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The Skincare Brand That's Changing the Game


If there's one brand that's had everyone talking in 2017 so far, it's been the Ordinary. After several products on back-order finally arrived (believe it or not, this post has been in the pipeline since October!) and I had a chance to test everything fully, I'm now ready to share my full and honest review of the products I have here.


The Concept

The idea behind the Ordinary is to bring proven skincare ingredients at affordable prices. Instead of including expensive ingredients whose functionality isn't proven, each product focusses on an active ingredient. I must admit, though, the scientific approach is likely to alienate many general consumers who don't really know what the ingredients are in their skincare products and want something that's labelled 'intensely moisturising' or 'radiance-boosting'. However at the low price-point I was happy to take a bit of a punt on a few products that looked promising. 

The majority of the Ordinary's products are serum-like, however there are also primers, oils and moisturisers as part of the range. The idea is that you can even mix them together to create your own customised skincare routine and if you're struggling to understand how or when to use any of the products this article is really handy. The packaging is plain and functional; it does the job and I feel like it's almost becoming iconic in its simplicity. It's now available via The Ordinary, Victoria Health, BeautyBay and ASOS.

The Products

100% Organic Cold-Press Rosehip Seed Oil* | £9 | Rosehip oil is one of my favourite skincare ingredients and this is the most affordable formulation I've tried yet! I do think I still prefer the extra (but still all-natural) ingredients offered by my Pai Rosehip oil but I think this definitely competes with my other favourite from Trilogy. It has a lightweight texture that's nothing greasy however I still use a product like this overnight. It's a brilliant all-in-one to intensely nourish dry skin (without causing any breakouts) and make it look bright and healthy. It definitely improves the texture of skin overall when you use it for an extended period of time, making it softer and smoother, as well as clearer.


Lactic Acid 10%+ HA | £5.80 | I must admit this one was a bit of a disappointment for me! I generally really get on well with acid exfoliants, however I just didn't feel this was really effective and it had quite a tacky finish on my skin. It has quite a strange smell, which I would have tolerated if it worked for me, given the price. However I expected this to increase the radiance of my skin, help to fade any scarring left behind by blemishes and for the hyaluronic acid (though it's not clear to me how much of it this contains) to ensure my skin felt nice and hydrated, but I didn't notice any significant changes to the texture or quality of my skin.

Niacinamide 10% + Zinc PCA 1% | £5 | We've gone from lowlights to one of the highlights of the collection, in my opinion! This is another clear serum and though it leaves a tiny bit of tackiness, it doesn't peel off in balls when I apply my moisturiser and the texture isn't at all noticeable once I've finished my skincare routine. This is amazing if you suffer from blemishes and I've been switching to it every time I've had a breakout. It does a great job of calming down any redness and inflammation, ensuring my skin is clear and my complexion even.

Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 | £5.90 | This has a really similar texture to the Niacinamide, however isn't quite as tacky to me. Hyaluronic Acid's selling point is its ability to hold moisture in the skin and this definitely does. My skin looks so healthy and plumped whenever I use this! There are a few dehydration lines on my forehead which really annoy me and I use them to judge how parched my skin is and how effective products to combat that have been. This really helps to smooth their appearance and give my skin an overall softness. Definitely another highlight of the collection for me.

Retinol 1% | £5.80 | This has a really unusual texture - it almost looks like a clear silicone primer gel but it smooths right on and actually has a fairly hydrating finish. I tried this every night for a good 2 months in order to fully see the results. I found that this mild retinol still made my skin look fresh and its tone and texture much more even. Retinol also had amazing anti-aging properties so hopefully this will also help my skin longer term. This isn't at all harsh; as someone whose skin isn't really used to retinols, I didn't find this stripping or irritating. 

Azelaic Acid Suspension 10% | £5.50 | I used this product pretty much everyday for a few weeks when my skin was a bit tired and spotty, which really showed how great it was, and it's since become a regular in my skincare routine. It has a smooth cream, moisturiser texture that's neither greasy nor matte. I wouldn't say it's overly hydrating (you'd want a moisturising serum underneath it if you're dry) but for oily skin (which I think would benefit from this kind of product the most), I think it's enough. This is amazing at keeping the skin clear; I'm one of those people destined to always have at least one spot, even if it's not a full-on breakout! However whilst using this, my skin was incredibly clear and free from redness. My pores were clear and it definitely helped the appearance of scars from old spots that tend to become hyper pigmented. If you suffer from blemishes or uneven skin tone this is definitely worth giving a go (and it's only a fiver!)

Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate 10% | £7.80 | This is cream-based product that has a smooth, hydrating, non-greasy, non-sticky finish. This is essentially a form of Vitamin C that acts as an antioxidant. I personally use this in the mornings in place of a moisturiser because it's nourishing enough for my combination skin on its own. It makes my skin look bright, fresh and even (helping to improve the appearance of blemishes and imperfections), however unlike some of the more intensive ingredients that give you these effects, it's actually quite nice and soothing.

Natural Moisturising Factors + HA | £4.90 | This is a really nice, no-frills moisturiser. It's not rich, it's not heavy, it's not greasy, but it does the job when it comes to softening the skin and adding a nice amount of hydration. If you have dry skin, I don't think this will do enough for you, however if you're normal, combination or oily I think it's a great option. It doesn't have any fragrances or irritating ingredients so for sensitive or acne-prone skin, it could also be a really great one to try. The ingredients are all proven to be effective and include hyaluronic acid, triglycerides and amino acids.

High-Adherence Silicone Primer* | £3.90 | I'll be honest: I didn't think I'd like this product! The word 'silicone' conjures memories of slippery clear gel-like primers, which are the opposite of what I want these days. However when I squeezed this out, it had a definite cream-like consistency, which was a nice big 'tick'. I then smoothed it onto my face five or so minutes after my moisturiser and there was none of that horrible peeling effect. Instead it gave my skin a really smooth finish and my makeup stayed in place and shine-free from when I left the house at half 7 to when I got home at around half 6. I've been using this most days since and in my opinion it's a total winner! 


High-Spreadability Fluid Primer* | £5.50 | This next highlight of the bunch was really quite unexpected! This has a serum-like formula that spreads across the skin with ease. It leaves my skin neither matte nor overly dewy; it just has that perfect satin finish. It doesn't make my moisturiser peel off or anything like that and actually did an impressive job of masking my pores appear less pronounced. I definitely feel as though my base goes on smoothly and my skin looks at its best when I use this, and it also increases wear-time. I'm giving this a very enthusiastic thumbs up!

The Verdict


By and large I'm soooo impressed with the products I've tried and I think the concept of this brand is genius. Even if there are one or two duds, at the end of the day these products cost less each than the average drink I'd buy on a night out! In fact, the amazing silicone primer will set you back less than a large caramel latte from Starbucks... The products are simple, functional and do what they say on the tin. For me, the one drawback is that you need to know your skincare stuff to work out which products are for you, or be willing to do some Googling (or there's always the 'lucky dip' method I opted for...)


Have you tried the Ordinary - what did you think of their products? If not, which products do you have your eye on?



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Disclosure - products marked * were sent to me for consideration however all opinions remain my own. 
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50 comments

  1. I've been waiting for your opinion on these products for so long! Thanks for the review, now I can finally pick out some things to buy :)
    Lots of Love,
    Eva :)
    http://lipstickforeva.blogspot.com

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  2. My skin has been awful recently so I might have to try some of these products and see if they can help me! X
    Kate// itskaterose.com

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  3. I got their moisturizer in my beauty box and I'm so happy I had the chance to try this brand. I'm still testing out, but so far I like it. Can't wait to try their serum for blemishes.

    Michelle Morchella

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  4. I've only tried the hyaluronic acid serum, which I absolutely love, but now I may have to try a few more products as they all sound amazing!
    Chloe xxx

    http://marblebeauty.co.uk

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  5. I've never heard of this brand but it sounds amazing!

    Lotte | www.lottebeautybox.blogspot.co.uk

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  6. Ive been seeing this brand pop up here and there and I really want to try everything from them haha, love how affordable everything is too :)

    http://claresloves.blogspot.co.uk/

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  7. Great post! I haven't bought any The Ordinary products yet because it was overwhelming initially and there were only positive reviews and I've since read some negatives. I will try some products at some point but I have lots of skincare open at the moment so will wait until I need to replace some products before placing an order xx

    Beautylymin

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  8. Thank you so much for the extensive review!

    I know The Ordinary is owned by Deceim, which also does Hylamide. How does the High Adherence Silicone Primer compare to the Matte 12 primer?

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    Replies
    1. I'd say the silicone is definitely more hydrating, they are both nice and smoothing but the Matte has a more gel-like consistency and keeps things in place and shine free no matter what (I'll have to see how the Silicone fares when Summer comes around!) xx

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  9. I just received an email from Bloglovin about this post literally 5 seconds after sending an email to my friends telling them what to buy from The Ordinary! So funny. The 2% Retinoid and Buffet serum are so incredible.

    Briana
    www.youngsophisticate.com

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  10. What a great comprehensive post. I personally saw nothing from the Niacinamide and find the Hyaluronic just blah. The Lactic on the other hand is one of my favourites from the brand. I'm definitely going to order the primers then...xxx
    UmmBabyBeauty

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  11. For an oily skinned gal, which primer do you think would work better for me? I mostly want my foundation to stick around, and to somehow mask my pores. Thanks :)

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    Replies
    1. Probably the Silicone. High-Adherence is good at hiding pores but it has a slightly more dewy finish to it. I'd also recommend Matte 12 from Hylamide (also owned by Deciem) :) xx

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  12. A brand I've been looking at recently actually.
    I must pick up a few bits and try some out.
    Thanks for sharing your thoughts, I'll have to keep an eye out for the primer for sure!!
    Gillian  xx  Eyelinerflicks.com

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  13. I just bought the hyaluronic acid, and have been absolutely loving it - especially for the price! Definitely going to pick up some more bits from this company!

    Lucy | Forever September

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  14. Thanks for this post! I'm headed to San Francisco this evening for a presentation of the brand and their products - so yep, I'll buy them too finally! - and I can't be more excited :D

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    Replies
    1. Ooh exciting! Hope you pick up some goodies :) xx

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  15. I've been hearing so many good things about this brand! I really want to give it a try :)

    xo, Liz
    http://lipstickandconfetti.com

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  16. Wow, I feel like I'm missing out here! I had not heard about Ordinary before this post - and now I want to try everything haha. This seems to be such a great brand to try out different skincare ingredients without breaking the bank. I'm actually surprised at how affordable everything is, and which such a big selection of products as well! The High-Adherence primer sounds great, I haven't used primers in years (because of silicones) but if it makes your skin look matte for so long, that's something I need to try!
    Thanks for sharing Jasmine!

    Julia x
    Last post: Purple Makeup with MAC and YSL | http://juliaspeaksbeauty.blogspot.co.uk/2017/03/makeup-review-purple-haze.html

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  17. WOW I am definitely having to go and check these products out! Thank you so much for sharing and such a wonderful post.

    Elle du Jour xxx

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  18. So glad you like this brand, I recommend it to anyone who wants high end skincare at an affordable rate. I don't have the primer but will probably give it a try after this

    Mischa | www.themischadiaries.com

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    Replies
    1. It's well worth picking up - especially for that price! xx

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  19. I love what I've tried from the Ordinary! I use Nicinamide and Alpha Arbutin together and they work great on my skin! Will definitely be looking into the Azelaic acid now as well as all the new launches which I'm dying to get my hands on!

    Danielle's Beauty Blog

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  20. I've been waiting for the post! They're are a few products I love and have become staples in my routine. I have dehydrated skin and i love the Natural Moisturising factors! I really don't like the scientific names for them though. I can't even mange to remember the names of half the products haha! The lactic acid didn't work for me either, I wonder why because I really like acid in general xx

    LPage Beauty

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  21. I need to try this brand out! I have heard such amazing things! This post is amazing, so detailed and helpful! <3

    Fix Me In Forty Five - A Beauty & Lifestyle Blog
    Blog Lovin' // Instagram
    xx

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  22. I've just written about a few The Ordinary products on my blog and was interested in trying a few more, so this is great timing! It sounds like the azelaic acid would be a good one for my skin type, it's similar to yours I think. I've also quite enjoyed the alpha arbutin serum and am starting to see results in fading a bit of pigmentation I have below my eyes.
    x Morgan | Hyacinth Girl

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    Replies
    1. That sounds like it would be amazing for me - I suffer from hyper pigmentation under the eyes too and nothing seems to work! xx

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  23. This is insanely helpful, definitely making an order based on your recommendations!

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  24. I tried out the hyaluronic acid and I love it! I want to buy the whole range.
    Kathryn /Cherries in the Snow

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  25. Hello, thanks for your reviews! Would you say that sunscreen goes on best before or after the primer?

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    Replies
    1. I always go for sunscreen before primer as the last step of my skincare :) xx

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  26. I'm so keen to try this brand, especially that Niacinamide serum! It sounds perfect for my skin!

    Lexie
    nailgirl.net

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  27. I've never heard of this brand before, these sounds really good. I've had quite bad skin recently so i might look more into the brand as they seem really affordable :)

    <3
    perfectfixations.blogspot.co.uk

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  28. I've heard of this brand before but never really looked into it. I can't believe how affordable they are, I've honestly never heard of some of the ingredients though so I will have to do a bit of research haha!

    Lauren x Huggled

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  29. The silicone primer sounds right up my street Jasmine, and I'm so amazed by this brand; they're so affordable! I'm going to have to make a purchase sometime within the near future. Great post! x
    Lots of love,
    Marina Rosie xx
    https://marinawriteslife.blogspot.fr/

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  30. I have just ordered 5 products to try out from this range and some of them are ones you have reviewed so great to hear what you think of them. The price point for this range is great

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    Replies
    1. Hope you enjoy the products you ordered :) xx

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  31. Great post. I really need to try this brand!

    www.upyourvlog.com

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  32. Thank you for your comments - I really hope this was helpful in deciding which products to pick up from the Ordinary! xx

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  33. Definitely going to be saving this post Jasmine as there's a few now that I really want to try! I do find their names quite confusing but I'm beginning to work out which products would probably work for me so I'm going to make an order soon!

    The Makeup Directory

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  34. Thanks for writing a great review of the brand.
    I've just bought a couple of items from the Abnormal Beauty Company store they have in Sydney. They were so helpful and told me exactly where to use the products I purchased in my routine as I had a clue from some research a bit was overwhelmed by it all! I'm trying the Retinol 1% as I've wanted to add retinol to my skincare routine for a while and it's a low percentage so great for a beginner like me and an affordable way to try it!
    I also bought High-Adherence Silicone Primer to try too!
    I'm so happy to hear you liked both products but I'm annoyed I didn't buy more to try!
    I have some Niod items too (another Deciem brand) that I'm waiting to try!

    Again thanks for a great review

    Helen
    X❤️x

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    Replies
    1. Niod is a brand I want to try more from! I love their Saponins cleanser :) xx

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  35. I loved the way you have explained/described each product from the line, was quite easy to follow! I am very intrigued and inspired to try this brand too now, it must be so good! Thank you for the review Jasmine! xx

    Naya // www.partyparrotblog.com

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  36. I've got the products that you sid were highlights so that's lucky! I really like the smoothness of Niacinamide 10% + Zinc PCA 1% but have only been using it for a week so yet to see a difference.
    I've ordered those two silicone primers from good reviews and all my foundations are silicone based so hopefully they'll go nicely together.

    https://geotheleo.com

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  37. I've only tried two products from them when they first launched them, I liked them but I wasn't overly impressed. But I definitely want to get some more products as they have expanded the range noticeably. I need to get that primer! :) x

    Mummy's Beauty Corner

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  38. Definitely need to try out this skincare range now for sure!

    www.upyourvlog.com

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  39. Great post. I would love to try the Niacinamide 10% + Zinc PCA 1% and the High-Spreadability Fluid Primer.

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  40. Wanted to ask, where can you buy The Ordinary? I'm trying to find the Retinol to see if it'll help my hyperpigmentation at all but realised drugstores like Boots don't sell it and not sure where else to look?
    www.susanetc.co.uk

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