Everything I'm Testing from The Ordinary
It happened again. I asked a friend for her current skincare faves, and she gave the same answer I've been hearing for months. "Oh my god, The Ordinary. Have you tried it?"
Until fairly recently, the answer was no. No because Sephora didn't carry the line. No because Nordstrom didn't either. No because it seemed like I needed to order 732 different bottles of concoctions.
Then, Sephora added The Ordinary to the mix. And I caved.
I could support my VIB Rouge status, try out a bunch of cheap serums everyone swears by, and make my bathroom shelf look like a science experiment? Resistance was futile.
But I didn't commit before doing a little research. I consulted Beautypedia, joined a Facebook group for fans of products by The Ordinary's parent company Deciem (yes, there's a group for everything), made mental notes of friends' faves, and worked within the limits of Sephora's limited product offerings.
I settled on six bottles, and have been trying them out to varying degrees of success for a couple months now. I certainly haven't gone 100-percent Ordinary, but I've done some serious dabbling, mixing, testing, and occasionally spilling.
Some serums have done me right. Others haven't delivered jack. Here's everything I've tried -- and what I think of each so far.
Matrixyl 10 Percent + HA
I am obsessed with this. At $11.50 a clear glass bottle, this peptide-rich superstar blends two generations of matrixyl (insert anti-aging joke here) with hyaluronic acid, whom you might recognize as dry skin's best friend. This one is a for-sure re-purchase. After use, my skin looks recharged, plumped, and just plain better after use. I typically work this into my night routine, but it's daytime-friendly, too.
Hyaluronic Acid 2 Percent + B5
If your chief concern is hydration, this serum's your guy. I used it on dry patches and saw near-immediate results. This one's fair game for day and nighttime use, but I found it didn't always set up nicely under makeup. Then again, it's $6.80. Shrug emoticon.
Granactive Retinoid 2 Percent Emulsion
The major selling point of this retinoid formulation is that it won't irritate skin. It absolutely delivers on that front. I haven't seen any of the typical redness associated with using a Vitamin A-related anti-aging product. Even so, I tend to use it just a few times a week, erring on the side of caution. Unlike the aforementioned gel-like serums, this one's a milky white. It can only be used at night, you can't use it in tandem with exfoliants or other retinoids, and you absolutely have to wear SPF during the day, because retinoids can make your skin more susceptible to sun damage. It's hard to gauge the effectiveness at this point, but I like the results so far and I'm gonna stick with it.
Buffet
On its own, I feel like Buffet does absolutely nothing to my skin. There, I said it. Everyone raves about this $14.80 formula, but, for me, it's simply delivering my beloved matrixyl at a lesser concentration. With daytime use, I've been totally underwhelmed. However, it does work nicely when layered under the Granactive Retinoid.
Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate Solution 20 Percent in Vitamin F
Here, I'll admit to user error. The Ordinary's Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate is classified as a "beginner's" Vitamin C, and I prefer the hard stuff. I like a slight sting. I like a vibrant brightening effect. You won't get either here. Which is why I rate this oil-based serum as utterly inoffensive, and plan to test out another Vitamin C formulation from The Ordinary soon.
Caffeine Solution 5 Percent + EGCG
Allow me to write more about my deep, dark under-eye bags, will you? This serum uses tea leaf science and pure caffeine to banish dark circles and puffiness. Clearly, I had to try it on my legendarily exhausted-looking eyes. It's fine for puffiness, but I think we all know that nothing of this earth will touch my blue bags of death. Also, I found this drying. In other words, I would happily gift this to you. Do you want it?
