Q&A: Which of The Ordinary Serums That Are Suitable For My Skintype? / What Are Your Recommendations?

Assalamualaikum and hello my lovely Pah people

So since I have been selling The Ordinary serums, a lot of people ask me which serum yang suitable dengan diorang or how do you use them, ada contradiction ke tak...? Okay so let me share what I have learnt so far ya.

Now this post will only be focused on The Ordinary products yang available, maybe selit produk lain tu kalau dia tak offer certain products ke apa ke kan.

Now, The Ordinary skincare ni parent company dia Deciem. I think HQ dia kat Canada. Tak ramai tahu about them simply because they are not available in Malaysia.

A lil bit of their background, aku copy paste je from About

The Ordinary is an evolving collection of treatments offering familiar, effective clinical technologies positioned to raise pricing and communication integrity in skincare. The brand was created to celebrate integrity in its most humble and true form. Its offering is pioneering, not in the familiar technologies it uses, but in its honesty and integrity. The Ordinary is born to disallow commodity to be disguised as ingenuity. The Ordinary is "Clinical formulations with integrity".

The Ordinary is a brand from DECIEM. We are an umbrella of brands focused on advanced functional beauty. Our team is specialized in materials chemistry and biochemistry, and we have brought pioneering innovation in skincare through our core brands, Hylamide and NIOD. In the category of functional beauty, integrity is rare. Commonplace technologies are referred to as groundbreaking and insensible pricing strategies confuse the audience, disguising commodity technologies as advanced. The Ordinary exists to communicate with integrity and bring to market effective, more familiar technologies at honourable prices. The Ordinary takes pride in honesty, fights innovation stagnancy in the industry and indirectly celebrates the depth of innovation our brands, Hylamide and NIOD, continue to bring to the category.

Additional Information about DECIEM:

All DECIEM products, across all brands including The Ordinary, are free of parabens, sulphates, mineral oil, methylchloroisothiazolinone, methylisothiazolinone, animal oils, benzalkonium chloride, coal tar dyes, formaldehyde, mercury, oxybenzone. If you have questions about any ingredient that we use, please reach out to us and our lab will provide a response.

DECIEM does not test on animals and does not pay others to do so. For this reason, none of our brands are sold in mainland China since such sales require animal testing for registration purposes.

FAQ

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Dah habis intro panjang, moh ler kita continue.

Disclaimer: Totally not a beautician nor an expert, also not a fricking skincare consultant. Whatever knowledge yang aku dapat, aku tak kisah nak share dengan sesiapa pun. Tak kisah lah daripada mana pun. I know even if you read articles online pun tak semestinya benda tu betul 100%, ya betul, tapi tulah pentingnya kalau google search tu jangan bukak 1 article or jangan search 1 keyword je. Rajin-rajin lah buat research betul-betul, nak cantik kan? Kena lah rajin. Kalau tak rajin, macam mana nak cantik? Kalau ada maid yang boleh apply kan skincare bagai takpe kot. Jojiasdkalsda

So let's start.

First of all, the most basic thing that you need to know is what is your skin type. Aku rasa tu paling basic lah. TBH, I didn't know I had oily and combination skin until I googled it online. LOL. Pah dulu-dulu memang sangat fail actually. Anyways, here's a link on how to determine your skintype:

Vanity Cube: How to determine your skin type.

Now, it is important for you guys to have a complete 4 steps skincare routine. Cleansing, exfoliating, toning (not necessarily, essence pon okay jugak), and moisturizing. Cleansing and exfoliating is a must for me, kira most important steps in skincare routine as well. Sebab nanti sia-sia je korang sapu serum apa semua, tapi sebab tak cleanse/exfoliate, dead skin cells berkumpul lebih banyak, sebum sekat kat pores ke apa benda tah and it can cause your skin to breakout so bad lepas tu korang pulak cakap "oh salah pakai produk kot". Not necessarily okay, jangan salahkan produk.

I have shared on the basics on how to build up a basic skincare routine. So you guys just baca here:

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4

Oh before I forget, if you have dry and irritated skin, I cannot recommend any serums for you and please do not use any serums (basically ALL of your concentrated serums okay tak kisah brand apa pon semua tak boleh pakai!) especially if it contains active ingredients like Niacinamide, AHA/BHA, and Alpha Arbutin. It's going to make your skin more irritated, so you need to find a soothing cream like a balm. Pakai dulu for 1 or 2 weeks and see kalau skin dah okay baru boleh start with active ingredients. Kalau drugstore, I recommend Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream. Kalau from The Ordinary, Natural Moisturizing Factors. I looove NMF. It's amazing.

Read more on skin irritation here: Skin Irritation: Your Worst Enemy

So, bila you dah tau skin type jenis apa, dah tau skincare routine apa nak follow, barulah boleh decide serum apa yang sesuai. Biasanya before I try a serum, I will google "what skincare ingredient to fix (skin issues)". Memang berlambak keluar and korang boleh check satu-satu mana yang sesuai untuk skin issues korang. Easy as ABC! Tapi tulah it's kinda frustrating, memang ada je manusia yang jenis malas nak membaca, semua nak kena suap. Sis bukan marah tapi masalahnya ada yang tanya sis serum tu apa. Payah lah aku, kalau serum pun taktau macam mana korang boleh nak pakai serum buta-buta je? Mestilah sendiri kena tau kenapa kena pakai serum? What is serum etc. Semua tu aku dah cover dalam post Skincare Basics tu.

Let me list down which The Ordinary serums that you should try first. Ni kira basic je. Kalau nak advance sikit nanti aku post lain pulak lah. Now, please read this post thoroughly if you want some recommendations... I can't answer the same q over and over again. Aku dah buat top picks pon orang tak baca betul-betul. Hah kan Pah kan asdkjkasdaskld

1. Alpha Arbutin 2% + HA

Link: Website, Review

Alpha Arbutin reduces the looks of spots and hyper-pigmentation. It's used at a high 2% concentration versus a standard concentration of 1% and supported with a next-generation form of Hyaluronic Acid for enhanced delivery. Alpha Arbutin is much stronger in effect than Arbutin or Beta Arbutin.

Note: Alpha Arbutin is extremely sensitive to degradation in the presence of water if the pH of the formulation is not ideal. The pH of this formula is approximately 4.9 which is shown to be the most suitable pH to minimize degradation of Alpha Arbutin.

Directions

Apply a few drops to face in the AM and PM as part of your skincare regimen. Use sun protection in the AM. We have developed a more comprehensive guide on choosing and using our formulations.

So basically this is a brightening serum and of course it's my fave product out of all the serums they have. I have already repurchased it so he he he. Okay so basically serum ni untuk reduce dark spots and hyper-pigmentation. So kalau korang ada jeragat, sun spots, korang boleh cuba ni. For this serum, I use it on my whole face (only at night time) and not as a spot treatment. I read 1 review, dia pakai serum ni as spot treatment and she said it did nothing on her hyper-pigmentation. I don't know lah if kita pakai the whole face ke spot treatment ke, dia punya effectiveness berkurang atau tidak. Like I said, I use it for my whole face and I've seen significant changes and man, I love this. Highly recommend if you're struggling with post acne marks (yang gelap je tau bukan pitted scars tauu)

How do I use it: After toner/hydrating lotion, before other serums because I feel like it has more watery consistency than other The Ordinary serums. Only using it in the PM.

SUITABLE FOR ALL SKINTYPES

2. Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%

Link: Website, Review

Niacinamide (Vitamin B3) is indicated to reduce the appearance of skin blemishes and congestion. A high 10% concentration of this vitamin is supported in the formula by zinc salt of pyrrolidone carboxylic acid to balance visible aspects of sebum activity. 

Contraindications: If topical Vitamin C is used as part of skincare, it should be applied at alternate times with this formula (ideally Vitamin C in the PM and this formula in the AM). Otherwise, Niacinamide can affect integrity of pure-form Vitamin C (L-Ascorbic Acid). 

Note: While Niacinamide and Zinc PCA reduce the look of blemishes and balance visible sebum activity, neither is a treatment for acne. For persistent acne-related conditions, we recommend the use of Benzoyl Peroxide and/or Retinoic Acid. We do not recommend the use of Salicylic Acid. This formulation can be used alongside acne treatments if desired for added visible skin benefits. 

Directions

Apply to entire face morning and evening before heavier creams.

This wasn't in my top picks but I'm putting it here because my opinion about it has totally changed. Hehehe. Here's why: https://www.instagram.com/p/BU0HJrignlp/

Niacinamide (Vitamin B3) has a lot of benefits for the skin, they're basically a savior for acne prone, oily skin peeps. What is Niacinamide? Haa pi cek sini: Beautypedia, Truth in Aging

Dah cek apa tu Niacinamide? Ok good. I started using the Paula's Choice Niacinamide Booster and that is when I found the gold. Niacinamide helps a lot with my skin. I used to have acne-prone skin but now not so much. I still have occasional breakout but it was like 1 pimple, that's all. My skin used to hate silicone but now dia macam BFF. I guess maybe it depends on which silicone they're using jugak kot because The Ordinary products punya mostly aku boleh pakai. So that's a plus. (kenapa macam out of topic nih)

Anyways, love using it with Ascorbyl Glucoside Solution 12%. Totally reduced my sebum production like 60% ya know? It's amazing. MIND BLOWN.

Oh and some of my customers/friends told me when they used it on their acne, cepat jugak dia kecut. But maybe in some cases je, I cannot give you a 100% guarantee yang Niacinamide boleh hilangkan your acne terus tau.

How do I use it: Mixing it with AGS 12%, usually after toner/hydrating lotion, before moisturizer/SPF, only in the AM.

SUITABLE FOR ACNE PRONE, OILY/COMBINATION SKINTYPE

3. Ascorbyl Glucoside Solution 12%

Link: Website, Review

Vitamin C is an effective antioxidant, brightens the skin tone and reduces signs of ageing. In its pure form, Vitamin C is unstable in water. Ascorbyl Glucoside is a water-soluble derivative of Vitamin C. It is much more stable in water but it is less potent than direct L-Ascorbic Acid. Being more compatible with water allows for a very pleasant serum texture. It is considered a gold standard of Vitamin C derivatives due to its high stability and comfortable use, but it's impossible to achieve extremely high L-Ascorbic Acid potency with this solution. Aside from the general benefits of pure Vitamin C, Ascorbyl Glucoside has been shown to offer specific skin brightening benefits.

Topical Vitamin C offers a wide array of benefits to the skin. However, many forms of Vitamin C and many more formulations of Vitamin C are available commercially with a potential to confuse the audience. We have developed a guide that offers guidance on the formulations of Vitamin C offered under The Ordinary range. It also offers education on Vitamin C itself and on the differences between formulations of Vitamin C at large. 

Note: Supplied in UV-protective packaging.

Directions

Apply a few drops to face AM and PM.

I personally love this serum because it is water-based so it's easy to mix with other serums, especially with Niacinamide. If you've read above about Niacinamide then you would know why. I honestly believe that my pigmentation are much more reduced while using this with Alpha Arbutin 2% + HA. Some people might experience it differently and need stronger version of Vitamin C so I recommend you guys to try the Vitamin C 23% Suspension. But that one can be quite stinging on the face so if you cannot tahan then I cannot help you. Dia ada macam-macam jenis so you can check it out here:- Vitamin C Guide

How do I use it: Mixing it with Niacinamide 10%, usually after toner/hydrating lotion, before moisturizer/SPF, only in the AM.

SUITABLE FOR ALL SKINTYPES

4. Azelaic Acid 10% Suspension
Link: Website

Found in grains, Azelaic Acid is produced naturally by yeast that lives on normal skin. It brightens the skin tone while visibly improving the evenness of skin texture and reducing the look of blemishes. It is a multi-functional support ingredient for all skin types and also acts as an effective antioxidant. This formula offers a very high 10% concentration of high-purity Azelaic Acid in a lightweight cream-gel system.

Directions
Apply to face AM and/or PM to improve visible brightness and the appearance of skin texture. Avoid contact with eyes and mouth. Use sun protection during the day.

Okay so for this item, I personally tak pernah try it simply because I rarely have breakouts. But I know some of my friends and my sister pakai ni and they all shared great results after using it. Ada je yang dapat bad reaction so you guys might need to do patch test dulu okay?

Azelaic acid ni mostly untuk redness, so yang mana ada rosacea or just reddish acne boleh try ni. Ni pon brightening formula jugak sebab dia acid. Some people cakap pakai ni pon pedih and they recommend you to apply moisturizer afterwards macam tu.

How to use it: Use after toner/hydrating lotion and serums, before moisturizer

SUITABLE FOR ACNE PRONE, OILY/COMBINATION SKINTYPE

5. Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution
Link: Website, Review

Glycolic Acid is an alpha hydroxyl acid that exfoliates the skin. This 7% toning solution offers mild exfoliation for improved skin radiance and visible clarity. The formula also improves the appearance of skin texture with continued use. 

This formula contains a studied Tasmanian Pepperberry derivative to help reduce irritation associated with acid use. This derivative is of plant origin and varies in colour seasonally and this colour variation may be apparent in the formula from time to time. The formula is further supported with inclusion of ginseng root and aloe vera for both visible radiance and soothing benefits. 

Contraindications: This formula should not be used on sensitive, peeling or compromised skin. Please refer to additional sun protection note and other warnings in provided Directions. 

Directions
Use ideally in the PM, no more frequently than once per day. After cleansing, saturate a cotton pad with the formula and sweep across face and neck. Avoid the eye contour and contact with eyes. Do not rinse off. Continue with additional skin treatments as needed. If persistent irritation occurs, discontinue use and consult a physician. (Sunburn Alert: This product contains an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) that may increase your skin's sensitivity to the sun and particularly the possibility of sunburn. Use a sunscreen, wear protective clothing, and limit sun exposure while using this product and for a week afterwards. Use only as directed. Contact of the product with the skin must be of limited frequency or duration.)

Now this product is the most popular item (selalu sold out), you know why it's popular? Sebab dia kira dupe for the Alpha H Liquid Gold / Pixi Glow Tonic. Kalau Korean brand maybe macam COSRX punya AHA/BHA toner maybe?

This is quite delicate for me sebab dia toner, dia tak intense macam acid products yang lain. If you guys wanna start using AHA, I highly recommend this toner. It's like less than RM60 weh. Alpha H punya pon dekat RM200 tau. Hahaha.

Oh and I also use this all over my body jugak yang mana area selalu ada ingrown hair tu hahaha. It works actually. Memang kurang ingrown hair hihihi

**PLEASE DON'T ASK WHAT IS AHA, BOLEH GOOGLE OR REFER HERE

How do I use it: After toner/hydrating lotion, before serums. Only in the PM.

SUITABLE FOR ALL SKINTYPES

6. "Buffet"
Link: Website, Review

This formula combines a comprehensive array of studied technologies to target multiple signs of ageing at once. The technologies are Matrixyl 3,000 peptide complex (with palmitoyl tetrapeptide-7), Matrixyl Synthe'6 peptide complex (with palmitoyl tripeptide-38), Syn-Ake peptide complex (with dipeptide diaminobutyroyl benzylamide diacetate), Relistase peptide complex (with acetylarginyltryptophyl diphenylglycine), Argirelox peptide complex (with acetyl hexapeptide-8, pentapeptide-18), Probiotic complex (with lactococcus lactis lysate), in a base of 11 skin-friendly amino acids and multiple hyaluronic acid complexes. The total concentration of these technologies in the formula by weight is 25.1%.

(References are made to third-party trademarks in this description. All such trademarks are owned by their respective owners. Neither The Ordinary nor DECIEM is affiliated with these trademarks or their owners.) 

Note: The name of this formula was inspired by some brands referring to their expensive products offering combinations of these technologies as a "buffet", distastefully comparing such products to buffets that offer various kinds of food in one sitting. 

Directions
Apply to the entire face in the AM and PM after cleaning.

This is a pricier item as it is an anti-aging serum. It contains lots of different types of peptides and stuff, hence "Buffet". The Ordinary ada 3 peptide serum, Argireline Solution 10%, Matrixyl 10% + HA and "Buffet". Aku mula-mula beli Buffet untuk mak aku tapi aku sendiri cannot tahan tengok aku pakai untuk diri sendiri je HAHAHA. But then I fell in love with it, kulit jadi smooth and plumped gilaaaaaaaa. I still have textured skin but it's not that bad lah, but since I pakai ni, I can't stop using it.

How do I use it: After toner/hydrating lotion and Alpha Arbutin, before moisturizer

SUITABLE FOR ALL SKINTYPES

7. Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA
Link: Website, Review

Natural Moisturizing Factors (NMF) are elements that keep the outer layer of the skin protected and well-hydrated. NMF are made up of multiple amino acids, fatty acids, triglycerides, urea, ceramides, phospholipids, glycerin, saccharides, sodium PCA, hyaluronic acid and many other compounds that are naturally present in the skin. 

This formula offers non-greasy hydration that acts as a direct topical supplement of impaired NMF components. It contains 11 amino acids, phospholipids, alpha/beta/gamma fatty acids, triglycerides, sterols and sterol esters, glycerin, ceramide precursors, urea, saccharides, sodium PCA and hyaluronic acid. It offers immediate hydration and lasting results with continued use. 

Directions
Apply after serums as needed for effective surface hydration.

So last but not least, a moisturizer from The Ordinary and dia yang jenis balmy type. It leaves like a film on your skin but takdelah rimas mana pon. I personally love this and I think it's great for dry/sensitive skin. It is very soothing, my skin loves this. If you have irritated skin, I highly recommend this.

How do I use it: After toner/hydrating lotion and serums, before oil or last step before bedtime. I rarely use this in the AM, only using in the evening/night time.

SUITABLE FOR ALL SKINTYPES

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The Ordinary tak offer BHA exfoliant, unfortunately but the best BHA exfoliant yang aku pakai is the Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant. I have posted a review on it. And since aku promote suruh beli trial size, ramai jugak yang texted me personally and told me their experiences while using it. Their whiteheads/blackheads reduced banyak, no more small bumps on the forehead, basically banyak positive feedback and I am really glad that it works on some of you guys!

For more acids and stronger skincare ingredients, I will post another one. For now aku just share yang basic je. Now, a lot of you ask me how to use it dengan serum yang lain pulak.

The Ordinary dah provide Regimen Guide, so you guys can check it out. Kalau still tak clear, usually skincare ni kita apply the lightest consistency dulu, contoh macam toner kan water-based, so pakai tu dulu. Lepas tu maybe your essences ke kalau you all pakai lah and then baru apply water-based serum macam Alpha Arbutin or Niacinamide. Selalu aku pakai Alpha Arbutin dulu sebab aku rasa yang tu lagi watery daripada Niacinamide. But I think either way is find as long as korang pakai serum dulu baru moisturizer okay? Read More: 8 Rules of Layering Your Skin-Care Products

For contraindications apa semua pon ada dalam Regimen Guide tu but kalau tak clear jugak, refer kat sini je okay?
- The Skin-Cream Ingredients You Should Never Mix and Match
- Skincare Ingredients You Should Never Mix
- Is Mixing Skin-Care Products Dangerous?

I guess that is all for this Q&A sesh. Sis penat menjawab benda yang sama sebenarnya. So ni sis tulis sekali harung je. Kalau ada yang tanya lagi, taktau lah sis. Kalau ikut jawapan jujur, sis suruh google je sebab sis sendiri takdelah try semua product dia okay?


So yeah. I hope this is helpful enough. Kalau ada soalan lebih complicated, tanyalah doktor.

Thank you for reading.


.iffahs.



P/S: Sis dah share sikit pasal active ingredients, you all boleh click sini - Q&A: Which Active Ingredients Are Suitable For My Skin Issues? (Part 1)