Maike Make up Artist Wien - The Best Products from The Ordinary

Until about four years, so when I was a young 30 years old, my skin care regime consisted of an aggressive as possible cleanser and a drying face cream (to kill the evil pimples). That was it. When I started actually thinking about my skin, it didn’t take long for me to discover Deciem: The Abnormal Beauty Company. That’s why I am introducing you to my personal best products form The Ordinary today.

Deciem: The abnormal beauty company

The Ordinary is a part of the brand Deciem (from the latin word “decima”, the tenth), which was only founded in 2013 by Brandon Truaxe and Nicola Kilner. Back then the two introduced ten new and innovative beauty brands into the market. All of them relied heavily on two factors: science and transparency. The successful brand “The Ordinary” only joined the market in 2016 and took the beauty world by storm. For the first time, products offered very high quality for a very fair price and consumers realized that had payed too much money, for far too long.

2018 was a troubled year for Deciem, mostly because of Brandon Truaxe’s erratic behavior. In February 2018, he fired Co-founder Kilner, just to beg her to come back 5 months later. Shortly after, in October 2018, Truaxe was replaced by Kilner as CEO, due to a lawsuit by Estee Lauder who had a minority shareholding in Deciem.

Tragically, Brandon Truaxe passed away in January 2019, at only 40 years old. Nicola Kilner is continuing to work on realizing his vision for Deciem and The Ordinary.

Other brands from Deciem include: Niod, Hyalamide, HIF and The Chemistry Brand.

The best products from The Ordinary

Ok, now we are finally getting to the part of why you’re here in the first place. These are, in my humble opinion, the best products from The Ordinary.

Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%

In a recent blogpost about Maskne, I already discussed some of the benefits of Niacinamide.

Niaciamide or niconitc acid is Vitamin B3. It strengthens the skin barrier and decreases transepidermal water loss. It also increases the production of keratin and ceramides. Therefore it is great for mature and dry skin. Furthermore, it may help with hyperpigmentation.

With an oily skin, niacinamide regulates sebum production and at a concentration of 4% it shows anti-inflammatory effects. This may help with sensitive skin and redness.

Many say that you should not combine niacinamide with vitamin C products, this is a myth though, or more specifically it is not really relevant in skin care. The study from the 1960s that is often quoted, tested pure Vitamin C with niacinamide at very high temperatures. Normally skin care is applied at room temperature and often more stable forms of Vitamin C are used.

Zinc also has positive effects on sebum production and is also anti-inflammatory. According to research, zinc does tend to work better as a supplement though, rather than topically, especially with acne.

The best products from The Ordinary: Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG

The Ordinary markets this solution with a high caffeine concentration and EGCG (Epigallocatechin Gallate, the active ingredient in green tea) as something to be used exclusively on the contours of the eyes. I prefer to use it on my whole face though and here is why:

many brands claim that caffeine helps with swelling and dark circles around the eyes. Research does not support this yet and offers mixed results. However, what we do know, is that caffeine is a very strong antioxidant. It protects cells from UV-rays and prevents photo aging. Caffeine is also anti-inflammatory.

EGCG is also a strong antioxidant and helps with hydrating the skin and suppresses melanin production.

So, in my opinion the caffeine solution is a great product from The Ordinary, but not for what it’s marketed for.

Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%

This is my absolute favorite product from The Ordinary. Not a lot of brands have discovered this amazing active ingredient yet. Azelaic acid helps with blocked pores and improves skin texture. The acid is very effective in treating acne, because it is antibacterial and decreases keratin production.

I have seen an improvement in my acne scars. However, skin care takes a long time to work, or at least until there is a visible improvement. Please don’t give up after 2-3 weeks because you cannot see a difference! Sometimes ingredients like azelaic acid need 3-4 months until the effects are visible.

You should be using sun protection anyways (yes, also in winter and yes, also when it’s cloudy), but when using something like azelaic acid, you can definitely not live without it!

Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution

Since we’re already on the subject of exfoliating acids, the 7% glycolic acid toning solution from The Ordinary is also a great product! It is an alpha-hydroxy-acid (AHA) and is actually the most researched one. Glycolic acid is great for dry skin, in contrast to salicylic acid (BHA), which is a great exfoliate for oily or combination skin.

Glycolic acid hydrates and at the same time improves the ability of the skin to retain moisture. It removes dead skin cells form the skin’s surface and therefore counteracts skin aging, sun damage and hyperpigmentation.

Another nice side effect of glycolic acid is that after this toner, the skin absorbs other ingredients better. Try to use this toner at night and don’t forget your SPF!

Retinoids

The Ordinary has great products of high quality for a low price, but it also forces you to think about what ingredients you need for your skin care.

Retinoids can seem a little complicated, so I thought I would simplify it a bit since there are not many active ingredients as well researched as retinol.

Effects

Vitamin A increases collagen production and improves the ability of the skin to retain moisture. This leads to an improvement of fine lines. The cell turnover and the production of new blood vessels is increased, this is what is responsible for the youthful “glow”. Retinol also has a positive effect on acne. The sebum production is regulated, inflammation is decreased and dead skin cells don’t clog up pores anymore.

The Ordinary offers 5 different retinoids

The Granactive Retinoid 2% Emulsion basically uses both active ingredients listed above: 0.2% HPR and a capsulated retinol. The texture is more like a serum and the strength is in the middle of the granactive retinoid and the retinol, so the likeliness of irritation is also somewhere in between the two.

The concentrations show the amount of retinoid in the solution. Generally it is always best to start with the lowest concentration and work your way up. Especially in the first two weeks it can cause skin irritations, flakes and redness. I started with the Granactive Retinoid 2% in Squalane 1-2 times a week, then every second day and now I use it every night. Since sun sensitivity is increased, please use at night, wash your face in the morning and use a high SPF!

In short, people with sensitive skin that are looking for a mild retinoid, should stick with the granactive retinoid. People that have a tougher skin, that are looking for an active ingredient backed up by a lot of research can use the retinol in Squalane. The emulsion is pretty much the best of both worlds, in case you can’t decide.

Stop wishing you had great skin and get it!

I hope you liked my list of the best products from The Ordinary and maybe helped you a little! A good skin care regime doesn’t have to be expensive, you just have to do a little research. I hope you have a great week! Stay healthy and see you soon!

Maike Make up Artist Wien – Your cruelty-free makeup artist in Vienna