deciem – sarah fynn

The Ordinary High-Adherence Silicone Primer Review

The Ordinary Colours is the makeup range from the brand. It features two types of foundations: High Coverage and Serum foundation, I have reviews of both of them on the blog. There are also two primers and today’s post is a full review on the High-Adherence Silicone Primer.

The High-Adherence Silicone Primer promises to smooth and blur the appearance of skin. it gives a matte yet hydrated appearance and can be used alone as a non-greasy hydrator or as a primer before makeup application.

Experience

I really like silicone-based primers because of the smooth effect they give the skins o when the released this I knew I had to try it. The texture of tis primer is very lightweight compared t other silicone primers I have used, it also feels very hydrating on the skin. It doesn’t have any particular scent. The primer comes in an easy to use squeezy tube.

The primer layers well with other products and once pill. Compared to other silicone primers I have used, this one doesn’t have a powdery feel. I don’t think it leaves the skin matte or even gives a matte appearance, if anything it leaves a dewy finish because I have been using this during the fall/winter with powder foundations and my skin still looks dewy. On the left-hand side is where I have blended the primer out.

In terms of smoothing and blurring the skin, the primer has some effect although its’ not a massive one. My skin doesn’t feel dry during the day or matte. I have normal to combination skin and towards the end of the day, I find my tzone slightly oily and need to blot.

Verdict

I really like this primer. I don’t think it gives a matte finish as The Ordinary claim, rather it leaves the skin looking hydrated. The primer does give a smoother appearance to the skin however if you have really large pores I would recommend something else. For a silicone primer, it’s very lightweight on the skin and does not have that powdery feel associated with silicone primers. For the price, I think it’s excellent and it’s a great everyday use primer, which is what I use it for.

High-Adherence Silicone Primer is £3.90 on Deciem

The Ordinary’s Acids Guide

Skincare acids have become more popular these days and I want to think it’s partly due to the range and affordability the Ordinary has brought. I have a previous post on skincare acids here and how to choose the best for your skin type. In this post, I will be talking about some of The Ordinary’s acids and which ones I have used. I hope this post will help you, in case you are wondering which one to get/how to use them.

Warning

Please note, skincare acids will leave your skin more vulnerable to sun damage! It is important that you use SPF in the morning, every day to protect your skin. You need an SPF 30 or above. There is no use of using acids if you don’t use sun protection because you will be doing more damage than good.

The Ordinary Acids

AHA is recommended for sun damaged skin and dry skin. There are many types of AHA e.g. glycolic acid (most popular) mandelic acid, lactic acid, citric acid.

BHA is recommended for oily to blemish-prone skin and because it is able to deep cleanse pores. For my knowledge (I could be wrong) the only BHA is salicylic acid.

Acids can come in different products e.g. toners, serums, face wash etc. Find the product that works well for you, I would recommend you get your acids in a ‘leave on’ product so that they stay on your skin and work instead of a face wash that is washed out.

Glycolic Toning Solution 7% (AHA)* Toner. I use once a day in the evening following cleansing. I won’t recommend this is this is your 1st ever venture into acids as it’s quite high and it will sting your skin. If you are a first-timer, start with 5% in case you react to it. Always patch test. Review

Lactic acids, 5% & 10% (AHA)* Serum. Two different strengths I have tried the 5% formula which was ok but I didn’t like the scent. Review

AHA 30% BHA 2% mask* Mask. A mild chemical peel with very high acid content. Please do not get it if you absolutely do not need it. This is a wash off mask designed to be used for 10 mins only 2 to 3 times a week. I love this mask because of how smooth it leaves my skin and also because I have hyperpigmentation. It will sting so patch test before putting this on your face. You do not need to combine this with other acid products e.g. an acid toner Review

Salicylic acid 2% (BHA)* this serum is for oily/blemish skin and great for deep cleansing the pores. I love to use this when I am experiencing congestion/blemishes or texture on the skin. Review

Non-exfoliation acids

Every acid isn’t exfoliating! The other acids I have tried from TO

Azelaic acid 10%* is this for texture and pigmentations issues. I didn’t like this as it left my skin quite dry and itchy. It also didn’t have an impact on my hyperpigmentation. Review

Alpha Lipoic Acid 5%* a highly concentrated serum for texture and pigmentation issues. This is actually an antioxidant designed to be used only 2 to 3 times a week. I have added this to my routine and I will be doing a full review soon!

Other acids they stock

Mandelic acid 10%* this is an AHA serum which is supposed to be gentler on the skin due to the larger molecule size

This is a quick introduction to acids and how you can choose and use them effectively in a routine. Please remember to patch test and start slowly with acids. Choose one for your skintype and needs. The most important thing is to use sunscreen every day, all seasons whether acids are in your routine or not but especially if you use them!

Ultimate Empties Challenge November

It’s the end of November which means it time for another instalment of the ultimate empties challenge! I don’t have a lot of empties this month BUT I have already hit my target so anything from now to dec is surplus PLUS I finished 43 products last month so I have a lot of products I started using this month!

Let’s get into it

Cleansers & Toners

Pixi Rose Tonic– I absolutely love this! It’s very soothing and hydrating and perfect as a morning toner. I have a full review of this coming soon. L’Oréal Revitalift Glycolic Pads– this was disappointing. Again I have my full thoughts on this coming soon. Primark Micellar Wipes– these are absolutely beautiful to use and they actually work! I will repurchase. Peter Thomas Roth Anti-Aging Cleansing Gel– a really good cleansing gel and I really enjoyed using it. The travel size actually lasted a while. I have a full review of this coming soon! Finally B.Pure Micellar water– one of the best micellar water in the drugstore. I have a full review here and a brand review coming next month! I also finished the Simple Soothing Toner– I have a full review of this coming but to summarise I absolutely love it! It’s very gentle on the skin and perfect for mornings or to use as a follow-up toner after an acid toner- it’s not needed but I am a product junkie so I have been experimenting with this

Serums & Creams

Only 4 in this section, a travel-sized Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair serum, Neostrata Tri Lifting Serum– an absolute pleasure to use in my routine! I have a full review on BrownBeautytalk! Another tube of the Ordinary MAP, review here and the final tube of the year, the Bodyshop SPF 50

Hair care

3 more empties in the hair care department, I finished the Aunt Jackie’s Moisturising & Softening Shampoo– I really wanted more from this shampoo but I was disappointed. My full thoughts on this coming soon. Curls Unleashed Moisturising Conditioner– this has the BEST slip I have ever used but sadly its discontinued! I found this in the black hair shops so you may be able to pick it up still but I cant find it anywhere online. It’s not the best for actually moisturising the hair but you could use this as a Prepoo detangling conditioner! Redken Diamond Oil– had this for a really long time! It’s great for my wigs but actually works well on my natural hair.

Face masks

I used 2 sheet masks- the BeautyPro Detoxifying bubbling cleansing mask– this was super nice to use. It gently foamed and actually left my skin hydrated and brighter. It’s formulated with charcoal and AHA to help detox the skin. this is something I received in a Glossy box and I would actually buy. Sephora Coconut Sheet mask– I was actually slightly disappointed with this. I love a lot of the Sephora sheet masks I have used but this one wasn’t up to standard. I also used the Sephora Grape Eye patch– it hydrated my under eye area but this kept slipping down! Garnier Moisture Bomb Tissue Mask is probably the best eye patch I have used. It’s actually has a cooling effect as advertised so it refreshed my eye area and helped to depuff! I can’t wait to repurchase! Origins Intensive overnight mask– this was absolutely beautiful and I need to buy the full size! It’s a leave on mask but again I wash it off. It leaves the skin soft and hydrated and it feels soothing on the skin too. I think it’s perfect for dry skin and the winter but I have normal t combo skin and it worked really well!

Others

Amani Code Cashmere this perfume is so BOMB! I need to buy it again. I usually don’t like repurchasing perfumes but as I am getting older I now want to keep the same 3 or 4 in a rotation and this will definitely be one of them! Soap & Glory Hand Food Sugar Crush– beautiful hand cream and the scent is amazing. Its non-greasy, Finally Superdrug Cotton rounds.

Total this month 21

Total so far- 321

That’s it, folks! not a lot of empties this month but I am now at a total of XXX! Cant wait for December so I can do a final analysis of how many types of products I have finished!

Catch you later!

The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Solution Review

Hey guys, I hope everyone is well! Today’s post will be a full review on the Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Solution I have been using for the past couple of months! I waited a good while and got through 3 bottles of this serum to be able to bring you a full and honest review of the serum! Let’s get started

For an introduction into skincare acids, it’s worth reading my previous post on AHA/BHA’s. The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Solution is BHA which means it’s recommended for oily and congested skin. It also means it deep cleanses pores and exfoliates the skin.

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Experience

Although I have normal to oily combination skin, I have stuck to using AHA’s for the longest time because I was actually put off BHA from a previous product! I tried the Paula’s Choice 2% BHA and I honestly didn’t like it so I stayed away from BHA for almost 1-2 years! I started using this in the spring/summer because I didn’t want my skin to turn ‘full on’ oily/ acne prone like it does in the warmer months and Salicylic acid was one of the ingredients I knew could combat that.

I don’t use the Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Solution every day. I use it when I have texture on my skin or when I feel spots forming. It is a very light watery serum but it froths on the skin. It quickly dissipates after gently patting it into the skin. Unlike AHA’s, this doesn’t sting the skin. The immediate results I experience are hydration and glowing skin. This serum is excellent at reducing texture and spots and leaving my skin smooth. I have noticed that within 3-4 days of consistent use any texture/spots disappears( I have noticed this throughout my use of the serum but most recently after my trip to Italy and the horrible texture I came back with lol thanks to little water, a lot of wine and little sleep). It’s also great for keeping whiteheads and enlarged pores at bay! I honestly think the serum was my skin saviour over the summer! My skin remained normal to oily combo with no nasty acne or breakouts (I get that in the summer!)! I introduced this serum and the Niacinamide serum this spring/summer and they were a savour! I only used the BHA at night.

I must also admit I conducted two mini tests with the Salicylic acid serum: the first, I normally get a lot of texture on my skin when I travel, the combination of travel and little sleep is not good for my skin so I decided to use the BHA plus MAP plus resveratrol (review here) as a preventive measure. I used them every night in the lead up to my trip to Devon (I think it was 3 or 4 days before) and throughout the 2-day trip plus 3 days after I returned. Results? No texture, no spots no clogged pores! even with less sleep! I did also hydrate like crazy i.e. drink a lot of water and a lot of hydrating face masks. I also tested this with MAP and resveratrol alone and it gets rid of texture overnight somehow (when texture first rears its head). I have used the serum in combo with AHA toners and it’s been fine, I have had no issues with that.

Verdict

This serum transformed my skin and I am so happy I have given BHA another chance! You can use it every night if you want but I don’t because I like to rotate my actives and I have a lot to get through lol! But I do use the serum consistently when I have texture or spots and now ( and forever) in the lead-up, during and after a trip! This is my 3 or 4^th bottle I have finished, I am currently using one and I have a refill on the way! It will be a permanent addition to my routine! I even use this to spot treat pimples.

I highly recommend this if you have oily, acne prone or congested skin! This is serious blemish control! Don’t be put off by the froth you experience after application, it will go away. It’s worth noting if you are allergic to aspirin you are not able to use BHA, they are both anti-inflammatory (please do more research into this). I took a long time doing this review because I wanted to really put this to the test. Don’t you hate it when someone uses a product for 1 week and reviews it?

Guess how much this is? £4.20 for 30ml (the Ordinary you are AMAZING!) imagine the PC BHA I tested was £8 for the TRAVEL SIZE which is 10ml (full size is £25 I think for 30ml).

Please check this out, you won’t be sorry! Esp. if you have oily skin! Available on Deciem

My brand review of the Ordinary is up! This is an overview of every single product I have tried from them! Check it out here

Catch you later!

Happy skin days- DONT FORGET SPF

Brand Review: The Ordinary

Deciem’s The Ordinary has taken the skincare world by storm! It has refined budget skincare and lit the torch on pricing with luxury brands! No matter your stance on their social media page, one thing you can’t deny is the fact that their products are effective period!

The single formulations make it easy to find exactly what you are looking for, without the additional fillers etc. you can also combine a lot of serums due to the low price and they work together pretty well! With my ever expanding collection of the Ordinary, I have come to try a lot of their products, most of them I love! In this brand review, I will be talking about everything I have tried and how to easily add them to a routine!

It’s worth saying, Deciem have a lot of serums and information on their website! It’s really worth having a quick read of their Regime guide and product information to know how best to combine serums for max effectiveness. Some products work well before or after some serums and some are more suited for night time use!

Serums

If you have oily/congested and blemish prone skin, your best serums are Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% and Salicylic Acid 2%. Niacinamide helps to strengthen your skin and reduce the appearance of blemishes. Salicylic acid is a BHA and cleanses deep inside pores. It also reduces texture! I have stayed away from BHA after trying the Paula’s Choice 2% BHA which I hated! I decided to try BHA again this year because I really wanted to improve my skin so I decided to try the Ordinary’s version for less of the price.

This summer, these two serums were a saviour! I normally have oily/blemish prone skin in the summer and with the heat, we experienced I was sure it would be worst! However, my skin remained its usual normal-oily skin because of these! I used Niacinamide in the mornings and the Salicylic Acid as and when I needed it. I would reach for the BHA when I saw texture or enlarged pores or if a pimple was forming. It clears texture overnight!

Granactive Retinoid 2% Emulsion this was my 1st ever retinol product and I had no issues with it! Retinol is notorious for irritation. I found it creamy and hydrating plus it brightened my skin overall. Alpha Arbutin– I really wanted to like this and gave 2 chances to work. Both times didn’t show any benefits in my skin. Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG– I was really excited to try this as I have bad dark circles and sometimes bags but it did nothing. Full review here

Routine step- after cleansing and toning. Both these serums can be used both AM and PM but I used Niacinamide in the AM and Salicylic in the PM when the need arose.

Retinol and Alpha Arbutin as treatment serums in PM for hyperpigmentation

Caffeine solution- eye serum

More Acids

In addition to the BHA, they have a good range of acids. I have used the Lactic Acid 5% which I didn’t enjoy much. The scent for me was off-putting but I also can’t remember if it did anything. Read my full review here. (I’m actually thinking of trying the 10% because I have recently used Good Genes from Sunday Riley and I really like it. it’s a lactic acid treatment so I thought maybe the 10% could be a dupe?). The Glycolic Acid 7% AHA is one of my fav products from them! I LOVE Glycolic acid so immediately when this was released I bought two bottles of it! It’s 7% more than most drugstore brands at a fraction of the cost PLUS it’s a huge 240ml bottle!

I also have the AHA30% BHA2% mask which is serious business! It is a high strength formula designed to be used only 2-3 times a week and left on for 10 mins! It stings as expected so don’t try to leave it on longer or use more frequently. This stuff will make your skin more sensitive to the sun so use SPF no excuse! Finally the Azelaic acid suspension 10%– I didn’t like this! The texture is like a weird cream to powder formula and it dried out my skin and left it itchy

Routine step

Lactic acid- after cleansing and toning. Glycolic Acid 7%- after cleansing and in the evenings. Azelaic Acid 10%- after water solutions and PM. After toning & cleansing.

AHA 30% BHA2- as a mask for 10 mins no more than 3 times a week

Vitamin C

I have been loving Vitamin C this year and I have tried 3 Vitamin C products from the Ordinary. The 1^st two are vitamin c derivatives: Ascorbyl glucoside 12% and Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate 10%. I love both of them but of the two MAP wins my heart. It’s easier to use and hydrating plus when combined with their Ferulic acid and resveratrol they literally clear texture overnight (use the BHA 1^st then these two combined). The 100% L-Ascorbic Acid Powder is a recent purchase. Its 100% high strength finely milled powder designed to be mixed with other products. So far I have been using it 2 to 3 times a week mixed with my hydrating face masks. 1 scoop is enough, 2 scoops stings! More information in a full review soon.

Routine step- MAP and Ascorbyl glucoside use after water formulations.

Vitamin C powder- mix with other treatments 2 to 3 times a week

Antioxidants & Hydrators

Another ingredient I have been obsessed with is antioxidant! The Resveratrol 3% and Ferulic Acid 3% has been a blessing to my skin. Now on my second bottle, it adds a beautiful glow to the skin and also helps with texture. I mixed with MAP or my morning moisturiser to give me luminous skin in the morning! A must-have! A very recent addition to my routine is the Amino Acid + B5. It’s very new to the brand, in fact, the product information isn’t even up yet lol. But Amino Acids have antioxidant and hydrating properties so I will come back with more info for you

Finally Natural Moisturising Factors (NMF) the best non-oily hydrating cream I have used. It’s thick but not heavy. A full review will be up soon

Routine step- Resveratrol 3% and Ferulic Acid 3% mix with creams or apply ‘neat’ after toning both PM and AM. Amino acids- after cleansing and toning PM and AM

NMF- moisturiser after serums

Makeup

My full thoughts and review on the High Coverage foundation is here. I have the High Adherence silicone primer but I am yet to use it

Routine step- Primer- last step before makeup application. Foundation- after primer

Ok folks! The powerhouse brand that is the Ordinary and everything I have used from them. This is a long post (17 products mentioned! Many repurchases and I will be expanding my portfolio of their products) but it’s worth it! They have a lot of products and I understand it can be quite confusing to choose which ones to use. I hope you found this useful!

I have more brand reviews scheduled so stay tuned!

Catch you later!

The Ordinary’s Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate 10% Review

I have been gushing all about Vitamin C on my Instagram and this product, in particular, The Ordinary’s Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate 10% (MAP) so you know it was only a matter of time I brought a full review to my blog

Vitamin C has been an ingredient I have stayed away from for so long because although it’s extremely effective, it must be formulated and packaged properly to prevent it from going bad, i.e. pro-oxidant (you don’t want that). Since I use a lot of water formulations and mists in my routine and Vitamin C doesn’t pair well with water, I needed something to overcome this. I decided to do more research into Vitamin C and came across Vitamin C derivatives, they are just as potent and more stable in water! The two I got from The Ordinary were Ascorbyl Glucoside Solution 12% (read review here) and MAP. This post is all about MAP

MAP is a water-based cream, and a water-soluble derivative of Vitamin C. MAP is well known for its brightening properties even more than other Vitamin C derivatives. The 10% conc The Ordinary offers is a very high solubilized concentration designed to be used AM & PM after water based serums

Experience

What don’t I love about this? MAP has a light creamy texture which sinks into the skin with ease and adds hydration to my skin. There is an instant boost of radiance once applied. I have experienced no irritation with this. I used it every night with the Ferulic acid until I finished the tube. It lasted a little over a month

I am now on my 2^nd tube and I can definitely notice a difference in the overall health of my skin: it looks more radiant and healthier. I LOVE mixing a few drops of the Resveratrol 3% and Ferulic Acid 3% to this for antioxidant and brightening properties. I have also used this following their Salicylic Acid 2% serum whenever I have texture and somehow- IT GETS RID OF IT OVERNIGHT! I have recommended this to my mother who has hyperpigmentation too and she loves it, she says it has left her skin smoother and brighter. I’m purchasing a 2^nd tube for her soon.

I have to say, my pigmented spots don’t look any lighter but the overall appearance of my skin has definitely improved! I prefer this over the Ascorbyl Glucoside 12% serum only because I have had no issues with it and its hydrating enough for me to use without the need for a night cream. For my 2^nd tube, I have been using it in rotation, on days when I am not using retinol or acids serums (not that you can’t combine these, you absolutely can and should! I am just doing it this way to use as many products as possible lol)

Verdict

An absolutely must have if you are a bit weary of Vitamin C and want something effective and easy to use. The only con is the amount in the tube, it seems to go quickly lol but I can also say I may have abused it and used a lot more than needed lol. You can use it alone, but I definitely prefer it with the ferulic acid mixed for instant luminosity and brightening! Please come with the 100ml or 50ml size of this!

MAP is £7.80 available from Deciem

Summer to Fall Skincare Routine

Summer 2018 was LIT! For the first time in a long time, we had more than 2 weeks of sun! Temperatures were hitting 32 degrees and above but alas the cooler days are here! My skin this summer was a well-behaved teenager too, I stepped up my routine and added new products and trialled new ingredients that could help combat the heat and it paid off! My skin remained normal/oily combo instead of the usual oily/acne prone I had experienced in previous summers!

I have gushed over 4 main products that helped keep my skin in check this summer: The Ordinary’s Niacinamide helped keep texture at bay and pores minimised whilst their Salicylic acid 2% cleared any spots and texture in no time! ( I actually prefer this product over the PC 2% BHA). I also loved the BodyShop Drops of Light Multi Essence SPF 50! The lightweight formula sinks right into the skin, it’s 100% transparent on dark skin and is not oily. I also loved antioxidants and made full use of the Ordinary’s Resveratrol & Ferulic Acid serum this summer to enhance sun protection and skin health.

Now that we are transitioning into the colder months, I have been doing my research into products and ingredients that will add hydration and keep my skin in good health. Last year I fell in love with hyaluronic acids and I know it will be a sure addition to my routine. These are some of the new products and ingredients I will be adding to my routine:

Amino Acids: brand new on the Ordinary’s website is the Amino Acids plus B5 (additional product information hasn’t even been uploaded yet!) this is described as daily hydration support plus AA’s in general help retain moisture in skin. Some AA also have antioxidant support! I don’t know which AA’s are in the Ordinary’s formula but I am looking forward to it! Nip Fab Dragon Blood Fix Mask also has some amino acids in it

Retinols: although retinols are perfectly good to be used in the summer, I tend to save my retinols for fall-winter-spring. Mainly because I use moderate to high strength retinols plus AHA’s and I don’t want to potentially make my skin even more sensitive to the sun when there are more UVA/UVB. I slather on SPF 50 without fail in summer but with my hyperpigmentation and my skin been so prone to dark spots, I tend to leave retinol for cooler months when there is less UVA/UVB. I will be using the Paula’s Choice Clinical 1% Retinol Treatment. So far (after a couple of days), I have experienced no irritation (and I have been using it with 5% AHA) but I have been mixing it with The Ordinary’s NMF, it’s a lovely texture too

Vitamin C: I used Vitamin C this summer and I fell in love with how radiant it left my skin. Again two vitamin c I loved were from the Ordinary: MAP and Ascorbyl glucoside 12%. I have recently purchased the 100% L ascorbic powder which is designed to be mixed with treatments. I have been experimenting with mixing with hydrating masks and even with my body oil ( shh)

In addition to these, I will be using my usual products, essences, mists, and SPF and face masks! I will be switching back to Clinique’s dramatically different face cream.

Transitioning into the colder months will be a tad be difficult after the wonderful summer we had but I will be ready lol. You should absolutely consider changing some of your products for the cold season to help your skin retain moisture and healthy.

Catch you later: be sure to follow me on Instagram for more product recommendations and flash reviews!

What are you using this fall/winter?

Sarah

Best budget friendly skincare under £20!

Budget skincare or drugstore products sometimes have a bad rep, a lot of people see it as cheap ineffective products that are a waste of money but hold up sis, there’s a lot of expensive ineffective products too( actually a bigger waste of money!). I feel like I am an advocate for budget products, I love finding really good products at amazing prices and when I do I tell the whole world, literally.

I have condensed all my tested & approved drugstore products in this post in each skincare category. This is by no means an exhaustive list, but it gives an indication of what’s out there worth trying.

My skin type is oily to combination skin

1^st cleansers & makeup removers

These are great for removing makeup and daily grime and oils from the skin! I have recently started using the NipFab cleansing fix and I am enjoying the creamy rich texture of it! I will have a full review on this soon. I also love micellar water for this step and the B. Pure Micellar Water is great for removing makeup. It also comes in a huge bottle! More micellar water information here

Second cleansers

You don’t need to double cleanse everyday but after removing makeup & SPF it’s essential. I love the Garnier micellar face wash. It can be used as a makeup remover too but I prefer it as a face wash. It’s gentle and effective and doesn’t strip your skin. My favourite drugstore face wash has to be Your Good skin refreshing face wash. Full review here

Toners

Ahh toners! It’s either you love it or hate! I’m in the first category. I split toners into two groups, this first group is non-acid based and mostly your hydration toners suitable for morning routines( can be evening too) I absolutely love the BodyShop Vitamin E Hydrating Toner and the Nip Fab Dragon Fix Cleansing pads( on my 5^th tub of these)

Acid toners

Do you acid tone? I can’t live without my glycolic acid toner! From chemical exfoliation to glowing skin this is a step I will never skip! I only acid tone in the evening and usually switch between these (I have backups of all of these!) I have a post on acids here

Pixi glow tonic 5% AHA– my current toner. The ordinary glycolic toning solution 7%, Nip fab extreme pads 5% AHA, Superdrug Naturally Radiant 5% Glycolic Acid

Serums

Treating any skin issues? Serums are your best-targeted treatments! I have already gushed about The Ordinary’s Niacinamide serum here. It’s a must-have for my skin in the summer! I am also in love with the Salicylic acid 2% from the same brand. My full review is coming. I am loving antioxidants atm especially vitamin C. I have a detailed post on Vitamin C here. My top two recommendations are MAP & Ascorbyl glucoside. Retinol from the drugstore? Yes, and it’s a no-brainer which one I would recommend! It’s the Ordinary’s of course!

Moisturisers & SPF

My tested & approved moisturisers! I love the B confident day cream from B skincare in Superdrug (shh it’s very similar to Murad hydrodynamic cream which is £50+!). The Ordinary Natural Moisturising factors is probably the best low budget moisturiser! It’s non-oily and provides all-day hydration- my full review will be up soon. So I cheated a little, Bee Good plump and firm cream is technically £3.50 over our budget but it’s worth it! Your good skin SPF 30 cream, best budget-friendly SPF moisturiser from the drugstore! (Layer with something else in winter and check out my full review here). Are you tired of me talking about the body shop drops of light essence SPF 50? The 40ml tube racks in at £17!

Face masks

Most of my face masks are budget-friendly and they work great! Among my favourites are The BodyShop Himalayan charcoal face mask which is an exact dupe of the GlamGlow Youth mud and its only £17! I also love the Nip fab glycolic fix extreme sheet mask. This has 2% AHA and is great for travel!

That’s it, guys! My list of recommended skincare products that are effective and budget friendly! I have done this list before but this is the new updated list with new products! I am working on a makeup list too!

The Ordinary Ascorbyl Glucoside Solution 12% Serum Review

We all know Vitamin C is an amazing antioxidant and has superior skin brightening properties but it’s also very unstable in water. I have been playing around with the thought of introducing Vit C in my routine for a long time but since I use a lot of water-based serums and mists in my routine I was worried that this will impact the effectiveness of the Vit C. Enter the Ascorbyl Glucoside Solution 12% which is a Vitamin C derivative and much more stable in water. This particular derivative offers skin brightening properties, stability in water and comfortable to use aka no irritation. High concentrations of Vitamin C are notorious for causing stinging/irritation.

When I first introduced this serum to my routine, I was using it in the mornings as I wanted to also take advantage of its antioxidant benefits for daily protection. I quickly disliked it, even a few drops would use piling and it didn’t layer too well with my other products. It also offered no hydration. I would use it after misting and underneath my moisturiser but it would quickly pil and sometimes I would have to wipe and start over. So it’s safe to say I didn’t enjoy it one bit and I stopped using it for while

After a bit more research ( and an email to The Ordinary for advice) I decided to try again, this time in my evening routine, as the first serum after misting and voila success! I have been using it this way for the last 3-4 months. One full drop over my face and neck and surprisingly no piling and its working well with the other two serums plus gel cream I use

The Ascorbyl Glucoside Solution 12% is a lightweight odourless serum with a translucent appearance which sinks quickly into the skin. It offers no hydration but can feel slightly sticky when dried. Over the months I have been using it, I haven’t noticed a huge difference in some pigmented areas but the general appearance of my skin looks more radiant and healthier. I can see some pigmented areas starting to break up too. It’s a nice introduction to Vitamin C and its stability in water makes it excellent to use in my routine. I am almost out of it and I would repurchase another although another form of Vit C has caught my eye, the new Ascorbic Acid 8% + Alpha Arbutin 2%

I would 100% recommend this Vit C serum if you didn’t want to go down the pure ascorbic acid route. Its pleasant serum, but make sure you use after water-based solutions. In terms of piling and layering under products, I would say start with a few drops and play around with which products you use before and after it. Its worth noting that you NEED SPF in your morning routine if you have hyperpigmentation, every day, every season. my list of invisible SPF’s is on my Instagram page here

The Ordinary Ascorbyl Glucoside Solution 12% is £8.90 on Deciem.com

I have review more The Ordinary Serums

Lactic Acid 5%

Azelaic Acid

Check out my updated Spring Morning routine. I will work on an updated evening routine too but I am pretty much using the same serums, I have just added 2 new ones. I rotate my products only when I finish the whole thing but if you want more product reviews make sure you follow me on Instagram, I am always posting recommendations.

I am also working on reviews for the other serums in the above picture.

Catch you later

xoxo

The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% Serum Review

Hey guys, I hope all is well. I shared my updated spring morning routine a few months back and got great feedback so I thought I would bring some reviews of the new serums I have been using from The ordinary. Amidst all the drama on their Instagram, The Ordinary is an excellent brand with effective products at excellent prices. I also like the site and all the good info it has on there. So without further ado let’s dive into this review

The Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% serum is for is for reducing skin blemishes and congestion whilst helping to strengthen skin, enlarged pores and uneven skintone. I decided to add this to my morning routine for the spring summer because I noticed from the last two years my normal to combo oily skin turns oily blemish prone in the warmer months. Niacinamide is great for oily skin so I thought it would give this a try.

Experience

The Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% is a colourless odourless light-textured serum that sinks into my skin instantly. It leaves no residue and adds no hydration to my skin. I find it layers well underneath the essence lotion I use or just alone underneath my moisturisers. There is no piling.

This serum has worked well with my skin in terms of oil control. Usually, around this time of year, my skin turns oily/blemish prone but so far my skin has remained normal to oily combination! I am also experiencing zero texture on my skin, even throughout the mini heatwave we had in London PLUS I hardly breakout! I know it’s due to the introduction of Niacinamide serum because last year around this time, I was an oily blemish slick LOL. My pores have remained unclogged. This also works great with Salicylic acid: both known for minimising the appearance of pores.

I am so happy I introduced this in my skincare routine and I am actually almost out of it so I need to repurchase another! I will be using this serum till September, right before the fall season starts. For my skin type I won’t use this in the winter, I will switch to something more hydrating e.g. hyaluronic acid

Verdict

I will 100% recommend this for oily/blemish skin types! It will help strengthen the skin and reduce blemishes, enlarged pores and texture! I use mine in the mornings to prep my skin for the day. It’s also worked great with the addition of the other antioxidants I have introduced to my morning routine.

I will also recommend The Ordinary brand as a starting point for your skincare routines. They have a lot of serums and info on the site and the prices are budget friendly! A lot of people ask me how to pair the serums and which ones to choose. The best advice I can give is definitely to look at the regime guide on the site and also choose the serums according to the issue you are trying to fix!

NOTE- a lot of info says you can’t combine Niacinamide with Vitamin C as they cancel each other’s effects! Please note this only applies to PURE ASCORBIC ACID and it’s completely fine to use with VIT C derivatives. I use a lot of Vit C derivatives (e.g. Activated C) in my routine and this paired very well with Niacinamide. Always do your research when it comes to ingredients! And most of the time, a well thought out routine will combine 2 or 3 actives for the most effective results! A good place to start for ingredient research and myths is Paula’s choice

I hope you found this helpful. Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% is £5.00 on The Ordinary

I am working on reviews on all the serums pictured above. Those are all the new serums I have been using.

Catch you later

Xxox