<whispers> am I the only one not at all impressed with The Ordinary?

[explodingkittens]

Such high hopes for it! Love the pricing, the attitude, the packaging....bought Buffet, some salicylic acid, retinoid and a moisturiser. Used them as advised along with my usual gentle double-cleansing routine.

2 months later and my poor face is only just recovering from the worst breakout I've had in years. Great big lumps around my chin, itchy whiteheads popping up daily around my nose, just bloody awful.

Went back to my old routine and within a week my skin was starting to look happy again. But I've still got a red lump in the middle of my chin that won't shift. The only consolation is that I didn't waste much money on it all.

Obviously I know that not all products suit everyone, but surely I can't be the only one to have been sorely (literally!) disappointed by the hype?

Oh dear! Did you introduce everything all at once? If you did (and we've all done it) it is a big mistake. You now don't know what's been the problem. Particularly things like acids and retinoids, they need a slow introduction. Unlikely to be TO line up as such. I've used a few things, some I like better than others but no major problems. Hope you're soon back to happy skin

I love it but I have to check ingredients as some stuff won't agree with me.
If you read the ingredients to products you realise they are all the bloody same so I might as well use the ordinary and save some money.
I use a seperate moisturiser, cleanser and spf though as they don't do them.

I've used acids before though - have used nip&fab and Paula's choice in the past without any issues - and only used the retinoid once a week. I was really careful as I know skin can freak out if too much new stuff is introduced too soon.

Just so disappointed. Thank god for Una Brennan and her lovely Vit C serum - just a shame it's x4 the price of the Ordinary!

Have you been using an spf on your face due to the acids and retinoids that you weren't using before? Some spfs break me out horrendously because they clog the pores.

I hated their vitamin C and the Coverage Foundation and am not that fussed about the Serum Foundation (bought both at same time as they were so cheap!). Love the Azelaic Acid Suspension and Caffeine Solution for under eyes. Trying out retinoid and niacinamide just now - haven't seen any difference yet.
No breakouts or anything though, just unpleasant to use and the foundation dried in strangely.

I'm a bit meh about it all. Have seen absolutely no difference to my skin but thankfully, it hasn't made me break out. The vit c stings like a bugger and the retinol seems a bit puny. Saying that, nothing really makes a difference......apart from Botox!

I found the salicylic acid made me break out - the exact opposite of what is designed to do. Other than that I'm getting on well with the niacinamide + zinc in the mornings, alternating 2% retinoid and azelaic acid in the evenings.

Side note: I love the Una Brennan vitamin C eye cream 😍

I did the bad thing of starting it in one go plus new cleanser as I ran out of loads of stuff at once.

I need to work on my skin texture as have open pores, bumps and red bits. Nowt major but a bit meh and aging. I've had a bit of an outbreak on my chin and forehead so don't know if it's a bit of a purge or a reaction.

I also find it a faff to layer on - I don't have time in the morning to wait between layers and it's bobbled all over the shop.

Also not too impressed with the serum foundation. Not bad for the price but sat in my pores.

I had a really bad reaction to the Hyaluronic Acid Serum. It made my skin horribly dry, (it's supposed to be very hydrating) itchy and red.
I'm using Buffet now though, and I like that.

I like the Azelaic Acid, the HA, the Niacinamide + Zinc and the coverage foundation. Wasn't impressed with the Rosehip Oil (was looking for something cheaper than Neal's Yard Rose Facial Oil, but it was a false economy!) or the Natiral Moisturising Factors. I can't decide about the Advanced Retinoid.

I wasn't overly impressed with it. Buffett did nothing, the Vit C is a strange gritty texture and stings, niacinamide did nothing and the retinoid was meh too. I'm going to try their foundations but I think it's better to spend ££ on one or two bits of skincare that do something rather than 1001 Ordinary products.