THE ORDINARY | AN UNORDINARY REVIEW

As the fascination with beauty oils continues we’ve found the perfect versatile pick for everyone, regardless age, complexion, lifestyle or skin type!

The brand that makes a difference: 

“The Ordinary” found a way to successfully tick all the boxes with their products and became the beauty talk of the town. They took simple, natural ingredients, eliminated all unnecessary frills and ornamentations, kept the integrity of a brand with strong work ethics and all the science and effective clinical technologies we could possibly need and enclosed it in minimal-chic bottles and tubes.

“The ordinary” if you are reading this, thank you. I can only imagine how hard it must be to go against the norm and stay humble and true to your values as a brand. 

They chose to focus on what they call “advanced functional beauty” which in simple terms means they gathered a powerful team of badass scientists that specializes in materials chemistry and biochemistry, and they have brought pioneering innovation in skincare by utilizing the ingredients and technologies we all know and have used before but with a simpler, honest and yet much more effective way. Kudos.

The packaging was what caught my eye at first. I am not the kind of girl who buys beauty products just to give them a go. I am aware of my current skincare needs, I pick up a product that meets my personal criteria (cruelty free, price point, ingredients, reviews, aesthetic value) and when I find something that really works I stick with it for life, or until my needs change or it stops working for some reason.

I always use beauty oils and they are on top of my must-have product list (check out my Lierac Thekoa beauty oil review on Fashion Potluck here) as they are so versatile and effective! So, when I finished my last bottle of oil I went online to find a new one to replace it. The packaging caught my eye but the ingredients and the philosophy of the brand really caught my attention. It’s like the Stella McCartney of skincare with a much friendlier price point and value for money. I was immediately sold and purchased a bottle of 100% Plant-Derived Hemi-Squalane, on the spot.

You know the feeling when you really, really want to like a product?

It arrived at my door in a few days and I was so excited to use it. I really wanted to like it. Luckily I did, indeed. It’s basically nearly perfect!

So, what exactly is a Squalane?

 In two words it’s an unsaturated oil.

To dig a little deeper into science, for my girls (or boys) who love that kind of stuff, it’s a non-polar hydrocarbon that is produced from the fermentation of sugar-based feedstock. Squalane and Hemi-Squalane are both excellent non-comedogenic emollients that can help to reduce the ongoing loss of hydration that weakens dermal elasticity and suppleness. However, due to its low molecular weight, Hemi-Squalane has greater spreadability and leaves a light and dry after-feel, making it perfect for skin hydration and reducing hair frizz as well.

Tried and Tested:

It goes on like a thin, watery dry oil and soaks in fast for a barely-there layer of moisture, ideal for day or night, leaving a nourishing feel but no greasy residues. It leaves the skin feeling like velvet and it doubles as a hair oil for a perfectly defined and sleek hairdo.

I was and still am amazed by how fast it absorbs and how dry it feels!

It feels as luxurious as the 200$ beauty oils and it costs £2.75/$3.95/€3.60, yes that’s right, no it’s not a typo. 

If you tend to go for the finer things in life, but are sick and tired of brands exploiting ignorant consumers you'll love this. Just trust me and go get a bottle, right now.

It invigorates tired, dry or dull complexions (hello late nights at the office) and I noticed a difference in the dry and tired areas around my eyes within a few days of using it. 

As for my hair, it just can’t get enough of this product! The instructions clearly say to apply it on clean dump hair but apparently I’m a rebel and I use it on dry hair as well, daily, to keep my hair shiny and hydrated.

I also use it to take care of my tattoos and I even mix a few drops in my BB cream before I apply my makeup for a dewy, flawless complexion.

It’s completely odorless, that’s the only thing I would change about it, as I truly enjoy using lovely scented products but oh, well. 

This is the perfect versatile pick for anyone, from beauty junkies with a cabinet full of half used products to quintessential minimalists like mychelf who just need a miracle product to cover all my needs in a single step.

Honestly, for me to be so amazed with a skincare product is 

Utterly Unordinary!

Until the next one,

Chelf.