The Ordinary Skin Care Review: Pt 2

So I nearly used up all of my Retinoid 2%, which I bought from The Ordinary in May. It's been about six months, so I don't know if I was using too much- I definitely did not use the product every day. That being said, I wanted to repurchase, only to find out that the formula has been...well...reformulated. Today I am going to talk about the difference.

The original on the left, the reformulation on the right. Both contain the same amount, but the bottle on the right is taller and more narrow.

They both smell the same, but the Granactive formula is less drippy. It is more viscous, and does not leak out of the dropper as the first formulation did. It absorbs into the skin just as well as the first one, and is actually less "slippery" on the skin. I'm pretty happy with it. 

I also bought from them the cold-pressed rose hip seed oil. My skin has been pretty dry lately due to the cold weather, but for some reason I am not in the mood for moisturizing creams.

I have never used Rose Hip Seed Oil, prior to this. It smells very vegetal, but to me I don't mind the smell. It does sit on my skin for a bit before sinking in, but again, I don't really mind that too much. It is not an unpleasant sensation.

Overall, I am pleased with my purchases from The Ordinary. I think I am going to try to slow down my usage of the Retinoid, only so that I don't use it up too quickly. In terms of the Rose Hip Seed Oil, I will check back in to let you know if I am experiencing any skin issues as a result. So far, after two nights of use, everything has seemed okay.

Thanks for reading!

The Ordinary, Advanced Retinoid 2 %, Review (and some Paula's Choice Shade)

I was never really a skin care person. At almost 26 years of age, I never really maintained a skin regimen. I am rather lazy, forgetful, and apathetic when it comes to that.

However, I did have tightly clustered lines on my forehead, as well as fine lines near my eyes. I also had redness around my nose area- Not really significant issues, but these things bothered me.

I bought the Retinoid 2% from The Ordinary, an oz for $9.80 and have been using it daily for three weeks. I have seen significant difference and am really very impressed with this product. It is not greasy, does not really smell like anything, and absorbs quickly.

I did do a bit of research on retinols, and though The Ordinary says this is a gentler retinol, I do moisturize and use sunscreen anyway.

The lines on my forehead have relaxed, especially the tight cluster of lines above my right eyebrow.

My skin has cleared up and evened out in tone, and I really have not had any breakouts since.

I would definitely recommend this and give it a full ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐.

As a side note, the Beautypedia reviews, owned by Paula's Choice, give three stars for this product, and these are two of their main drawbacks of the product: "
The formula isn't as multi-faceted as today's best retinol treatments.
Initial application has a grainy sensation, which may be a stability issue."

What does "multi-faceted' mean? And by "today's best retinol treatments," they do mean Paula's Choice? And how can you claim a texture (which I did not personally notice) MAY indicate a stability issue, if you can't prove it? And how do I know they can't prove it? They said it:

"Although the grainy sensation fades quickly, it’s an unusual issue worth pointing out as this kind of formula should not be grainy. We worry that it’s indicative of a stability issue, but we weren’t able to verify this. Nevertheless, at any price, a retinol product should be pleasant to use, and this one comes up a bit short in that department."

So, an initial texture which fades QUICKLY (which, again, texture that I did not experience) ultimately makes application (WHICH IS A NOT A LENGTHY EXPERIENCE) unpleasant, which is also a very subjective concept?

My research into this product inadvertently lead me down a road to seriously question Beautypedia's veracity and credibility. If anyone else has noticed such problems, such as making unjustly inflammatory suggestions about products which they acknowledge cannot be verified, I would love to know. It's inappropriate, especially when we all know they all have a horse in this race.

As a result, I am never going to buy Paula's Choice products. But I will definitely purchase the Retinoid 2 % again.

Mini-Reviews: Empties, Purchases, Tossed Things

Another post! I actually have some empties and recent purchases to talk about. Let's get started.

1. Physician's Formula 2-in-1 Eye Booster Liner, $9. I ran out of this liner two days ago, so I ordered another from Amazon immediately. It is the only liner I've found I can use. Because I had Grave's Disease, my eyes bulge a little. They get irritated and water easily. If I wear regular pencil liner, even waterproof, it becomes a mess by the end of the day. Though this liner is not as black as I would like, it stays put and is easy to apply. I have not mastered wings yet, but who cares. Love this liner. Five stars.

2. Assorted Fyrinnae shadows. Am I down the rabbit hole yet? All this started because I wanted a proper mid-tone purple sparkly shade. A very specific need. Wicked Faeries fulfills this. It is a truly beautiful coppery purple shade. I also love Serendipity and have worn it to work three times now, with shades of taupe and red in my crease. Many reviewers will say that there is a learning curve to this brand, and I am inclined to agree. I have learned to buy a larger-sized Pixie Epoxy. I love that stuff, and can use it with other brands. I have also learned to avoid, for me, shades with a grey/black base. They don't work well for me. For example, Lady Glamis was a total disappointment because of this. Reviews made this shade look almost iridescent, like the surface of mica. But it comes off as a sparkly cloudy mess on me. I would definitely order from Fyrinnae again, though the turnaround time is very very long. 4.5 stars.

3. The Ordinary. Okay, so I haven't actually received my order. I placed it three days ago. But I am so excited. I ordered the foundation and the 2% Retinoid and hope it lives up to the hype. When it comes to skin care, I clean and moisturize, use eyecream, and the Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair. For me, I am a little skeptical and far too lazy for the complicated regimens some list. If I can keep it simple, then good enough for me. I am also on the eternal quest for an ideal foundation. More on that below.

4. L'Oreal Infallible Pro-Matte. Hated it. Fell for the hype. This stuff dries way too fast and is impossible to mix and blend. Very fussy with primers. Not impressed. I think I'll keep it to use as spot concealer, so that I can layer over it. We'll see how that goes.

5. Liquid Lipsticks, in general. I need to stop trying. I just need to give it a rest.