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Original poster

Talk to me about The Ordinary

26 replies

issy196 · 03/03/2018 21:37

Been seeing a lot of posts around various places about The Ordinary skincare products. I remember checking out their website probably 6-8 months ago now and liking the stuff there, so I looked again and feel like giving it a try. The stuff is so cheap I feel like I almost have to give it a go!

Problem is, I'm so confused by all the different stuff on there... I swear last time I looked they had some kind of 'calculator' (for lack of better word) where you selected different things you were looking for and it gave you an example routine. Maybe I imagined this but can't find it anymore!

Has anyone used their stuff and fancy demystifying what it all actually is and what is worth getting?

I'd like to think I have fairly normal skin... It definitely doesn't jump out as 'wow she has nice skin' but also don't think I can really complain too much. It does get dry, especially in winter, and I get the occasional spot which are usually just hormonal. Few dark marks from old acne scars and some patches of redness. Just want something to brighten up my skin basically.

At the moment I have just a very basic routine (which admittedly I'm often too lazy to do properly Blush) which I've used for years since the times when I had bad acne around my jaw and neck. I take off makeup/cleanse with Garnier micellar water, use Cetaphil cleanser and then Cetaphil moisturiser. Every now and then I'll rub a couple drops of coconut or argan oil into my skin.

Alternatively, if you don't use The Ordinary but have some other great products which won't break the bank, please let me know!

OP posts:
Fluffycloudland77 · 03/03/2018 21:59

If you email them they’ll suggest a routine.

Look at Caroline hirons cleansing cheat sheet too, cleansing is really important because some of the formulations require you to wear a sunblock everyday, which is something we should all be doing anyway, but sunblock is designed to stay on so you need to cleanse twice.

It doesn’t take as long as it sounds.

ADooDoobyDoo · 03/03/2018 22:07

I just bought some stuff from them! They have example guides here:

theordinary.com/regimenguide

I am absolutely clueless about this stuff but am getting wrinkles and I wanted a retinol cream ( I got the granactive retinoid 5% because someone on here suggested it) and a vitamin c so I ordered those. Also got a hyaluronic acid because I keep hearing about it. Needed to spend a little more for free delivery so I got alpha lipoic acid because I liked the sound of the description.

DuckBilledAardvark · 03/03/2018 22:09

I've just done my second order and to be honest I just take a punt!

I am VERY impressed with their primer though, feels like one ten times the price, so good I've bought their other one to try too!

Original poster
issy196 · 03/03/2018 22:11

Oops, didn't scroll down far enough on that page to see the example routines! Got too confused at the first table and gave up Confused thank you!! Vitamin C is something I always hear about, as well as retinol cream so I think I might get some of those.

That cleansing cheat sheet is really useful too, nice to see something that's not just a load of bs saying you need 150 products.

OP posts:
PamDooveOrangeJoof · 03/03/2018 22:15

I have the ‘buffet’ and the cold pressed Rose hip oil.

I really like both of them and feel like my skin is looking the best it has for a while.

I’ve been using facial oils for a while now and my skin looks 100x better.

SmittenApril · 03/03/2018 22:26

I think their products are fab and so cheap!

Have a look at Victoria Health, they have lots of info on how to choose and example routines.

I picked a routine for general signs of ageing.

AM
Buffet
Hyralonic Acid
Sunscreen

PM
Buffet
Retinoids
Cold pressed rosehip oil

I've just ordered glycolic acid to alternate with the retinoids.

They are all lovely. Recommend Victoria Health too, they have lots in stock that THe Ordinary website doesn't have.

mikado1 · 03/03/2018 22:30

What is buffet please?

Fullfatlatte · 03/03/2018 22:36

I’m intrigued by TO aswell..!

Smitten - Where do you fit in a cleanser & moisturiser into your daily routine? Thank you Smile

SmittenApril · 04/03/2018 06:37

Buffet is a serum:

theordinary.com/product/rdn-buffet-30ml

I cleanse before all of that AM/PM times, the advice is to double cleanse if you use sunscreen. I don't really need moisturiser in the evening I find the oil is fine. You just add moisturiser to the end of the routine, you should use products in the order of their heaviness, so water (like serum), then oil then creams.

I'm no expert though, I learned a lot from this article:

www.victoriahealth.com/editorial/the-ordinary-how-to-create-a-skincare-routine

Lanaa · 04/03/2018 07:23

Am I the only person who thinks it's all crap? The recommend eleventy million things, which collectively cost more than buying decent high end skin care. I found that the products weren't very effective (This could be that I already take good care of my skin, so not much improvement needed.)

Also the CEO is a borderline racist (told a black woman to lighten her skin v recently) and has regular rants on social media.

SmittenApril · 04/03/2018 07:55

Lanaa you are right that maybe their appeal is that they have made products in a low price compared to others so it's an easy, low risk way for people to try these types of products for the first time.

I had only ever had a routine of cleanse and moisturise so this had been much improved for me.

Didn't know that about the CEO, thanks for highlighting.

LostInShoebiz · 04/03/2018 09:23

I don't know if you can really take anything Brandon Truaxe says on social media at the moment as a representation of the brand. I'm not given to armchair diagnoses but he's clearly I'm the midst of some sort of personal issue. If you compare social media, interviews over the past few years with the past few weeks there is a world of difference.

The recent round of sackings at Abnormal has caused a run on supplies though so that's affecting availability, particularly of retinoid/retinol products.

lindyloo57 · 04/03/2018 11:42

Lanaa i dont think is all crap, when you watch other beauty adverts now, have you noticed they are promoting vit a, vit c, and glycolic, all which are on the ordinary web site

DuckBilledAardvark · 04/03/2018 23:34

So far my two orders combined have cost less than my usual serum so I don’t think even added together that it’s costly.

eloisesparkle · 05/03/2018 07:30

I hated the Squalene.
Matrixyl and Buffet I like.
The caffeine eye stuff ( it's not a cream) leaves a white film under my eye when I wake after applying it at night. It has never happened with any other eye cream I've used.

StickyHandPrintsOnMyFace · 05/03/2018 07:40

I've tried the N + Z and the Buffet. They're ok, but I haven't noticed much change. Certainly nothing as impressive as the reviews, those lucky people.

I'd like to try glycolic acid and a light retinoid next. Waiting for stock in Oz...

And yep, Brandon's recent social media posts have turned me off the brand of late. I feel for the marketing team! It's hard for founders to let go when small companies grow larger - he really needs to step away from the corporate accounts right now.

Fosterdog123 · 05/03/2018 07:47

Can't say I'm that impressed. The vit c is grainy and itches like mad, the hylauronic acid is very drying, the alpha arbutin does nothing, the lactic acid smells awful and does nothing and the retinol is underwhelming too.

JackieReacher · 05/03/2018 09:19

The vit c cream doesn't tingle.... it stings like buggery for an hour after. The serum in a dark glass bottle was much better (but was out of stock last time I ordered).
Ditto Eloisesparkle on the caffeine, that's for the bin. But what i do use and really like are:
hyaluronic acid (am & pm. The very opposite of drying, confused by that one)
buffet a&pm
squalene am (works for me, others loathe it)
retinol 0.5 in squalene pm (but currently finishing off a skinceuticals one)
I've also bought their resveratrol for when my fancy skinceuticals version finishes.

I have the niod sunscreen drops.
All of the above works much better for me than clarins day cream at £60 / pop and varying night creams / estee lauder serum (both another £70ish / pop).

Timefortea99 · 05/03/2018 11:08

They have a couple of shops in Spitalfields in London if you are near. They might be able to advise you in person?

Fosterdog123 · 05/03/2018 11:29

I'm confused about the hylauronic acid being drying too but it is on me. It dries into a tight feeling and there is no hint of any hydrating or moisturising effect whatsoever.

JackieReacher · 05/03/2018 12:20

yes I get that tightness but it goes as soon as buffet / squalene is layered. It seems to hydrate for me, but the squalene gives me a great texture (dryish skin in this centrally heated weather)

SharpLily · 05/03/2018 12:36

Hyaluronic acid on its own isn't moisturising. It works to draw moisture in from other sources, so it works well used on damp skin and in theory it can make other moisturising products more effective. Similarly it draws in moisture from the environment so it works really well in a humid atmosphere but not so well in a dry environment.

Brandon Truaxe did not tell a black woman to lighten her skin.

SmittenApril · 06/03/2018 13:53

After recommending Victoria Health I've just had an email from them to their database to say they are no longer stocking any of the ordinary products or other brands in the company Shock

bakingbee · 06/03/2018 14:11

I too have had an email from Victoria Health saying they have discontinued all my order!

eloisesparkle · 06/03/2018 18:37

I got that email also.
What's going I ?