Finding skincare products that truly benefit your skin can be such a confusing and expensive journey, especially if, like me, you suffer from persistent acne. It can be hard to know which treatments will work and, unfortunately, costly to find out. For this reason, I often find myself waffling back and forth on purchasing something as simple as day cream for weeks, even months, at a time.
This was my very predicament only a couple months ago when I was on the hunt for a serum to combat acne. I almost purchased Glossier’s Super Pure, a niacinamide-based solution with promising claims and the prettiest bottle. Though I’m a fan of the brand, I still took the time to research several brands before taking the plunge. Through this, I noticed a lot of praise for a curious brand named The Ordinary–which just happened to have a niacinamide-based serum that commenters claimed was more effective and cheaper than others on the market. Score!
Well, it’s been a over a month now since I’ve started using products from The Ordinary, and I’m obsessed. So far, I’ve purchased four items, two of which I’m excited to share my thoughts on today. I’m still testing out the other two, but will share my thoughts soon!
Niacinamide (aka Vitamin B3) promotes the reduction of sebum–an oily substance produced in the skin’s glands that those with acne often have high levels of–and, therefore, reduces the appearance of pores. Less sebum equals less oil; thus, while niacinamide doesn’t technically cure existing acne, it does help to reduce the occurrence of future breakouts.
However, I’ve personally found that existing breakouts do seem to shrink away as I use this serum. Maybe it’s the zinc, which would make sense because not only does zinc help to reduce oiliness, but it is also anti-inflammatory.
To use this serum, I squeeze two drops into the palm of my hand, dot it all over my face, and gently massage it into my skin. It dries very fast, so you don’t have to wait long before using a moisturizer. As a note, The Ordinary does mention that this serum can be used both morning and night. It’s very gentle, so I can’t imagine any problems resulting from frequent use, but it’s always a good idea to patch test on a small part of your skin before applying it to your whole face.
All in all, this serum is GOLD. I plan on making it a permanent edition to my skincare routine, which, at $5.90 a bottle, doesn’t come close to breaking the bank.
100% Organic Cold-Pressed Rose Hip Seed Oil
The price of this one is insane: $9.80 per bottle. I’m currently using it as my night moisturizer instead of a traditional cream. Compared to my previous favorite, Origins’ Nite-A-Mins, which costs a whopping $43.00–it’s a very economical switch.
More importantly, it’s an effective switch because rose hip oil does a lot of wonderful things to your skin. It’s anti-inflammatory, full of essential fatty acids and antioxidants, and rich in vitamins. In other words, it’s great for acne, anti-aging, and minimizing scarring.
A little goes a long way. I generally put two or three drops in the palm of my hand, dot all over my face (just like the serum!), and gently massage in. This was the first oil I ever used on my face, and I was a little nervous it would just sit on top of the skin. To my surprise, it absorbs in beautifully–dare I say even better than a cream moisturizer. Also, I’ve found that my skin is less oily on a day-to-day basis since I’ve been using this product, likely because using oil as a moisturizer can prevent your skin from overproducing its own oil as a defense against dryness.
After using these two products almost every night for the past month or so, I’ve definitely noticed an improvement to my skin. Though this routine does not cure my acne, it has helped to keep breakouts at bay and lessen the severity of existing blemishes. That’s all I can ask for, really!
xoxo Kelli
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