Earlier on this year I decided to give the much hyped The Ordinary products a try. I’d heard great reviews about their range, and thought it might help with my main skin concerns at the moment, which are pigmentation and wrinkles. Now, as I write this post I’m a couple of weeks short of turning 48, so I’m aware that I might’ve left it a bit too late to tackle these lines and pigmentation, but better late than never! And I’m keen to do something to make sure they don’t get any worse.
The Ordinary 6 months update
Why are The Ordinary products so cheap?
The Ordinary products contain just a few active ingredients; there are no other extra products included in their formulations. By focusing on the active ingredients, they can keep their costs down and sell their products at a lower price than their competitors. Furthermore, their packaging is simple, and their products are not scented which is something I love.
Now, there is one big downside for me; the amount of products available and their uses can feel a bit overwhelming if you are not a beauty expert or if you are not sure what to use. But did you know you can email them with your skin concern and they will get back to you with a tailored beauty regime? I’m not going to lie, when I got the recommended product list I was a bit dubious I’d keep the routine up and I’d remember what to use when. But the routine was surprisingly easy to follow.
The Ordinary recommends applying water based solutions first, followed by oil formulations and finally cream or other solid formulas.
You can see below the list of products recommended to me. You can also ready my post here.
Recommended routine and products for mature skin
AM Suggested Routine
– The Ordinary “Buffet” – A multi-technology peptide serum that targets various visible signs of ageing at once
– The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 – A multi-depth hydration serum that contains 3 hyaluronic acid complexes at multiple molecular weights and Vitamin B5
– The Ordinary Alpha Arbutin 2% + HA -A concentrated serum with purified alpha arbutin. Alpha Arbutin reduces the looks of dark spots and hyperpigmentation
– The Ordinary Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate 10% – A brightening and hydrating cream formula with stabilized Vitamin C derivative to visibly target uneven tone, dullness and signs of ageing
–The Ordinary Mineral UV Filters SPF15 or 30 with Antioxidants
PM Suggested Routine
– The Ordinary “Buffet” – A multi-technology peptide serum that targets various visible signs of ageing at once
– The Ordinary Hyaludronic Acid 2% + B5 – A multi-depth hydration serum that contains 3 hyaluronic acid complexes at multiple molecular weights and Vitamin B5
–Retinol 0.2% in Squalane or The Ordinary Granactive Retinol 2% in Squalane – Moderate strength water – free retinol / retinol solutions that target multiple signs of ageing.
–The Ordinary 100% Organic Cold Pressed Rose Hip Seed Oil – A daily support oil for healthy hydrated skin, targets signs of photo-ageing and several other skin conditions
What do I think 6 months on
As I mentioned earlier I was a bit concerned about the number of products recommended to use morning and evening. I’m not a morning person and I get out of bed about 20 minutes before I need to leave the house, so wasn’t sure I’d be able to fit the morning routine in a short space of time and when I’m in a rush. You get the idea, right? Amazingly I’ve been ok and managed to used all the products in the morning while I get ready.
I had read some reviews where people mention some of the products causing ‘pilling’, and yes I have experienced this some times. I’m not 100% sure which one of the products caused it, but I notice it also depends on other beauty products I use afterwards. I now try to make sure each product gets absorbed properly before I add the next one. Yes, pilling is a bit of a downside but I’ve noticed an improvement in the pigmentation I have on my nose so that alone makes a huge difference. The nose pigmentation has been a bit of a concern for me for the past couple of years so I’m quite pleased to see improvement n this area.
Overall I’m really pleased I’ve given The Ordinary products a go. I have since repurchased them and I’ve also bought their make up – which is fantastic- and a few other products. It’s been really easy to incorporate the products into my daily beauty routine and I’m pleased to see the difference.
Are you a fan of The Ordinary products? Have you used them before?