Deciem The Ordinary Review
I first heard of this brand on Reddit and was drawn in by the extremely low prices, simple and proven skincare ingredients, and very ~scientific~ marketing. For the most part of 2017, I was on the Curology formulas to treat my acne. In the second half of the year, I made VERY good progress, to where my cystic acne reduced down to just scarring, and decided to cancel my Curology shipments and return back to my normal skincare routine. Since cancelling, I had searched for replacements for some of the ingredients that I saw the most results from during my Curology usage - namely Niacinamide and Azelaic Acid. A little bit of background on my skin before I get into the reviews: I tend to have dry skin, especially in the winter. I tend to break out on my cheeks and chin, especially around ~that time of the month~.
Vitamin C Suspension 23% + HA Spheres 2% - $5.80
Texture: Gritty
Consistency: Cream
Finish: A little bit oily
Repurchase: No
The benefits of Vitamin C on skin are pretty well researched. It's an an antioxidant, protects skin from damage done by UV rays, boosts collagen, reduces hyperpigmentation etc etc. It was included as an ingredient in my final Curology bottle and I wanted something as a replacement in my current routine. Curology offers several formulations of Vitamin C (6 to be exact) - but I chose this one. The Ordinary describes it as a "Water Free, Silicone Free, Stable Suspension" which means there's no risk of the Vitamin C oxidizing. The first ingredient is Abscorbic Acid, and the second is Squalane. Overall, I didn't enjoy using it due to the texture and the finish. It comes out in a cream consistancy, and as I worked it into my skin, it felt very gritty, almost like fine bits of sand. The finish was oily, likely due to the squalane. I found it really difficult to get the grittiness to go away, unless I used it mixed with another cream, like Cerave PM. There was a tingliness when applied, like most Vitamin C serums. I felt like this was much less irritating than my last Vitamin C serum from Wishtrend. I'll probably finish this one off, and consider testing out one of the other 5 options on The Ordinary.
AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution - $7.20
Texture: Smooth
Consistency: Serum
Finish: Sticky when dry
Repurchase: Yes
I tried out chemical exfoliation in the past year, starting with CosRX BHA Blackhead Power Liquid and CosRX AHA 7 Whitehead Power Liquid. This solution from the Ordinary is an AHA/BHA mask, left on for 10 minutes, and then washed off. It's hard to tell from the pictures, but the liquid is BLOOD red. My fiance calls it the blood mask. I usually use this once a week on Sundays when my skincare routine is a little bit longer. It's packaged in a little glass bottle with a dropper. I usually use half a dropper for my face (excluding my forehead). It is VERY tingly when I initially put it on, but subsides after the thirty seconds or so. After 10 minutes, I wash it off and follow with a sheet mask. I didn't notice anything that night after usage, but when I woke up in the morning, my complexion was noticeably brighter and my skin texture was baby soft. I definitely will repurchase, but I am nowhere near close to finishing this little vial.
Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% - $5.90
Texture: Smooth
Consistency: Serum
Finish: Sticky if used alone, smooth when combined
Repurchase: Yes
Niacinamide is one of my favorite skincare ingredients. Again, it is a very well researched ingredient that has anti-aging properties and also helps with hyperpigmentation, sebum reduction, and acne. Similar to the peeling solution, this comes in a little glass vial with a dropper. This formulation also includes 1% Zinc, which has anti-inflammatory properties. I use this serum a few different ways - a few drops directly to the face, or a dropper-ful in my Cerave cream as a little Niacinamide booster. I've found that this helps calm my skin during a breakout, but also has helped to brighten my overall complexion. I'm about halfway through the bottle and have found that my skin is a lot less sensitive overall. My breakouts seem very short-lived and fewer in between. At the price point, I will repurchase multiple to keep one in my dedicated travel bag. It's easily my favorite product out of the 4 that I bought from The Ordinary.
Azelaic Acid Suspension 10% - $7.90
Texture: Smooth
Consistency: Cream
Finish: Silky, like a primer
Repurchase: Probably not
Azelaic Acid helps with redness, hyperpigmentation (sensing a theme...), and acne. It's been one of those ingredients that I really enjoyed when it was included in my Curology formulation, but one that I haven't been able to find an outside replacement. I was really hoping to like this Azelaic Acid and the price was so right, but it fell short in a few ways. This product felt more like an Azelaic Acid primer rather than something that was 'skincare' due to the silicone used for the suspension. It is very difficult for the product to spread around when applied, and made me feel like it wasn't absorbing properly. The silicones also prevented me from using it during the PM, as I don't like the idea of silicones on my face all night. Instead, I use this as a spot primer around my nose area, which gets quite red, and around some of my acne scarring in hopes that it'll help with the dark spots. I likely won't be repurchasing it, but if anyone has any recommendations for an Azelaic Acid cream - let me know in the comments.
Overall Thoughts
This was my first time trying out The Ordinary. I've included these products in my routine for the past 2 months now and I really like a couple of them, to the point where they've become cornerstones in my skincare routine. The price points are VERY low, despite including ingredients you'd typically find in higher end skincare. I've read more about the parent company Deciem and have heard that The Ordinary is meant to be the entry level brand, and consumers are to ladder up to their higher end (more expensive) brands and products under the Decium umbrella. I'm not sure I'll be one of those consumers, but I definitely want to explore a few more products from The Ordinary, especially because they're so cheap!
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