Dabbling in The Ordinary; a Budget Friendly Skincare Curiosity
- Amy Wilson
- Nov 10, 2020
- 5 min read
Updated: Dec 12, 2020
I am sure a few of you who follow me, know that I started using a Toronto based, organic skin care brand about three years ago. Before, I was so so so fed up with my skin. When will I lose this scarring and redness? When does adult acne stop? Why does my skin look so dull? This brand did it for me. It calmed my raging red skin, hydrated me and even cleared up my skin other than when pms kicks in and ain't no stoppin’ her. I used a toner every night, and alternated a serum at night and buttery ‘cream’ during the day. Before, I rarely moisturized because my skin was so oily I was scared to add more moisture...but this stuff I put my trust into and I was very happy with my results! But something cruel happened...the brand got bigger and so did the prices. I mean...the prices basically doubled. And I already thought it was a pretty penny, but I was allowing myself to finally splurge for my skin. I lucked out and stocked up before the price hike but my stash is down to it’s LAST bottles...which means thrifty Amy is back and motivated to find her new skincare routine. That’s when I decided to curb my curiosity for the infamous brand, The Ordinary. I had noticed this brand popping up everywhere for a while and had even heard others talking about it. They are an insanely affordable skincare brand but that catch is that you have no damn clue what any of the products are because they are way over ‘the normal skincare consumers’ head. For example; Glycolytic Acid 7%, Lactic Acid 10% + HA 2, Amino Acids + B5…ya lactic acid, B5 those sounds familiar, I think my body is supposed to like that.
Safe to say, I stopped scrolling and gave up on the idea...because shit, that is waaaay too far over my head. Where do you even begin? There are even warnings about which products are UNSAFE to use together. OH BOY, HELP. I am not here to destroy anyone's beautiful beautiful face! (I will say, I do appreciate this pandemic mask wearing journey we are on to hide my occasional face crater). This was going to take some serious research, wow. And I am not sure I am interested in this.
But then I caved… with plenty of time on my hands, thanks to COVID layoffs and all I have on my plate in a few shifts pouring beers and studying for my real estate salesperson licence… I clearly need to watch my budget a little more carefully. AND of course I am on my very last bottle of ‘Serum’ from my OG brand. I took one more look at their prices and then I dove head first into the plethora of blogs giving insightful instructions about The Ordinary. THANK YOU BLOGGGERS.
Below you will find a list of the products that I finally chose and the prices that I paid. And also a few other treats you may be able to learn from.
For the sake of experimentation, I have decided to stick to a routine with just two of the products and then rose hip seed oil on occasion. I have left an * beside them down below.
The Ordinary Hydration Bundle- $20.50 CAD
The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5
The specs on this got far too scientific for me to regurgitate but the cliff notes:
Hydrating as f$%k.
The Ordinary 100% Plant Derived Squalane*
“Squalene is naturally found in the skin, and is an exceptional hydrator that keeps your skin healthy and young.” ...okay, sold.
The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA
This is a non-greasy hydrator that I thought I would try, especially for the four times each year that I would like to wear proper make-up and rather than the oil-based serums I regularly use, though heavenly...it usually doesn’t quite work with my makeup products. #IdonotknowwhatIamdoing
The Ordinary Buffet Serum- $14.80 CAD
I read that this bad boy is great for all skin types. Pretty sure I just bought this because it had a word I recognized from my current products…’serum’.OH and apparently helps tackle common signs of aging. #28goingon19
The Ordinary 100% Organic Cold-Pressed Rose Hip Seed Oil- $9.90 CAD*
I chose Rose hip oil of all the many options out there...but I chose to buy The Ordinary Cold Pressed Rose hip oil since it is the main ingredient in my current serum that is burning a hole in my pocket. It worked really well for me so I thought this would be a solid dupe. Also, the bloggers share that rose hip seed oil has anti-inflammatory fatty acids (hence why my skin loves it) as well as Vitamin A and C.
The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%- $5.90 CAD*
I learned that if I combo this with the 100% Plant-Derived Squalane it is a great combo for skin types that are acne prone, LIKE MINE. It's supposed to help reduce enlarged pores and signs of congestion...so for $5.90 SIGN ME UP. (apply Niacinamide first and then Squalane to finish). Don’t worry, this is a safe combo. I swear I checked.
Things I still want to try from The Ordinary:
Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution- $8.70 CAD Squalane Cleanser- $7.90 CAD
The blood mask (The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution) but instead I will continue to love my ever so classic Amazon purchase that lasts forever- Aztec Clay Mask with apple cider vinegar. $7.20 CAD
Interesting sh*t I learned from this endeavour:
Human Sebum = the oil produced by the skin.
Hemp seed oil naturally has an SPF of about 6.
I should keep my rose hip oil in the refrigerator.
I should definitely spot-test prior to slapping these goods on my face...but I don’t. #YOLO
This gal helps you figure out which oil is best for your skin type. (And it sounds like I need an oil that is high in linoleic acid to battle my quarter-life-crisis acne.)
Apparently rose hip seed oil and baking soda exfoliate the skin. The article suggests steering clear if you have acne prone skin (which is obviously me but I am going to try it anyway...if it fails me, I can hide under my mask).
If your product is stored in a dark glass bottle it’s probably an oil. This is an attempt to keep contamination and rancidity to a minimum. (this has definitely helped me decipher my products from The Ordinary since they all look the same at first glance).
Lastly, a shout out to the blogs that helped me through this challenging time:
- Amy
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