Happy Tuesday friends! Skincare has been a *struggle* for me for most of my life and so I wanted to take a few minutes to talk about my journey and give you all a quick review on the products I’ve been using!
When I was younger I spent SO much time out in the sun. I actually tan very easily {both of my parents do as well} and I can quickly go from winter “white-walker” pale to summer “spent an hour on the surface of the sun” tan. I also rarely burn which, in turn, always made me forget about using the golden product of skincare; sunscreen. Ugh. *Kicks past self*
Growing up I never really felt comfortable in my own skin. I was self-conscious, like most kids are, about various aspects of my face and body. I quickly realized that a glowing tan was an easy way to hide some of my most hated imperfections. It made my skin tone look even, my acne look less active and hid the texture under my eyes. The confidence I got from a tan pushed me into a tanning frenzy and I was constantly out in the sun trying to soak up those rays.
Fast forward about 10 years and a lot of sun later and I can definitely see the effects of all of that unnecessary bronzing. I’m constantly kicking my 18-25 year old self for not caring more. My constant thoughts are: Why couldn’t I have taken better care of my skin and why didn’t I just address the fundamental issues that contributed to why I was self conscious in the first place?
USE SUNSCREEN CHILD.
Also, stop drinking those sugary beverages. K thanks.
A few years ago, I told myself that I was going to get my skincare routine in check and I’ve been on the hunt for the perfect regime ever since. At first I was sampling like crazy, trying big names like Drunk Elephant and Sunday Riley to drugstore finds like Neutrogena and Olay. I’m pretty sure Ben was going crazy finding tiny skin care sample cups, travel packs and full blown skin care lines all over the apartment. While I loved all of those lines for different reasons, in the end, nothing really stuck out as the holy grail of products.
During my trial and error process, I heard a lot about The Ordinary–an affordable skincare line known for their pure products. I feel like our brains are trained to think that expensive means high quality and so The Ordinary’s unordinarily low price tag made me dismiss them all together. I thought that the products must be watered down or not effective to be under $20 or $10 per bottle. *Note-I was wrong*
Around this same time, Ben was looking to get more into skincare and had read up about The Ordinary line as well. We talked about it a little, figured out what both of our concerns were and what our overall skincare goals were {hydration, anti-aging, even tone} and then decided to purchase a few products to try out together.
It’s been a little over two months since we started the line and I love them so far! My plan is to share updates with you as we continue to use them, but for right now I just wanted to share our daily routine, why we chose the products we did and a few extra tips and tricks.
All of The Ordinary products are free of a *ton* of big words such as parabens, sulphates, mineral oil, methylchloroisothiazolinone, methylisothiazolinone, animal oils, coal tar dyes, formaldehyde, mercury, and oxybenzone. To quote the website, “The Ordinary exists to communicate with integrity and bring to market effective, more familiar technologies at honourable prices.” Basically, they want to give us skincare loving folks good quality products with pure ingredients, all at an affordable price. Praise.
Morning Routine:
Step 1: Buffet:
What They Say It Does:
A multi-peptide serum that targets multiple signs of aging. It’s a solution for dryness, fine lines, wrinkles, dullness and uneven texture. Note: You’ll always want to use this product first {we use it in the am and pm} so that your skin absorbs it prior to creams and oils!
Cost: $14.80
Step 2: Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5
What They Say It Does:
A hydrating formula with ultra-pure, vegan hyaluronic acid. A single gram of Hyaluronic Acid has the ability to hold up to six litres of water. Yes, you read that right–six! Needless to say, this is a great solution for dryness! Note: It does make your face feel a little sticky at first, especially on top of the Buffet. But once you put your sunscreen/cream on, you won’t even notice and your makeup will still go on smoothly.
Cost: $6.80
Step 3: Caffeine Solution 5%
What They Say It Does:
A concentrated serum with high-solubility caffeine and green tea cathechin to visibly reduce eye contour pigmentation and puffiness. It’s a solution for dark circles and puffiness. Note: I haven’t noticed a huge difference with this product, but Ben has! My eyes also don’t have super dark circles/puffiness, so I tend to benefit more from a hydrating eye cream.
Cost: $6.70
Step 4: EltaMD Broad Spectrum Sunscreen {Tinted and SPF 40}
What They Say It Does:
EltaMD UV Daily has hyaluronic acid to boost moisture retention and diminish fine lines. This lightweight moisturizer with UV protection can be worn alone or under makeup. Note: This is not an Ordinary product, but my dermatologist recommended it and I LOVE it. The tinted version is my favorite and it doesn’t feel or smell like standard sunscreen, just a nice hydrating cream.
Cost: $33
Night Time Routine:
Step 1: Buffet {Same as above}
Step 2: Caffeine Solution 5% {Same as above}
Step 3: Granactive Retinoid* 2% Emulsion
What They Say It Does:
A stable serum emulsion of a next-generation retinoid active that achieves better reduction in visible signs of aging than retinol—without irritation. This is a solution for dullness, uneven texture, fine lines and wrinkles. Note: I’ve liked this a lot so far. I’ve used a few different retinols and this one was an easy transition and didn’t cause any skin irritation.
Cost: $9.80
Step 4: 100% Organic Cold-Pressed Rose Hip Seed Oil
What They Say It Does:
A daily support formula with 100 percent high-purity, sustainably-sourced, organic, cold-pressed rose hip seed oil. This oil has been shown to reduce signs of photo-aging and many other skin conditions. Note: I’m still undecided about this product. I love the way it feels on my face, but it is really oily {duh, it’s oil} but it feels really thick! I have noticed a decline in breakouts, so maybe it’s working its magic. It does tend to come off at night on pillows and such–so watch out for your whites!
Cost: $9.80
Step 5: Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA
What They Say It Does:
A hydrating formula with amino acids, dermal lipids, and hyaluronic acid. This is a solution for dryness. Note: I love putting this on at night–it makes my skin feel so moisturized!
Cost: $5.80
Additional Products:
Face Mask: Blue Clay Mask from Herbivore
What They Say It Does:
Formulated with Cambrian Blue Clay to detox and clarify blemish-prone skin. Ideal as a spot treatment or full face mask. Note: Also not an Ordinary product, but this mask is worth the price tag. We use it every Sunday night and we’ve barley made a dent in the bottle. Your skin will feel amazing after.
Cost: $33
Vitamin C: Vitamin C Suspension 23% + HA Spheres 2%
What They Say It Does:
A water- and silicone-free stable suspension of 23 percent pure l-ascorbic acid. It’s a solution for uneven skin tone, fine lines and winkles. Note: This product contains an extremely high concentration of Vitamin C and a little bit goes a long way. We use it in place of retinol every Wednesday and Sunday night. It does tingle/sting a little, but it does wonders!
And that’s our current routine. I’ve really enjoyed it so far, but I definitely want to give it a few months before I commit to the routine long term.
If you wanted to try any of these items out, you can shop all of the products below! I also linked my dress and shoes from above 🙂
