Skin care is a DENSE market and there are a lot of products that make claims that the evidence in regards to their ingredients simply doesn't back up. That's one of my biggest pet peeves and one that is inspiring me to want to learn more and more about skin care and specifically about the evidence behind certain ingredients. When I heard that Deciem, the company behind brands like Hylamide and NIOD, had launched a new brand called The Ordinary that offers evidence based skin care formulas with high concentrations of actives at an affordable price. What actually prompted me to really want to try the products was actually an interview that Brandon Truaxe, the founder of Deciem, did with Caroline Hirons talking about about the brand. The way he talked about the products and the answers that he gave were very impressive to me and inspired me to want to give these products a go.

Keep reading for my initial thoughts. This isn't a full review, because I haven't been using the products long enough for that, but more of an overview of the products I decided to try out!

The Ordinary Alpha Arbutin 2% + HA - $8.90CAD

Alpha Arbutin reduces the looks of spots and hyper-pigmentation. It's used at a high 2% concentration versus a standard concentration of 1% and supported with a next-generation form of Hyaluronic Acid for enhanced delivery. Alpha Arbutin is much stronger in effect than Arbutin or Beta Arbutin. READ MORE...

I chose to purchase the Alpha Arbutin 2% mostly out of curiosity. It's an ingredient I actually looked very far into previously, but the description of it reducing the looks of spots and hyper-pigmentation had me intrigued. At this price point, I think it's a lot easier to take the chance on ingredients that you haven't tried before and see how they work out for your skin.

The Ordinary Advanced Retinoid 2% - $9.80CAD

This formulation combines two forms of next-generation retinoid actives in a combined concentration of 2% by weight. READ MORE....

The Advanced Retinoid was actually the first thing that I put in my cart, because I've been so interested in consistently moving a retinoid into my routine for a while now but the cost of many of them kept me from pulling the trigger until now. I've actually been using another retinoid product recently that I'm quite enjoying, so I haven't tried this one yet, but I am going to move it into the routine soon and see how it goes. Under $10 for the most clinically proven anti-aging ingredient available at the highest concentration available? Yes, please!

The Ordinary Lactic Acid 10% + HA 2% - $6.70CAD

Lactic Acid is an alpha hydroxyl acid that exfoliates the skin. This 10% formulation offers mild exfoliation and is supported with a purified Tasmanian pepperberry known to reduce signs of inflammation and sensitivity that is often associated with exfoliation. READ MORE...

I've actually really wanted to try a Lactic Acid product for a while, so this was another one that I was eager to put in my cart as I was browsing the site. I've had great success using acids as a part of my regular skin care routine, but generally I've been using a Glycolic Acid and I was eager to try other acids that I've heard good things about, with Lactic Acid topping that list. And again, for the price point, it's worth a try.

The Ordinary "Buffet" Multi-Technology Peptide Serum - $14.80CAD

This formula combines a comprehensive array of studied technologies to target multiple signs of ageing at once. The technologies are Matrixyl 3,000 peptide complex (with palmitoyl-pentapeptide 35), Matrixyl Synthe'6 peptide complex (with palmitoyl tripeptide-38), Syn-Ake peptide complex (with dipeptide diaminobutyroyl benzylamide diacetate), Relistase peptide complex (with acetylarginyltryptophyl diphenylglycine), Argirelox peptide complex (with acetyl hexapeptide-8, pentapeptide-18), Probiotic complex (with lactococcus lactis lysate), in a base of 11 skin-friendly amino acids and multiple hyaluronic acid complexes. The total concentration of these technologies in the formula by weight is 25.1%. READ MORE... 

I actually didn't order this product on my first order from The Ordinary, but regretted it and ordered it about 2 days after my first order arrived. I've had impressive results with another peptide product, so it seemed like this was a must try for me. This is another one that I haven't tried yet, but I'm optimistic about it.

Even though I've already bought four products from the brand, I'm already putting together a shopping list for my next order. So far I want to order the 100% Organic Cold Pressed Rosehip Seed Oil, since oil is a staple in my every day skin care routine and I've seen great results from using one, and the Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%, because I've never actually used Niacinamide but I've heard great things about it for congested pores.

If you'd like to see full reviews of any of the products I've listed here, please let me know and I'll definitely put together a review once I've used the product for a suitable amount of time to really know how I feel about them!

Thanks for reading!