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I’m sure you’ve heard of The Ordinary. They are pretty much THE it-brand of the moment. But this is one fad that I can totally stand behind, because The Ordinary not only talks a big game about integrity-- they actually follow through. Under the DECIEM umbrella, The Ordinary is all about developing quality products at affordable prices.
And the icing on the cake is, like all DECIEM products, they are 100% cruelty free. All of The Ordinary products are also free of parabens, sulphates, mineral oil, methylchloroisothiazolinone, methylisothiazolinone, animal oils, benzalkonium chloride, coal tar dyes, formaldehyde, mercury, and oxybenzone, and most of them are vegan! What a total win!
To test them out, I placed an order with The Ordinary for $25, which is the required amount for free shipping. I got the 4 products (for $25! such a steal!) listed below, and I’ve been loving them!
Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%
This was the reason I first decided to order from The Ordinary. I tried one free month of Curology, and azelaic acid was the major ingredient of my prescription. I liked how my skin was looking, but I wasn’t willing to spend $20 a month. Azelaic acid an antioxidant that, I’ve learned, comes from grain. It’s said to brighten skin tone, improve the evenness of skin texture, and naturally reduces the occurrences of blemishes. You can apply it day and night, but I’ve just been using it at night, as I had been with the Curology. My skin looks bright and clear, and for a mere $7.90 for 30ml, it’s totally worth it.
Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5
You all know how much my skin loves hyaluronic acid. After some research, I’ve learned how and why. HA can attract up to 1,000 times its weight in water! And apparently, there are a variety of molecular sizes of HA, which determines how deep into your skin it travels. This formulation “combines low-, medium- and high-molecular weight HA, as well as a next-generation HA crosspolymer at a combined concentration of 2% for multi-depth hydration.” So this is a higher powered HA than a lot that I’ve been using, which means a little goes a long way, especially for just $6.80. This formula also has Vitamin B5 which helps with surface hydration. I’ve been using this before my night moisturizer, and my skin is certainly plump and smooth.
Coverage Foundation
You already know from my July favorites post that I love love love this product. I didn’t go into my shopping knowing that I was going to try the foundation, but I did remember that Fleur de Force gave it a good review, so I was admittedly intrigued. And since I’m in the market for a new, cruelty-free foundation, I took the plunge. I chose the color 2.1Y, which is called “medium” with yellow undertones, and it matches my skin perfectly. This medium to full coverage foundation comes in 21 shades with a variety of undertones. I always cut it with the Manna Kadar shimmer lotion so that the coverage isn’t so intense. I love the texture, which is that of a lightweight, non-oily cream. It also has SPF 15, but they can’t claim that in the US until more testing is done. (However it’s officially on the packaging in the UK and the European Union.) Especially at $6.90 for 30 ml, this foundation is an amazing value and my new favorite!
Salicylic Acid 2% Solution
This was an impulse purchase to get me to the $25 for free shipping. I do have blemish-prone skin, though, and I thought this would be a good choice to help with the blackheads that I still struggle with. Salicylic Acid is a beta hydroxyl acid that exfoliates the skin, and this 2% treatment solution specifically helps exfoliate the inside walls of pores to fight the appearance of blemishes and for better visible skin clarity. This formulation also contains witch hazel, which is a natural toner to help shrink pores. I’ve been using it at night as needed, and though I’m not blackhead-free yet, I haven’t had any breakouts at all. At a mere $4.90, you really can’t go wrong.
So how did we fair?
Beyond amazing! I can’t recommend The Ordinary enough! I love the azelaic acid so much, it’s really transformed my skin. But that is a little specific to my skin. If you’re looking to test something out, I’d recommend the coverage foundation and the HA for sure. The next products I’m hoping to try are Plant-Derived Squalane and the Niacinamide & Zink solution. I’m also looking forward to their release of more makeup products!
Let me know what you’ve tried and loved from The Ordinary!
