. I can definitely tell when I use it in the evening that it has made a difference when I look at my skin in the morning. It evens out my skin and if I have any blemishes it really helps diminish them quickly. 

AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution

I only use this one about once per week to help refresh my skin. I apply, leave it on for about 10 minutes, then rinse with warm water. It is very effective at brightening and evening out my complexion. It is also supposed to help clear acne. Fortunately my skin has been pretty clear while using this so I can't speak to how well it works in that sense. This is definitely a more intense product, so it should be used alone and again, WEAR SUNSCREEN after use! 

100% Organic Cold-Pressed Rose Hip Seed Oil

This is another pick that has been amazing for my dry skin. This is the very last step in my PM regime. I place it on top of everything else to lock in moisture, and I think that it has been working very well. The only other facial oil that I had used before this was the Kiehl's midnight recovery, and I have to say that I like this one more. It has a faint floral smell to me which is something to be aware of if you are sensitive to smells, but it does not smell artificial. 

100% Organic Cold-Pressed Moroccan Argan Oil

While this can definitely be used on skin, I prefer using this in my hair, which is dry like my skin. I always put a few drops in the palm of my hands and then rub it in from about mid-shaft through the ends of my hair after a shower. I have also used it on dry hair with success, but I was careful not to use too much out of fear it would make my hair greasy. Sorry about the photo fail on this one. Between the random hair and blurry label, it's rough. I took these photos a few weeks prior to writing this post and just couldn't recreate the same lighting in my dark bedroom! 

I have to say that I was super happy with everything that I picked up from The Ordinary. Reddit is a great resource that I use when looking for honest, unbiased reviews on products, and the users on r/SkincareAddiction hit it out of the park with this one. I will absolutely repurchase. If I had to choose my two favorites, I would say it's the Rose Hip Oil and the Ascorbyl Glucoside, but I really did have success with everything that I got. There is a ton of great information on The Ordinary. website, including a regimen guide and information about each individual product. I would highly recommend taking a look at it, since it has so much more in depth information about how these products work, both on their own and together.