If you have not heard of Deciem’s The Ordinary range, you are living under a rock. But saying that, despite the very attractive price point, Deciem does not make it super easy to choose the products that are right for you. I use a few from other Deciem lines, but since the Canadian Beauty Bloggers Network is focusing on The Ordinary this month, these are the four I regularly use (and repurchase). I will be posting in depth reviews of each over the coming week, but if you just want a quick overview, this is the post for you.
Deciem The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5
The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 ~ $6.80 CDN (30ml)
Starting with the ones I use daily, The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 helps to promote moisture in your skin. Hyaluronic acid is in many moisturizers these days so an easy one to start with from Deciem. Hyaluronic acid is not a moisturizer itself, it attracts moisture and holds it in your skin so helps your skin maintain the moisture you add after.
Use The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 after cleansing and toning as a serum (before any oil based products that will stop it being absorbed). You can simply add a few drops to your fingers and pat onto your face. Use morning and night for best results.
Deciem The Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG
The Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% ~ $6.70 CDN (30ml)
Another one I use daily! The Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% with EGCG helps reduce the appearance of dark circles or puffyness around your eyes. My glasses magnify mine and most of you know I am up super early so I need all the help I can get. This comes in a darker bottle and is a thick serum so you can get a drop on your fingers to massage under the eyes gently.
Apply The Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% with EGCG (a green tea extract) morning and night. I apply before my Hyaluronic Acid but no idea if I am applying in the right order. Something like that would be great to add to their website. A check all products and it tells you what order to use them in.
Deciem The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Solution
The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% ~ $5.30 CDN (30ml)
If you have used any acne targeted product, you are likely familiar with Salicylic Acid. It is a beta hydroxyl acid (BHA) that gently exfoliates the skin. Use it all over morning and night to exfoliate the inside walls of pores to fight the appearance of blemishes and for better visible skin clarity. While they say that this can be used morning and night, I only use it at night as I find it takes while to fully sink in and do its job.
My skin is pretty clear at the moment, but you can also use it as a spot treatment on blemishes as needed. This gives a more targetted approach than a quick swipe of this on a cotton ball across your entire face.
Deciem The Ordinary Lactic Acid 10% + HA
The Ordinary Lactic Acid 10% with HA ~ $6.70 CDN (30ml)
Lactic Acid is a chemical peel and 10% is the stronger of the two Lactic Acids that Deciem’s The Ordinary offers. I used to use 5% but with the cold weather, my skin has been flakier so I jumped up to 10%. They added Tasmanian pepperberry to reduce signs of inflammation and sensitivity of a peel. Plus Hyaluronic Acid to make this 10% solution a lot gentler on the skin. I still would not use it once per day as the box says. Twice a week at night is plenty to keep my skin fresh, but I do use Salicylic daily too.
Deciem recently changed the formula on this so it smells a lot better than the old one. If you have never used a peel, go with the 5% solution. You can use it more often for the same results and get less irritation. You only need a few drops of this on a cotton pad so the bottle lasts forever at the rate I use it too. My skin often feels oilier the morning after applying this but is fine after cleansing.
On my list to try from The Ordinary is Vitamin C 23%, 100% plant derived Squalane and Buffet solution. Plus their Niacinamide 10% with Zinc next time I have a breakout.
I just started trying The Ordinary in early January – only incorporating 2 items for now. I’m mixing Ascorbyl Glucoside Solution 12% (vitamin C) with Resveratrol 3% + Ferulic Acid 3%. So far so good although I can’t say any concrete improvements as it’s too early. FYI, I tested the the Vitamin C Suspension 23% at the store because I wanted to buy that. It’s not very nice – the texture is gritty feeling and made the back of my hand burn and turn red! That’s why I opted for the Ascorbyl Glucoside Solution instead. I’m planning on getting the Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 and the Buffet next.
Good to know about the Vitamin C, I will skip it unless I get to a store to try it first. The HA is great so definitely get it!
You’re so right, their price point is very attractive but I find their website so overwhelming to figure out what to buy. Skincare is so not my area of expertise so I’ll have to do some research before I look at purchasing some of their items.
They are super helpful if you email them with your skincare concerns or pop into a store (if you are lucky enough to be near one)
Thanks for the tip! I don’t live near a store but emailing them is a great idea!
I swear I’m the only person on Earth who hasn’t tried Deciem yet! i need to try their Vitamin C one!
I haven’t tried the ones you shared just yet but I do love their range as well! They work so well and the price is so ridiculous! I hope they come out with more products like sunscreens, etc soon!
Great post! Timely too as I was looking at their site the other day but got too overwhelmed lol!
There is a link to email them and they will recommend products based on your skin type / needs
I’ve been wanting to try products from the Ordinary but I’m worried they’ll be too harsh for my skin. My skin is combination, but my pores seem so clogged on my chin and forehead especially. Based on your experience, do you find these products would be gentle enough for sensitive skin? I do have some problem areas but I scared to make them worse lol
The only one I haven’t tried is the Lactic Acid, but I love everything else in this post!
Deciem has been on my wishlist forever; but, I do find the website to be a little overwhelming! I am picking up that eye serum right away though! (After my no buy…)