New To My Skincare Stash: The Ordinary

My skincare stash up until recently was spilling out of a large drawer under my bed. It had become home to the skincare products that I’d tried and tested that hadn’t quite met the criteria to take place on my skincare shelf. But I’d store them in there ‘just in case’. But I've had a clear out and up until now, no new purchases had been made. But the New Year and cold weather have given me the ideal opportunity (or excuse...) to add a new crop of products to help freshen up my skincare routine. 
Let me introduce you to The Ordinary: one of nine skincare product ranges from Deciem (which includes NIOD, Hylamide and The Chemistry Brand). The Ordinary is kinda like a no BS skincare range (no marketing frills, unnecessary scents and luxurious packaging) that consists of 24 oils and serums. The formulations are simple with each product containing just 1-2 active ingredients, such as vitamin C, retinol, hyaluronic acid and zinc, but cost a mere £3.90 - £14.90. Which is madness, as I’ve spent over £35 on facial oil before and I've been very tempted to part with £85 for a bottle of Sunday Riley Luna Oil. I purchased The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 (£5.90) and The Ordinary Advanced Retinoid 2% (£8.00) in the hope they would address my skin concerns, which were dehydration and dullness at the time. And as I’ve been using these products consistently for the past two weeks, I thought I’d share my initial thoughts.
AM (post-cleanse) I've been applying The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5. I get a little pipette-happy with this one; it's hard not to over-apply! But as a rule of thumb I press 4-5 drops onto my skin and increase the amount depending on how much my skin needs and follow up with a moisturiser. It doesn't have as much slip as the Vichy Aqualia Thermal Dynamic Hydration Serum, as it's a little thicker in texture and is a tad sticky. But nevertheless it doesn't interfere with my makeup and plumps and smooth's flaky patches without leaving a greasy residue on my skin. However, whilst this serum plumps my face leaving it soft and supple, I'm unsure as to whether it helps retain moisture and keep those pesky flaky patches at bay as well as my Vichy serum, only time will tell...
PM, The Ordinary Advanced Retinoid 2% has given my skincare regime the anti-ageing upgrade it required. Retinoid is a skincare ingredient known for improving fine lines, acne, skin texture and tone and helps improve pore quality, so they're less prominent and clogged. Retinoid is usually associated with irritation, flakiness and redness, but I find The Ordinary Advanced Retinoid 2% doesn't aggravate my sensitive skin instantaneously, unlike La Roche-Posay Redermic [R] Anti-Ageing Concentrate. And unlike The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 it has a slicker, lighter and tack-free consistency which I much prefer. Once pressed into the skin my complexion glows and is smooth to the touch. With continued use, I've noticed it's quickly helping tackle textural issues. But whilst it's a hard working product, be warned, apply too much too frequently your skin will have a mass freak out, resulting in blemishes and dry patches (as overuse strips away the skin's protective layer of natural oils). I learnt the hard way, so be patient! 
I thought this range was a little too good to be true, but these products from The Ordinary are beauty bargains - under £10? I'm not going to argue with that! Having used both products for two weeks, I can confirm they appear to work just as effectively as more expensive products I've tried. I'm interested to see how they fare over the next few weeks and see if they take place under the bed, or take pride and place my skincare shelf! Caroline Hirons has given the brand her nod of approval. You can check out her interview with Brandon Truaxe The Ordinary founder on her blog here. I'll be sure to check back in with a full skincare update soon. But in the meantime there's no doubt I'll be continuing to slather these on...
Will you be adding a few of these power-packed goodies to your beauty regime?  Emily