After seeing The Ordinary products all over Instagram and reading lots of blog reviews, I decided that I had to test it out for myself.
The Ordinary is a range from Deciem, who also make other ranges which include NIOD and Hylamide but The Ordinary has entered the industry with a storm due to the high quality of the products at such reasonable prices. If you, like me, thought that you had to pay ridiculous prices for good skincare then you’re going to love The Ordinary range. Ever wondered how its possible to buy paracetamol for as little as 17p but its often sold for a couple of pounds in stores? Well, The Ordinary use the same principle for skincare!
They use some pretty ‘sciency’ names for their products but once you’ve learnt what each product means it becomes pretty interesting and you can start to look out for them as ingredients in some of your other favourite products.
You can buy The Ordinary products online but I popped down to one of their stores to make my purchases. When I first visited the Covent Garden store, I left empty handed even though I was like “TAKE MY MONEY”. I was really disappointed by the service from the staff because I was so eager to learn about their products and make some purchases but the store was really really busy. I was happy to wait, but when I was finally sold, I was told that all of the products the staff recommended were out of stock. Sadly, this is often the case as the products are in such high demand.
For a better experience, I’d recommend visited the Spitalfields store, which was larger, less busy and has really friendly staff. So, what did I buy? I’ve spent the last few months testing them out so I could give them a proper review.
Products I liked:
Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 : This has been the stand-out product for me, so much that I wish I’d bought two bottles and its been sold out every time I’ve visited since. Hyaluronic Acid is a hydrator so it’s particularly good for dry skin and you apply it like a serum morning and evening as part of your normal routine. It works well because it retains water so it locks in your skins moisture for longer and at £5.90 a bottle it’s a BARGAIN. The product comes in a glass bottle with a dropper for easy application which feels very luxurious considering the price point.
Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution : I’ve tried quite a few acid toners in the past and my current go-to favourites are the clarifying lotion from Clinique and glow tonic by Pixi. These are mid market range but I was keen to find a slightly more budget friendly one that works well. An acid toner exfoliates the skin by removing the dead skin cells from the top layer of your skin. This has the effect of making you appear more radiant and glory. I really liked this product, particularly as it is much cheaper than my usuals and is just as good. My only hesitation is that using this product has AHA in which makes your skin more sensitive to the suns UV rays so its recommended that you only use this as part of your night time routine. The Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution costs £6.80 for 240ml and comes in a plastic bottle and you need to TWIST the top (I nearly tried to cut it off!). 
AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution : This is another acid based product and I don’t know why, but I thought this would be a bit like a sticky face mask. It wasn’t. It’s got a serum like consistency and it’s blood red, which looks a bit scary when you apply it. You leave it on for ten minutes (twice a week) and when you wash it off, you’re left with super soft skin. Again, this contains AHA so it’s a night time product rather than a morning one. I was surprised how much I liked this product but I was a bit confused where the ‘peeling’ bit came in as it definitely doesn’t peel! The AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution costs £6.30. Again, this comes in a glass bottle with a dropper.
Coverage Foundation (1.1 N): After enjoying the skincare products so much, I thought I’d venture into their foundation range so I picked up the Coverage Foundation in the shade 1.1N. This is another reason why I wanted to visit in store – its so difficult trying to work out which shade you are from an internet browser!
I thought the coverage of the foundation was really good (high) but it still managed to look light on my skin. The shade was a great match for me and has quite a matte finish. I’ve been reaching for it most of November and December in 2017 which shows how much I’ve been loving it. This foundation is oil free but does contain silicone. It also contains SPF 15. My only bug bear is that it doesn’t have a lid – a tiny issue, I know. The Coverage Foundation costs £5.90 per bottle and comes in a plastic bottle with a pump.
Products I didn’t like:
Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA: This is The Ordinary’s signature cream based moisturiser which is packed with amino acids. I found it really rich and heavy on my skin whereas I prefer a lighter moisturiser. It comes in two sizes (30ml and 100ml) and the optimistic in me decided to buy the larger version so I will continue to give this a go but so far I’ve not been impressed with this product. Natural Moisturising Factors + HA costs £4.90 for 30ml and £6.80 for 100ml. This product comes in a squeezy tube.
Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%: I know that lots of people love this product, but I just haven’t fallen in love with it. It’s supposed to reduce the appearance of spots and bumpy bits on the skin but for me it doesn’t feel like it’s done very much. It’s a watery consistency and you apply it like a serum as part of your daily routine. Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% costs £5.00 and comes in a glass bottle with a dropper.
Next purchases:
I’ve already decided what products I want to try out next- I’ve heard lots of people talking about the Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG as caffeine weirdly is really great to apply to the under eye area – drinking caffeine is not so great as this can dehydrate us. I’m really keen to test this Caffeine Solution as I could do with a bit of help under my eyes!
After having great success with the Coverage Foundation, I’m keen to try the Serum Foundation which is much lighter in consistency and has a medium coverage. I’ve never tried a serum foundation before so I’m not sure what to expect.
Have you tried any products from The Ordinary? What would you recommend?
