You know that little brand that’s been kind of a big deal in the beauty blogger and influencer world for quite a while now.
To recap, The Ordinary is a Canadian skin care brand that’s been breaking the internet with its high-performance range of evidence based key ingredients. The most expensive items are the serums and they cost around $25 so you can understand the fuss here in Australia where you could easily pay 5 – 10 times that price for the equivalent made by another brand.
The Ordinary don’t make cleansers or toners right now so I’ve been using a REN cleanser and a long time favourite, the ARCONA cranberry toner.
I then wore my usual SPF 50 and make up over the top for a week.
Mecca’s’ black label’ To Save Face
and the power couple that is Hourglass’ Illusion Hyaluronic Skin Tint and Ambient primer in Dim Light. Also both from Mecca.
Unfortunately, as I will explain later in the post, The Ordinary has been just that for my skin. To make sure I wasn’t just having impossible expectations of the range, I then switched back to my usual routine and found that the problems I had with application and skin quality both resolved when I was back on my old multiple brand regime.
Initial impressions:
– easy to use, functional packaging that looks good in its simplicity
– ingredient lists make it clear what percentage of active ingredients are contained in each product.
‘The Buffet’:
– I found the serum blended easily into my skin without leaving a filmy residue behind, eventually. It did take a fair bit of work and time to get it to soak in
– my skin feels softer
– ‘The Buffet’ is meant to target fine lines, wrinkles, dynamic lines and textural irregularities but I haven’t really seen much change in my lines.
‘Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA’:
– I found this moisturizer quite thick and heavy, it ‘sat’ on my skin in white streaks while more expensive creams tend to ‘sink in’ better
– as it contains no SPF, I wear my usual SPF 50 from Mecca Cosmetica over the top
– wear under makeup wasn’t great. I found it hard to blend my makeup over the top.
A longer term view:
‘The Buffet’:
– I just didn’t get that instantly smoother and more hydrated feel under my fingers when applying compared to my usual products.
– I began to break out after a few days of use.
‘Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA’:
– leaves a noticeable white cast on my skin
– feels heavy
– broke out after commencing use.
Would I repurchase?
– Ironically, I’m more disappointed about the lack of miracles worked on my skin than I have been with the underperformance of other, pricier brands. There’s just been so much hype attached The Ordinary and while the products leave my skin soft, I haven’t noticed any change in texture or the appearance of glow like I did within a few days of using my favourite products from Arcona and Kiehl’s
– at this stage, I’m very happy with the other products I use from those other brands and won’t be abandoning them for The Ordinary
– I might return to the serums alone from this brand as they seem to work better for me than their cream based moisturizers.
– will be putting what I currently have in my gym / swimming bags so that they don’t go to waste.
The Ordinary. How did or didn’t it work for you?
Tell me everything. And have a great weekend, it’s going to be sensational here in Sydney if the forecast is to be believed!!