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Today we are sharing a chemistry breakdown of the best The Ordinary skincare products.

Have you seen The Ordinary products all over the internet recently?

I have been testing out and researching these products for awhile now, and the chemistry about each product amazes me!

This post will share with you HOW to use The Ordinary products and which ones I recommend! This is a very simple chemistry breakdown of the best ordinary skincare products.

Let’s get started!

A Chemistry Breakdown of The Best The Ordinary Skincare Products

By the way, this is NOT a sponsored post…I just really enjoy these products and love the chemistry behind them!! These are the best The Ordinary skincare products I tried.

The Ordinary Retinoids

We will start with retinoids because they are a very popular form of anti-aging, and I am a huge fan of retinoids. Retinoids are vitamers of Vitamin A which means they have a similar chemical structure. Chemically what these do is regulate cell growth for your skin. In short, retinoids are responsible for slowing down the aging process, limiting skin inflammation, evening skin tone, and allowing the skin to appear more youthful.

Retinoids can be very drying, so those who have just started using them may notice the skin appearing more dry. This is why I love the Ordinary Granactive Retinoid 2% in Squalane. If you recall from my earlier post, squalane is probably one of the best moisturizers you can use for any skin type. Since this retinoid contains squalane, it doesn’t dry out the skin like many others do. I recommend the 2% starting out because it is more mild, but does a fantastic job of rejuvenating your face!

If you follow my instagram, then you noticed this is part of my night time routine! You can head over to my instagram highlights to see more under skincare.

You can graduate to the 5% after you have used it for awhile, but I stick with the 2%. They have other retinoids available, but the granactive is more advanced, so I recommend it over the others.

Acids

Out of all the skincare I have researched, acids are my favorite. You have to be VERY careful about what type you use plus how you use it. Many people use acids all the time in high doses and end up getting dry, inflamed skin. Like those who use apple cider vinegar on the skin….I DO NOT recommend that.

Instead, there are many other options that promote cell turnover, exfoliate, brighten, and plump skin. These are called AHAs or alpha hydroxy acids. Another acid is BHAs or beta hydroxy acids.

Types of AHAs: Lactic acid, glycolic acid, citric acid, and malic acid. You will notice all of these are plant derived. In fact, lemon is one of my favorite acids for skin.

Types of BHAs: Salyclic acid (a derivative of aspirin!)

AHAs are my favorite form of acid because they treat so many different skin issues. It is the number one thing that keeps my skin bright, blemish free, pore controlling, youthful, and tight. BHAs are going to be best for acne!

The AHA I recommend from the Ordinary is Lactic Acid 5% + HA. Lactic acid, which I talk about in this homemade under eye serum, is fantastic for brightening skin. Starting with the 5% will be better for your skin so you don’t burn it or go overboard. You can graduate to the 10% after awhile, but I prefer the 5% solution.

The Ordinary brand has other acids, all do similar things for your skin like brighten and tone. If you have acne prone skin, I recommend also trying the salicylic acid solution.

Oils and Hydrators

This is an easier group to decipher because most are familiar with oils. I highly recommend using the squalane oil for hydration. It is fantastic for all skin types and a natural option.

Molecules

I really love their collection of molecules. Molecules are basically other chemicals that don’t fall into acids, retinoids or oils.

Caffeine is an amazing molecule, one of my favorites as a chemist. It is a large component for this homemade under eye serum, and one of my favorite ways to plump my skin everyday. They have a 5% caffeine solution great for puffiness and dark circles. I prefer to make my own caffeinated oil which you can learn about here. It is super cheap and works great!

You can scroll through their molecule section to read what each one works for depending on your skin issues (hyper pigmentation, skin folds, spots).

The ones I have used and recommend are the Buffet, Matrixyl 10%, and the Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%.

The Buffet is great for wrinkles, fine lines, skin texture, and appearance. The matrixyl is great for wrinkles and lines. Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% is a great serum for pore control! It will shrink and tighten the appearance of pores, plus it works for blemishes.

Other Categories

The Ordinary also contains a variety of vitamin C serums and antioxidant serums. Vitamin C is a great molecule for brightening and tightening your skin! I have used numerous vitamin C serums, but it isn’t part of my typical routine. If you want to try out vitamin C serum, I would recommend the most natural form which is L-Ascorbic Acid Powder (pure vitamin C).

The other category is antioxidants. They have a variety of antioxidant choices which help with skin tone and skin rejuvenation. I usually stick with oils for antioxidants, so I don’t have any to recommend from this brand.

So, What Order Do You Use Ordinary Products?

This is actually very simple and doesn’t need to be complicated. You can check out their regimen guides if you want or just follow these easy steps.

1. First, always cleanse and tone. If you purchase anything from this brand that is called a toner, that will always be applied after cleansing.
2. Next, always start with water based serums! Just turn your bottle over and if water is the first ingredient listed, that is a water based serum. As far as the order of water based serums, it doesn’t matter. They will have equal consistency, so just use all water based products first.
3. Now, apply your oils and hydrators. This will include any retinoid with squalane because that is an oil. I typically do the hydrator first, then top with the oil (rosehip oil or other heavier oils).
4. The last step will be any heavy cream you use at night.

The Order I Use Them:

At night, after cleansing and toning, I apply Matrixyl 10%, Niacinamide, and Buffet. I let those dry for a bit, then I apply a little of the lactic acid 5% (you will notice this is also water based). Now, I move onto the hydrators and oils. I apply the retinoid 2% in squalane, then top with the pure squalane. The last step will be any oil like rosehip oil (I don’t always use this). If using cream, you can top with that. Heavy creams will always be last!

Not ready to try them out yet?

You can click over to the best and cheapest skincare products on Amazon that are tried and trued!

Be sure to follow instagram for more healthy living and skincare tips! Hope you enjoyed this Breakdown of The Best Ordinary® Skincare Products!

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