Tuesday, March 26, 2024

Beauty Review|Deciem’s ‘The Ordinary’, ‘Niod’, ‘Hylamide’ and ‘Chemistry Brand’

by Cristina

You may remember that back in November I did a review of The Ordinary by Deciem after having visited their flagship stores and factory in Toronto. I had experienced the brand before but this was the first time I got to see products up close and in person and purchase a large sampling. Since then I’ve become rather obsessed and have purchased items repeatedly – in the name of blog research of course ;). I’m not affiliated with the brand in any way and haven’t been able to even squeeze a few free samples from them so this post is purely written as an obsessed shopper. For those of you mindful of your skincare, Deciem is cruelty free and all the products are made in their factory in Toronto.

I love that the price point is so low you can sample many different types of products for the price of one conventional product, even cheaper than one drug store product actually. The shipping is great since it’s free on orders of $25 or more, but I’m even more excited to see that Sephora.ca has started carrying a few Deciem products. I was going to re-order my Sanskrit Saponins Cleanser from Sephora to take advantage of the beauty rewards and samples but unfortunately they where out of stock on Friday, so I went ahead and ordered off the Deciem site.

The Ordinary By Deciem

The Ordinary By Deciem

Sanskrit Saponins Cleanser (the spent up tube at the bottom) is probably the most expensive item from Deciem that I own at $29, and it comes from their more complex (and expensive) line called Niod. I love this cleanser so hard. It is weird to use because you MUST keep it out of your eyes. If you don’t it will burn for hours and you will look like you’ve been awake for 72 hours straight. It’s a simple soap nut cleanser but it really strips the dirt and oil out of your skin so your pores disappear after a week of using it. You will not have any need for a clarisonic with this deep pore cleanser. Beware that this really does strip your skin of natural oils, but it’s rebalancing. A few minutes after you’ve cleansed, your skin will start reproducing fresh, and clean sebum. It has not actually ‘dried’ out my skin at all which I tend to, irritated it or created excess oil production. You can use this as a cleanser (wiping it off with a wet cloth after washing your face) or you can leave it on like a mask and then wipe it off. This is definitely a repurchase product for me. From the Niod line I’ve also been wanting to buy the Copper Amino Isolate, but it’s $60 and I’m having fun with the Ordinary Line which is much cheaper.

Another item I’ve loved is the Lactic Acid 10% $6.70. I use this on my face as well as on my arms to deal with Keratosis Pilaris. It’s made a huge impact on my KP and has really smoothed my skin. It’s gentle enough to use on my face without irritating my very sensitive rosacea skin. I’ve purchased two more of these since I use it on my body as well as my face and run through it quicker. I’ve since switched to the PRO Retinol Body Oil $20 for my KP and alternate it and I also really recommend that because it’s smoothed out my dry rough skin and makes my skin really soft. Both are great, the body oil is a bit better because it moisturizes at the same time that it exfoliates.

The Ordinary By Deciem

The Ordinary By Deciem

I’ve been using the Advanced Retinoid 2% $9.80 and it’s really changed the surface of my skin. I find this is the best at preventative anti aging, and if you have sensitive skin like me you should use this one over the Retinol 1% $6.70. I purchased the Retinol 1% recently because it’s a more ‘potent’ form of vitamin A, but with just one use I had a very severe reaction. The reaction cleared up over night but my skin was extremely sore yesterday. Advanced retinoid gave me no reaction at all, and all the benefit of vitamin a. Retinoid takes a bit longer to see the benefits that you see with retinol but to me it’s more worth having calm happy skin and getting results a little later.

Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% $5.90 is another great one and if you have acne or sensitive reactive skin this is a great item to use along with your acne treatment. It’s got really great skin healing properties, balances sebum production and reduces inflammation. If you want to matify your skin, zinc is great.

Other honourable mentions are the anti aging items like ‘Buffet‘ $14.80 (chocked full of a variety of peptides, and Matryxl 10% $11.50 – both really plump up the skin and smooth out lines. I don’t use these that often but I do like to use them if I’m going out somewhere fancy. I’m more into the age prevention products than the age correcting products.

I’ve also tried and so far love the High Spreadibility Fluid Primer $7.90 for wearing below my foundation. It’s a high quality silicone primer that fills in lines and dryness and skin texture and allows you to spread your makeup quickly and evenly. I really like the way my makeup looks with this, especially my under eye area. The only negative I’ve seen is if you use slightly too much you do get a bit of makeup transfer (onto my phone to be specific) and it takes a bit longer to set. There is a second makeup primer meant for oily skin called High Adherence Silicone Primer – this one matifies and blurs pores.

Most of these products I’ve used are serum based and very easily layered together. The consistency is nice and light and feels slightly thicker than water and they absorb pretty quickly. They have information on their website on how to create a regime with these products and what order you should wear them. They pretty much all play nicely together except for Vitamin C and Niacinamide, in which case you either alternate days or do one at night and one in the morning. There are also oil products like Rose Hip Oil, Argan and Marula oil and those you would layer after your serums.

If you guys have any questions about any of the products here, or anything on their website you are curious about, let me know. I’m happy to discuss products in greater detail in the comments, but I wanted to share my skincare obsession with you in this post and give you a bit of a four month update since my November purchase.

The Ordinary By Deciem

The Ordinary By Deciem

This picture cracks me up. How’s this for a beauty guru photo?

[show_shopthepost_widget id=”2695724″]

You may also like

22 comments

Anonymous February 19, 2017 - 5:38 am

Love love this post!! I actually ordered a few more items after reading your post per your recommendation. I am using the face primer and love it! I've actually been using over my two faced hangover primer. Do you use all the products you mentioned on a daily basis for the most part? Great post!!

Reply
Lulumum February 19, 2017 - 5:02 pm

Thanks! I don't. I use a few though. Right now I'm using the advanced retinoid 2% and I won't combine that with another exfoliator, so then I may use the niacinamide and something else moisturizing like the buffet, or rose hip oil. I use the Retinol oil on my body.

Reply
Anonymous February 19, 2017 - 8:37 am

Wow their skincare is so affordable!! I'm going to check them out, thanks! I love that they're cruelty-free.

Reply
Lulumum February 19, 2017 - 5:02 pm

It is! It's affordable AND it's super effective and great quality.

Reply
Anonymous February 19, 2017 - 10:12 am

This is interesting! I purchased my first Deciem product just the other day after seeing it on the Sephora website. I have the HA blur. Haven't really tried it yet but now I can't wait.

Reply
Lulumum February 19, 2017 - 5:03 pm

I really like their blur products too! The first thing I ever tried from them was their first photography blur from their hylamide line. I really loved it under my foundation.

Reply
Anonymous February 19, 2017 - 1:18 pm

Thanks for this, I bought the cleanser, cause I really need a deep pore cleanser to get rid of all my blackheads. Not too pricey aswell

Reply
Lulumum February 19, 2017 - 5:04 pm

I hope you love it as much as I do.

Reply
Anonymous February 19, 2017 - 6:57 pm

Love this! I got a ton of their products during the BLack Friday sale and have been impressed so far! I have sensitive skin so no reactions. I have also loved their hand cream from the chemistry line.

Reply
Lulumum February 19, 2017 - 7:23 pm

I so much regret not getting the NIOD set at Black Friday which included the copper. I did get 4 B5's for $1 each though.

Reply
Anonymous February 20, 2017 - 4:49 am

This looks really interesting. How did you find out about this line? Also, love your bracelet.

Reply
Lulumum February 20, 2017 - 6:53 am

Thanks!! I can't quite remember where I first discovered it but I do know it was the Hylamide Photography Foundation I first discovered and was very intrigued by it, and was excited to learn it was a Canadian brand being made in Canada. The 'ordinary' line clinched it for me because I'm a skincare ingredient nerd.

Reply
Anonymous February 20, 2017 - 4:52 pm

Hi! Thank you for the review. I ordered the cleanser and was looking to order the lactic acid 10% for my son's KP but can't find it. What brand is it?

Reply
Anonymous February 20, 2017 - 5:55 pm

Wonderful! Thank you for all you do!!

Reply
Lulumum February 20, 2017 - 5:05 pm

It's under 'the ordinary' brand. If you go through my post, I linked to the product where I mentioned the lactic acid.

Reply
Anonymous February 20, 2017 - 6:52 pm

I find skin care products very overwhelming and am interested to try things but I have no idea where to start. Thank you for breaking it down. It's a shame they won't give you free samples or anything b/c your posts are very helpful.

Reply
Ashlee Fruson February 20, 2017 - 6:56 pm

Thanks for the info! I bought some stuff. Can't wait to try it out. Love that it's made in Canada and is so affordable. I have a little Rosasia so I'm glad to hear it works for yoU!

Reply
janine57 February 21, 2017 - 11:12 am

Thanks for the post! I'm gonna try the cleanser for sure. Love the price point!

Reply
sharviss October 19, 2017 - 6:26 pm

It looks like Deciem – the parent company for The Ordinary – is opening a store in Metrotown! I don’t see anything online but there is a store front near where Kiehl’s is. They don’t have an opening date posted but fingers crossed that it’s soon.

Reply
Lori McDonnell April 13, 2018 - 12:41 pm

Hi Christina,

Going through a rough patch with Rosacea, do you have list of what you use topically and internally that work?
It’s so irritating when all those blistery bumps pop up all over your face and so hard to get rid of!

Thanks,
Lori

Reply
Cristina April 13, 2018 - 9:14 pm

Ugh! I so so feel you. I had a really bad rosacea spell last year with blistery bumps and a lot of swelling. If you can get a prescription from your Dr. I would definitely get a prescription strength Azelaic Acid (called Finacea). That worked really well for me for when I have welts and pustules and a lot of swelling. I don’t use it daily now, I only use it when I start to see signs of a flare up. If it’s too expensive to get the azelaic rx (in the US i’ve heard it’s extremely expensive), get the Ordinary one. It’s only a little bit less percentage. I’d also be extremely careful with using anything else during that phase and only cleanse with really gentle stuff like the Sanskcrit Saponins (this helped dry out the pustules for me), or an oil based cleanser from another brand. Then I would use the prescription cream (if your Dr. recommends and supports that) and moisturizer (I really like Squalane) and nothing else until the swelling clears up. Once the swelling calms down you can start using other stuff. For me, I’ve found the Granactive Retinoid 5% used daily has done wonders for my skin keeping rosacea at bay, and it has improved my texture. A few times a week I also use either the resviritrol blended with the vitamin c suspension (1 drop in a little bit of vitamin c) or I use lactic acid. I don’t use any acids or antioxidants during a bad rosacea phase though – just the prescription and a good cleanser, and the squalane. Niacinamide + Zinc is another good thing to use during the healing phase because it reduces redness and swelling and isn’t an irritating acid.

Reply
Cristina April 13, 2018 - 9:17 pm

AND! Use suncreen, especially if you start using the granactive retinoid. I use It Cosmetics CC cream which has a high sunscreen in it.

Reply

Leave a Comment