There are quite a few words that come to mind when I think of the skincare industry: fabulous, empowering, but expensive. Very expensive. There are very few affordable options that are even worth buying. Personally, I would rather have one mascara I love that is more expensive but one that will last and look the best. I used to have this feeling towards skincare products as well as makeup until I stumbled upon The Ordinary.
If you haven’t heard all of the buzz for The Ordinary products, I’m here to spread the buzz your way. As someone with acne prone skin, I bought the Sunday Riley lactic acid product and really felt like it made a difference in my redness and did a great job of exfoliating my skin and revealing the lower layers. However, one bottle of the lactic acid costs a whopping $122 and I’m so stingy with my cream to make it last.
Enter The Ordinary. I read about this amazing Canadian brand that sells a lactic acid bottle, that is albeit smaller, for $7 A BOTTLE. I could buy 17.4 bottles for the price of one Sunday Riley cream. With that said, I was a bit skeptical about how well it would work, given the crazy cost cut, but it hasn’t failed me yet. I am absolutely in love with it. It is still a close second to Sunday Riley’s Good Genes, but it is a fabulous alternative to anyone who doesn’t want to drop exorbitant prices on skincare products.
So, how on Earth can The Ordinary charge 17 times less than other high-end brands? Well, for one, they are completely transparent about the chemicals they are selling in their bottles so there is no “mystery magic mix” that you feel you are buying with Sunday Riley products. This makes it easier for The Ordinary to not jack up their prices to exorbitant levels while still making a sizable profit since more people can afford to buy a $7 bottle of heavenly lotions.
I’m going to take you through a couple of my favorite products that I’ve tried so far and what they’re best for. It’s tough to understand the lingo since The Ordinary only uses the scientific names of the products, but once you’re an insider it makes complete sense.
The Ordinary Lactic Acid 10% + HA 2% ($7):
This product is absolutely fantastic to brighten dark spots and eat away at that dead layer of skin to reveal the glowy underlayer. I would definitely recommend this product to anyone with acne prone skin as it does a fantastic job of exfoliating your problem areas and drying up the dead areas.
The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + BA ($7)
Hyaluronic acid has had all of the hype in the beauty industry for a while now. And for good reason. This product provides deep penetration compared to typical moisturizers and leaves your skin literally glowing. Women have claimed they’ve skipped wearing makeup because they love the natural glow this product leaves their skin with. Another benefit is that a bottle of hyaluronic acid from other companies costs around $185. Jeez!
The Ordinary 100% Organic Cold-Pressed Rose Hip Seed Oil ($10)
Yes. This is a must have. Every skin type (except maybe super oily skin) would benefit from extra moisture and skin nourishment. This rose hip seed oil provides just that. An added benefit is that when used in tandem with retinol, it significantly lessens dark spots and problem areas.
The Ordinary Caffeine Solution ($6.70)
If you don’t look awake until noon like I do, this product is screaming your name. I have never tried a product that has helped with my under-eye puffiness and nicely conceals the fact that I was actually up until 4 am cramming for an exam.
Overall, I obviously recommend the above 4 products from The Ordinary for different reasons. I’m hoping to try some more products and get back to you on how they fare. In the meantime, if you try any products that you love, definitely let me know! Stay safe and healthy, loves. Xoxo #TheSkinCareScientist