DECIEM The Ordinary Edit: The Hits & Misses
There's something about cult beauty products that makes me step away. I'm not entirely sure what it is, but I have an aversion to buying into trends, especially as I'm not willing to risk wasting on money on something that is simply a fad (re: Kylie Lipkits). So it was only natural that I stepped away from The Ordinary trend - well at least until the hype died down a bit...
I'm a big fan of most Deciem products, which is an umbrella brand that focuses on "advanced functional beauty" but without the hefty price tag. And it's the reasonable price tag that makes The Ordinary so appealing - especially as most products are priced at less than £10.
But the selection is pretty overwhelming, even more so if you don't know what you're looking for. So let's break it down.
Vitamin C Suspension 30% in Silicone*. This is a more recent addition to my skincare routine and hits the spot with regard to my brightening needs. Anything that claims to brighten my skin is right up my street and this seems to be doing the trick. Vitamin C is a key ingredient in protecting skin against ageing and the silicone formula helps to stabilise the formula and prevent any gritty feeling. This is definitely not an essential for me and I don't think I've noticed a dramatic enough change in my skin to warrant a repurchase - definitely not when compared to some of the other products.
Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5* was my first venture into the world of The Ordinary and it's quite different from any other product I've tried. Hyaluronic acid is an essential for any moisturising product as it holds up to 1000 times its weight in water. I definitely thought that this was going to be an intense hydration serum but it's more of a lightweight formula and encourages skin hydration as opposed to typical moisturisers that provide the moisture. I think I'll have to play around with this in a few more ways as it doesn't seem to have made a massive difference wth my skin.
Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%* is probably in my top 10 skincare products of all time as it's bloomin' brilliant. I talk about this a bit in my Millennial Pink Skincare Edit but I can't get enough. It's improved the texture and an lingering acne scarring on my skin so much and has really prevented any serious breakouts. Although it's a silicone based formula, it doesn't feel too slimy and sits comfortably on my skin.
AHA 30% and BHA 2%* is again, a major win in my book. Aside from the freaky red colour of the liquid, this is my ideal chemical exfoliation. The high concentration of AHA means that your skin is left bright and glowing and the BHA helps to clear any skin congestion. The combination of the two helps to decrease any redness and leaves my skin soft and radiant. As with any exfoliating mask, it leaves the ideal canvas for any heavy duty oils or serums. The only thing I'd say is to avoid using it if you have any broken skin or particularly nasty breakouts. But I love it.
Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%*. Zinc is probably one of my favourite ingredients to reduce redness and inflammation of breakouts so anything with Zinc is an essential. Fortunately, I don't suffer from terrible breakouts but when I do, it's helpful to have something like this on hand! Niacinamide is a great ingredient to help reduce blemishes & congestion - so the combination of this with Zinc means that it also calms everything down. This has been my go to for not only calming down any blemishes but for preventing any future ones (especially following a bit of a skin pick...)
Overall, I genuinely think that The Ordinary has some incredible products out there for each and every skin type. I have fairly normal/dry skin with occasional hormonal blemishes so please bear that in mind when taking into account my opinions! Do your research & your sure to find what works for you!
Have you tried anything from The Ordinary? What were your favourites?