These are the four The Ordinary skincare products I’ve been using for the past six weeks: “Buffet”, Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5, Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%, Alpha Arbutin 2% + HA
For me, The Ordinary is like a dream come true.
You may have noticed that I have a mild addiction to great passion for high-end makeup, which leaves skincare just a small portion of my beauty budget. Problem is that I know how important it is to take good care of your skin, so I could never just use cheap drugstore products with unsatisfying ingredient lists. Which means, I often end up breaking my budget.
OOPS. 
So, when I heard that DECIEM had launched The Ordinary, a range of skincare products containing clinically proven ingredients that retail for under a tenner, I felt like my silent prayers had been answered.
I immediately did a little research and the first things that struck me about The Ordinary were:
- No absurd claims or marketing frills
- No obscure proprietary blends
- No unnecessary (and potentially irritating) fragrances
- Active ingredients at high concentrations
- £4.90 – £14.90 price range
SAY WHAT?!?
Now, the only problem with The Ordinary is that product names are not exactly user-friendly… Like, no one I know outside the beauty blogging world would know what to do with the Alpha Arbutin 2% + HA or the Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%, for instance.
Despite I’m by no means a skincare expert, I probably know a little more than the average person, so today I want to share my knowledge with you to make sure you don’t miss out on this incredible range. Let’s have a closer look at the products from The Ordinary I’ve been using for the past six weeks!
All four The Ordinary products I’m currently using have a very lightweight, watery consistency, and come in a 30-ml glass bottle with a pipette
The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% – High Strength Vitamin and Mineral Blemish Formula (£5)
Use to: fight blemishes, fade hyperpigmentation
Niacinamide seems to me a little like a miraculous, do-it-all ingredient. It’s an antioxidant (which means it fights skin-aging free radicals), it reduces the appearance of skin blemishes and congestion, and helps fade hyperpigmentation.
After using The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% for six weeks, I’m happy to report that the breakouts I had around my jawline over the past few months now seem to be gone. I don’t know if it’s just down to this product (I’ve also been using the Paula’s Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid and Resist 1% Retinol Booster), but I’ll definitely keep using it.
You don’t change a winning team, right?
The Ordinary Alpha Arbutin 2% + HA – Serum (£7)
Use to: fade hyperpigmentation
I’m using The Ordinary Alpha Arbutin 2% + HA (as well as Niacinamide 10% and Paula’s Choice Resist 1% Retinol Booster) to try and fade the annoying dark spots blemishes like to leave behind. I always find it pretty hard to precisely assess the results of this type of treatments, but since in this product alpha arbutin is used at a high 2% concentration (versus a standard concentration of 1%) and the pH of the formula is supposed to be the most suitable to minimize the degradation of its active ingredient, I’m really hopeful it’s going to work.
The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 – A Hydration Support Formula With Ultra-Pure, Vegan Hyaluronic Acid (£5.90)
Use to: tackle dehydrated skin
Since hyaluronic acid can attract and retain up to 1000 times its weight in water, it’s a great ingredient to keep the skin hydrated. The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 “uses three forms of HA with varying molecular weights, as well as an HA crosspolymer, to offer multi-depth hydration”. The formula is enriched with vitamin B5 (panthenol), which also enhances surface hydration.
I’ve been using this serum AM and PM around my eyes (the only area in my face that is dry and dehydrated) before going in with my usual eye cream, and I have to say I’m really happy with the results.
The Ordinary “Buffet” – Multi-Technology Peptide Serum (£12.70)
Use to: reduce premature skin aging
Peptides are fragments of proteins, which are the building blocks of the skin. Without peptides, the skin loses firmness and wrinkles appear, so hopefully applying a peptide-rich serum helps prevent that.
I use The Ordinary “Buffet” in the morning (followed by Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% and Alpha Arbutin 2% + HA) and find it is enough to keep my oily skin nicely hydrated all day long. If you have dry skin, you may want to add a thicker cream or an oil on top.
What I love the most about The Ordinary (besides the beyond reasonable price range) is that you can customize your skincare regimen based on your actual skin concerns, so don’t be afraid to layer your products, if you want to tackle different issues (according to The Ordinary Regimen Guide you shouldn’t use more than three serum formulations in a single regimen, though).
No matter your budget or skin concern, you’ll be sure to find something for you within this range. I feel like I can’t recommend it highly enough! From the exceptionally high level of actives to the incredibly low price tag, nothing about The Ordinary is really ordinary.
Maybe it should’ve been called… “The Revolutionary”? 
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