A Haul From The Ordinary + Mini Reviews
While I'm sure there aren't many out there who haven't heard of The Ordinary, for those of you who haven't it's an extremely affordable and quality skincare line that is taking the beauty world by force. I placed my first order a few months back and have finally gotten around to trying (most of) the products products, so I thought I'd give you guys a quick run through of the bits I picked up.
1. 100% Organic Cold-Pressed Rose Hip Seed Oil - daily support for all skin types
I've been using this just about every single night for the last 2-3 months (aside from the time I was on my trip). I've taken a bit of inspo from my IG gals and just apply it straight from the dropper to my face. One quick line across my forehead and a few drops on each cheek are enough to cover my whole face. If I need a little extra, I'll put a drop or two on my hands and rub them on my neck. In conjunction with the essences I've been using, I feel like this product has made such a difference in the appearance of my skin. It's a lot less red and inflamed and just looks gooood. Everyone sings high praises of this and for good reason - if you're contemplating an order from The Ordinary, do not miss out on this one. My mom has been experiencing very dry skin lately so in conjunction with the Glossier Priming Moisturizer Rich (post here), I gave her the Rose Hip Seed Oil and her skin has drastically improved. This stuff is something short of a miracle worker.
2. 100% Plant-Derived Squalane - pure squalane for surface hydration
I recently started using this and it is verrrry oily. But not so overly oily that I wouldn't want to use it, but definitely one that I would only reach for at night. I've been pairing this with an essence and my skin has been looking sooo good. Our bodies produce squalane and as we get older our bodies stop producing it. Squalane promotes cell reproduction, improves moisture balance, and intercepts free radicals from entering the system so it is quite a good product to add into your routine.
3. Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG - helps reduce the appearance of eye contour pigmentation and puffiness
This one is a bit strange to me and I haven't quite gotten used to it. I went from using hydrating eye creams such as the Bobbi Brown Hydrating Eye Cream, to rich eye creams such as the Kiehl's Creamy Eye Treatment w/ Avocado, to this - an eye serum? With warm weather here, I'll be honest and say I get really lazy with my skincare routine and layering tons of products onto my skin. The idea of applying a thin layer of serum under my eyes to tackle darkness and puffiness sounded too good to be true. I used this on an off for about a week and a half but didn't see a huge difference - this also came around peak allergy season and as my eyes got irritated, I stopped using this. I'm planning to give it another go, but if I don't see a huge difference I may pass this one on to my bf's sister and pick up either the Drunk Elephant serum or the Youth to the People one. I did see a small tip from one of my IG friends (@cosmeticdiarytokyo) who suggested putting the serum in a roller ball to give a quick and cooling application for the product. I have yet to pick up an empty roller ball to do that, but it's on my list!
4. AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution - 10 minute Exfoliating Facial
The affordable rival of the Drunk Elephant Babyfacial Peel - that little bottle with a pink pump packs a heavy punch and gives a massive tingling sensation. The DE version also costs quite a pretty penny, so when this affordable 'dupe' came out I needed to try it. This one gives you that Carrie / blood smeared on your face look, but that just means it's working? It stung just as bad as the DE version and had a semi easier consistency to work with. I got pretty bad about just leaving it on for the recommended amount of time but didn't think it did anything detrimental to my skin (aka stain my face red, lol). I used this 3 times and I gotta say my skin did look good! I haven't used the DE one in a while so I think I may need to do a quick test to see if one really is better than the other. But at this time, the Ordinary's version is just as good and at a massive fraction of the price.
5. Salicyclic Acid 2% Solution
In my post on banishing breakouts here, I let you guys in on some of my HG products when it comes to fighting spots. Tea Tree Oil can get pretty expensive, so I wanted to find some other options that would do the same job. I picked up the Salicyclic Acid 2% Solution to join the forces, but I'm not too sure how I feel about it just yet. I applied it over some of my skincare products but it tended to just pill up on my skin. I've been fortunate enough not to have too many skin issues *knock on wood* so I haven't really been able to give this a try. But more thoughts to come soon once I do give it a try a few more times!
6. Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution
This is an AHA which is The Ordinary's dupe for the ever popular Pixi Glow Tonic. While the Pixi version has a 5% solution, The Ordinary one has a 7% solution. This one from The Ordinary is definitely at a lower and more affordable price point. I haven't used this at all yet as I got the large pump bottle of my beloved Pixi Glow Tonic. However, I'm excited to use this one and I'll be sure to keep you all posted on my thoughts! I may just take and leave this bottle at my boyfriend's place to use when I'm there! Will keep you guys posted on this.
Some products that are on my list to try include: Buffet, 100% Cold-Pressed Virgin Marula Oil (which is said to be a good dupe of the DE Marula Oil), Lactic Acid, and Hyaluronic Acid 2% (to compare to my beloved Glossier Super Bounce). They're breaking into the foundation game now too so I'm tempted to give that a try. What are some of your favorite products from The Ordinary? You know I love getting tips from all of you!
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