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The Ordinary Skincare Review!

The Ordinary is a new line of Skincare products at great prices!

Here’s my review of 3 products from The Ordinary: Vitamin C 23% Suspension, The Buffet, and Natural Moisturizing Factors:

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38 Responses to "The Ordinary Skincare Review!"

Jean says:

September 5, 2019 at 8:28 am

This is just to give a different perspective. I am a really fair skinned Celt. I react badly to about 40-50% of products – my skin turns red and inflamed and my eyes can puff up so badly I can hardly see. I tried The Ordinary Vitamin C 23% suspension and I didn’t experience any tingling at all though I’d agree it is shiny.

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Vj Trapp says:

March 25, 2017 at 11:51 am

I just got my Caffeine eye serum & The Buffet serum & am really liking these! I am still searching for Vitamin C 23% for nightime use.

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Zoe says:

March 22, 2017 at 5:02 pm

Hi All

I started the ordinary C suspension today, no pilling with my night cream…will update results ,interesting to see that I had no tingling….could be as I use so many other products.

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Anna Z. says:

February 13, 2017 at 4:48 am

Dear Angie!

Having reached my 40s I am extremely glad to find your blog and youtube channel. I am using different products by Ordinary for a while, and I must admit that on my skin they perform significantly well. So well that I intend to try their much pricey line – Niod. There is on product (Copper Amino Isolate Serum) in this line, which is described by many as “pure magic”… Since I am not a huge believer in magic, I would really like to know your opinion on that product.

Greetings from Poland 🙂

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Shelly says:

February 4, 2017 at 10:48 pm

Hey Angie! Just curious where the buffet fits into the skincare routine. Are you only using it on your neck or do you put it on your entire face? The layering of all these products keeps me confused 🙁 Thanks for your help:-)

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Stacey says:

February 4, 2017 at 12:48 am

Hi Angie,
I just found your site as I was looking for reviews on The Ordinary line. I must admit that I feel pretty overwhelmed. I’m in my late 30’s with minimal signs of aging but know that I should be starting an anti-aging regime. Ive heard a lot about Retinol, AHA’s, Hyaluronic acid and other active ingredients. I’ve been oil cleansing with jojoba oil and apply coconut oil at night but figure for anti-aging, the natural route might not cut it anymore. I’d really appreciate any direction you could give me on where to start.
Also, have you tried any of the Advanced Skincare line? It seems to have good reviews.
Thanks so much,
Stacey

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Kate says:

February 3, 2017 at 1:19 pm

Just found your blog, it’s great and only fair to mention that your skin looks amazing 🙂

Couldn’t agree more about the Vit C suspension. I have several Ordinary products and lots of Hylamide (next price point up from the same company) and they are great, but if i’d bought the Vit C first i’d never have touched them again. I don’t mind the grittiness and the stinging is minor for me, but the disgusting persistent sticky yuck sitting on top of my face…urggh. Plus i found if i used it with almost any other product i would get insane pilling, to the point where i’d have to go and cleanse my face again. (Interesting that you had the pilling problem with their other products too, i wonder if this is the downfall of the simple / single ingredient approach – some of that “other stuff” you get in more expensive products helps them play nicely with others, amongst other things?!)
Results wise, i haven’t managed to make myself use it really regularly enough to give it a fair test – but frankly i’d have to look at least 5 years younger in the morning to make sticking to my pillow with all that yuck worth while 😀
Honestly if i was Deciem I’d pull this product entirely, it’s a discredit to their whole line.

Positive stuff – the Hyaluronic Acid + B5 works nicely as a first layer in the morning, no pilling probs and seems to work as well as Hyaluron which i’ve used before. Would also recommend you try the Hylamide SubQ serum, it’s a bit pricier (£30ish) but I think it’s a big step up from Buffet.

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Kelly says:

February 3, 2017 at 12:23 am

Hi Angie
Love all your videos!!! I’m the same age as you, and also was a sun worshiper. I started doing your skin routine about six months ago. Today I got not 1 but 2 complements on my skin, what a great feeling…. Thank you!!!

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1. Kelly says:
  
  February 3, 2017 at 12:25 am
  
  Have you tried The Ordinary primers?
  
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Stasha says:

February 1, 2017 at 9:13 am

Hi Angie ! I wanted to ask you did you tried the Heliocare SPF gel you bought in Spain and what do you think about it?

Love your blog and videos! Would love to see you write more about food.:)

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1. Angie says:
  
  February 1, 2017 at 9:03 pm
  
  Hi Stasha~ I did try the Heliocare gel but didn’t love it… I’m not sure I got the right one though so if I can get back to europe I’ll have to try more sunscreens. I’d like to post more about food, but I’m in such a food funk lately, well really ever since I became an empty nester I have no interest in cooking. I’ve got to snap out of it!! xo ~angie
  
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  1. Betsy says:
    
    February 9, 2017 at 1:23 am
    
    Oh gosh! I’ve felt the same way about cooking since my youngest moved out last month. Seems strange cooking only for 2. Good to know I’m not the only one who feels this way. Must be part of empty-nest syndrome. Maybe I’ll give one of those home delivery meals a try. . 🙂
    Love all the great videos and reviews Angie!! Thank you!
    
    Reply
  2. Auz says:
    
    March 11, 2017 at 2:01 am
    
    Hi
    I wanted to know about the ordinary magnesium ascorbyl phosphate and the ordinary niacinamide zinc . Do these products work ?
    Thankyou
    
    Reply
LAURA says:

January 31, 2017 at 12:51 pm

Hi – I have been loving your videos and have been trying to absorb all your info. The only question that I can’t find is “What strength do I ask for from the doctor for Retinol A?” What strength should I start with?
I would appreciate your input.
Thanks
Laura

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1. Angie says:
  
  February 1, 2017 at 9:51 pm
  
  Hi Laura~ My advice is that your doctor can help you decide which strength is right for you based on your skin. If your doctor doesn’t have an opinion and you don’t have sensitive skin, I’d ask for 0.05%. Best ~angie
  
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Dawn says:

January 30, 2017 at 4:40 pm

Would love to know if you have tried Merle Norman, As far as makeup I have tried all your suggestions and keep going back to merle norman, I have tried most of the foundations and concealers you suggest since we are same age but I just keep going back to Merle Norman for a natural flawless look.

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1. Angie says:
  
  February 1, 2017 at 10:04 pm
  
  I’ve never tried Merle Norman. They offer a few different foundations, which one do you like the best? Which concealer? I’d be happy to give them a try.
  
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Cynthia D says:

January 30, 2017 at 2:47 pm

Angie, I am 55 and having been watching your youtubes for a year and have been implementing your regime. My skin looks fantastic and I am a natural redhead who spent way to much time baking my skin and other damaging behavior. My skin looks better then it ever has and people are noticing how clear and smooth my skin is due to retna A and your other potions. Have you done a video on dry shampoos? They have come along way from Pissst in the 70’s and some are supposedly the real deal. Also any suggestions on crepey arm skin? I like most reaheads have thin skin and not a lot of collegian etc. Thank you for all your help your fantastic!

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1. Angie says:
  
  February 1, 2017 at 10:08 pm
  
  Hi Cynthia~ I’m not big on dry shampoo because I haven’t used one yet that doesn’t make my hair feel dirtier than it is… So happy to hear the skincare is working for you!! I’ve been using a retinol body cream on one side of me, and a glycolic acid cream on the other side for a few months now to see which (if any) works better on crepey skin. I have another month to go but a video is coming soon. Here’s the video I have done on crepey skin: http://www.hotandflashy50.com/my-anti-aging-body-skincare-routine-for-mature-crepey-skin/
  
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2. Alice P says:
  
  March 28, 2017 at 7:23 am
  
  Hi Cynthia – Would highly recommend Morrocan oil dry shampoo! I hated all over dry shampoos untill I tried this
  
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Dawn Smith says:

January 30, 2017 at 10:12 am

I have watched your videos for years and have taken several as advice. I show lots of people how beautiful you are and tell them to watch, but this is my first reply. I have just ordered several things from Paulas choice resist line and have seen many reply’s asking for your opinion on this line. I kept waiting hoping to see something from you on it. Also have you ever tried drunk elephant vitamin c serum?

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1. Angie says:
  
  February 1, 2017 at 10:16 pm
  
  Hi Dawn~ Thanks so much for watching and for recommending me to your friends! I’ve used quite a few products from Paula’s Choice but none of them have found a permanent place in my skincare routine. I think the PC products are generally good but I have things I like just a bit better. I went to buy the Drunk Elephant C-Firma serum but didn’t get it for a few reasons: 1. at $80 it’s 3X the price of the C serum I use, 2. It’s brown in color which doesn’t make any sense to me for a C serum using L-Ascorbic Acid because L-Ascorbic Acid oxidizes over time becoming ineffective and when it does this it turns brown. I can’t see if the serum has gone bad if it’s already brown. Hope that helps. xo ~angie
  
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  1. Dave says:
    
    May 21, 2017 at 2:21 am
    
    Hey Angie~ The reason for yellow-brown color is due the tetrahydro curcuminoids it contains, not oxidation. The packaging is great at keeping it stable, and though its ingredient list is excellent I still can’t justify spending $80 on a Vitamin C serum. Also i prefer thinner textures for Vit C serums anyway. Really enjoy your vids. All the best 🙂
    
    Reply
    1. Angie says:
      
      May 22, 2017 at 6:46 pm
      
      Yes, I understand that the brown color’s from another ingredient but the color masks any oxidation that’s happening to the L-Ascorbic Acid…
      
      Reply
Carla says:

January 28, 2017 at 7:53 am

Hi Angie,
I feel very strongly about purchasing cruelty free products. Have you tried any that you could recommend? I love Olay, but unfortunately not CF;(
Love you blog!

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1. Sandra says:
  
  February 1, 2017 at 3:58 pm
  
  Mad Hippie is cruelty free and offers many good products – especially there cream.
  
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2. Angie says:
  
  February 1, 2017 at 10:31 pm
  
  Hi Carla~ I have tried some CF products, here’s a post I did on trying to recreate my skincare routine with CF products: http://www.hotandflashy50.com/skincare-routine-update-paraben-free-cruelty-free-options/
  
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Anna says:

January 28, 2017 at 4:44 am

Hi Ange
I use the buffet after cleansing & just love it, on top I apply a fab mosituriser from Alpha H with 50 SPF, both great under any make up!
At night I use the ordinary retinol 2% ( was hoping that you would review this:( ) with the ordinary rosehip oil on top. Every other night I change it up with Alpha H Liquid gold.
My skin used to be seriously dry but using liquid gold for 3 months totally sorted that out.
Loving your work thank you x
Anna

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Rebecca says:

January 27, 2017 at 6:32 pm

I love the 10% matrixyl + HA from Ordinairy. It has both 3000 and synthe 6 at a good %.

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Silvia says:

January 27, 2017 at 6:01 pm

Hi Angie: I just bought a vitamin C serum from this company.

https://www.allnaturaladvice.com/pages/20-vitamin-c-serum

I’m in Canada, and it’s a Canadian product, organic with HA and Vit E. A 2 oz bottle is CDN $27.99 on Amazon.ca. It has a shelf life of 12 months from when product is opened. So far so good, but early days. Reviews online are glowing (but I’m a skeptic scientist!) Will let you know how it goes. Do you know anything about it? FYI I also use prescription Retin A a few nights a week and 10% AHA once a week.
Love all your videos, thank you!!

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1. Rhonda says:
  
  January 30, 2017 at 1:46 pm
  
  Where did you get retin A in Canada im in Toronto 🙂 I want to try it too
  
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  1. Kelly says:
    
    February 3, 2017 at 12:13 am
    
    I got mine from Kaysa Beauty can order it online
    
    Reply
Maria says:

January 27, 2017 at 12:59 pm

I tried the products you mentioned! I also didn’t like the texture of the L ascorbic 23% suspension. It didn’t burn but I just didn’t like the powdery feeling at all. I still use it every now and again. Do you think if I apply a watery toner first and then the L ascorbic 23% suspension it may help with the ‘powdery texture’?
I loved buffet. I liked the texture, this was excellent. However, you are convincing me that it may not work as much as I thought it did. I also loved the niacinamide+zinc one too, as I did like the alpha arbutin. I bought the retinol 2% and the lactic acid 5% too, and like them but don’t use it as much as I should. I did not buy the moisturizer.

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1. Angie says:
  
  February 1, 2017 at 8:30 pm
  
  Hi Maria~ Thanks for sharing your experiences with the Ordinary products you got! Using a watery toner would probably help dissolve the powder upon application, or you can mix the c-suspension with a moisturizer or another serum. ~angie
  
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Susan says:

January 27, 2017 at 12:08 pm

I have been using four products from The Ordinary line for approximately 5 weeks and am very pleased with them so far. The four products are the 10% Niacinamide serum, the 12% Ascorbyl glucoside serum, the 2% Hyaluronic acid serum and the 10% Magnesium ascorbyl phosphate cream. All of the products absorb nicely, are non-greasy and don’t interfere with my sunscreen (CeraVe Skin Renewing Day Cream SPF 30), primer (Rimmel Lasting Finish) or liquid foundation (L’Oreal True Match Super-blendable Makeup). My goal in choosing the Vit. C and niacinamide products was primarily for skin brightening.

I’ve been using the three serums cocktailed together twice a day and the MAP cream around my eyes once a day and have had no irritation from any of the products. I haven’t changed my beauty routine except for the addition of The Ordinary products. I have read that using niacinamide and Ascorbyl glucoside together is beneficial and I am pleased to say I’ve experienced a brightening of my skin tone to the degree that I’ve adjusted my liquid foundation color slightly lighter. Although l-ascorbic acid Vit. C serums have had the most independent research, don’t immediately dismiss the Vit. C derivatives as less desirable merely because there isn’t as much independent research results available at this time. I’m a born skeptic and wary of many of the claims made by manufacturers of beauty products and research information about active anti-aging ingredients relentlessly. But, so far, I’m impressed with The Ordinary products that I’m using, mainly the combination of the niacinamide and Ascorbyl glucoside serums mixed together.

Angie, keep up your great reviews of makeup and anti-aging products. We are of an age and your reviews have saved me a ton of money! Thanks so much!

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1. Angie says:
  
  February 1, 2017 at 8:35 pm
  
  Thanks for sharing!! xo ~angie
  
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Megan says:

January 27, 2017 at 11:56 am

Well, this is a timely review for me since my order is supposed to arrive today! Glad to hear that you liked the buffet since that is one item I ordered. I’m also expecting the 2% Hyaluronic Acid, the Advanced Retinoids 2%, and both of the primers (both of which are recommended by Wayne Goss). The great thing is that, for the price point, it won’t bother me is I don’t like the product.

I didn’t order the vitamin C 25% because so many people seemed to have your same complaints. However, I was wondering what would happen if you applied a very small pea sized amount to a damp face – right after cleansing? Would this make application and absorption more effective? Just a thousand get.

I just love your channel, and have been hooked for quite a while. Thanks!

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1. Angie says:
  
  February 1, 2017 at 8:43 pm
  
  There are a few ways to introduce water into the application of the C suspension that would help dissolve the C powder like mixing it with a water based moisturizer as I discussed in the video or applying to a damp face. But it didn’t help with the irritation and burning I experienced so for me it didn’t make it usable.
  
  Reply

The Ordinary is a new line of Skincare products at great prices!

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