*Products updated as of 8/14.

I was in the Distillery District of Toronto, window-shopping with a coworker as we rounded out the business trip. All of a sudden I come across what I can only describe as all I’ve ever wanted—“The Abnormal Beauty Company,” by DECIEM, a company which describes itself as an umbrella of good beauty brands.

Brands include NIOD, Hylamide, The Chemistry Brand, Abnormaly, The Ordinary, Loopha, Foundtain, HIF and Ab Crew.

The feel of the store is an empty True Food Kitchen meets less humid floral shop meets Barneys. My coworker and I giggled at the seemingly pharmaceutical feel of the entire store too—one must be a chemist to understand the labels and the names of products, but that’s almost the point. The Ordinary (and the focus of this post) “dumbs down” overpriced beauty products to their most effective components and sells them at an incredibly affordable price. All DECIEM products, across all brands including The Ordinary, are free of parabens, sulphates, mineral oil, methylchloroisothiazolinone, methylisothiazolinone, animal oils, coal tar dyes, formaldehyde, mercury, oxybenzone (an ingredient that Hawaii bans based on its effect on coral reefs and sea life).

I am flat out overwhelmed by a Sephora or an Ulta, but this store was surprisingly approachable with each DECIEM brand distinctly separate and lacking flashing advertising. You could look at and try every product in store (not that you’d see any results that way) but you can also take your time deliberately trying to understand cause and effect. Don’t let the Ordinary’s price point fool you (the average price per product is about $7 USD)—these skin products are no joke. It takes research and diligence in understanding how and when to use their oils, peptides, retinoids and direct acids on the skin. It’s a science, and one described incredibly well on their website.

I left the store with about $50 USD worth of product (I purchased some items for friends) and worked to incorporate 5 of The Ordinary’s products into my daily skincare routine. I have since made an additional order off their website as I was looking to add in a few new products with very specific ingredients and uses.

The packaging is an art in and of itself. The glass vials are heavy and feel expensive. The droppers are precise and feel clinical as well. I was stopped through airport security once they found a large amount of oils in my bag, but I said “you know, skincare!” and everyone shrugged it off. Nothing was going to stop me getting these back home.

For those of you working on you patience, I’ll put my very basic Ordinary-centric skincare routine first before my product reviews so you can get the gist of how much I’ve been using them. The Ordinary’s website is incredible about which products interact and conflict with each other, and each bottle has a reminder of when is best to use it.

PM

Cleanse (LRP gentle cleanser)
Toner (Thayer’s witch hazel to remove remaining make up)
Lactic Acid 5% + HA
Pycnogenol 5%
100% Plant Derived Squalane
Moisturizer (LRP)
Epiduo as spot treatment

AM

Water splash (sometimes toner)
Buffet or Niacinamide
Squalane

Phase 1: The initial purchases

LACTIC ACID 5% + HA

Lactic acid is something that had been missing from my skincare routine but can be incredibly effective in chemical exfoliation. Lactic acid combats fine lines and evens out skin tone. I didn’t start using the lactic acid until a few weeks after the niacinamide as I didn’t want to introduce multiple new products at once. However, I didn’t react to the lactic acid at all and have noticed smoothing. After 2 full months of use, I have noticed brighter and clearer skin.

NIACINAMIDE 10% + ZINC 1%

The Ordinary’s niacinamide is their #1 selling product and what has brought the brand to fame. It claims to reduce sebum production and reduce the appearance of pores. I used this twice a day as it’s gentle on the skin—I think it smells like Ikura (fish roe, so a bit salty and damp), which isn’t amazing, but I don’t mind it too much. Niacinamide has been said to be preferable to oily skin, and while I’m primarily oily in my T-zone, I still have found it hydrating and soothing throughout my face. I stopped using Niacinamide when I received the Buffet serum (see below) and switched over to that. I continue to switch back and forth.

PYCNOGENOL 5%

Antioxidants are crucial for the skin, so the more the merrier. I bought this one as I was running out of my Cosmedix antioxidant serum and I couldn’t beat this price. Antioxidants help maintain collagen and hyaluronic acid within skin, meaning your skin stays hydrated and elastic. I started using this at night with my niacinamide/Buffet in the morning, as niacinamide can disrupt the effect of vitamin C.

SQUALANE CLEANSER

I bought this as a travel cleanser because it was super cheap and a good size. Instructions say to rub it between your palms for 10-30 seconds which turns the formula from a balm into an oil which emulsifies makeup and impurities. It’s effective and easy, so I’ve kept it as a travel staple.

HIGH-ADHERENCE SILICONE PRIMER

I have used this one sparingly because I don’t typically use primers or need to use primers, but I was intrigued given the appearance of my pores has increased with age. I agree that it’s non-greasy and gives a general smoothly effect, but nothing to write home about.

Phase 2: complete collection as of August 2019

AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution - 30ml

I realized I was sick of spending the amount of money on facials that I had been and wanted to try out an at-home peel to boost up my frequency. I knew I wanted an AHA, however, this really destroyed my skin after 1 use and I’ve been too intimidated to use it again. I felt immediate burning even with a very small amount. I also noticed my skin very quickly going into a purge after 1 use (if that’s even possible). Needless to say, I don’t recommend this product unless you trial it and know your skin can handle this level of peel.

“Buffet” - 30ml

If you read my piece on Cosmedix, you’ll remember I’m all about the peptides! Buffet is a multi-technology peptide serum (oo lala) to target signs of aging. Buffet isn’t doing anything for my congestion, that’s niacinamide’s job. Buffet makes my skin feel supple. After about a month of wear, I can say that my forehead skin looks tighter. Maybe I’m less stressed (can’t be), or maybe my Ayurvedic diet really did help out overall health. I’m a fan, and I’ll probably reorder it with the Copper Peptides which aid in overall skin health and inflammation.

100% Plant-Derived Squalane - 30ml

I wrote a whole gosh darn post on squalane here. Overall, I douse my face in this and put remaining oil on my hair.

Salicylic Acid 2% Masque - 50ml

Since I didn’t know how I’d react with the peel, I also wanted an easy at-home masque but with a little more punch than what I had been using in the past. I wanted another product with salicylic acid to exfoliate and smooth out some irregularities. I’ve enjoyed the masque and do feel like congestion in the crevasse of my chin (anyone else have a deep one?) has decreased. The only thing I don’t love about it, and what I’ve had issues with when it comes to clay masques generally, is taking it off. I either get gunk all over my white clothes or use 4 cotton rounds (which I’m trying to ween off of). So, if anyone has a gel based masque (maybe?) please let me know what it is!

Brandon Trauxe’s reason to start DECIEM appears to be simple: disrupt the beauty industry with their high prices and overcomplicated formulas. He was an incredibly hands-on CEO. Prices are kept low by using ingredients that are easily produced worldwide. As of now, I’m a fan in the transparency behind the company. How will they change with Brandon’s death and their backing by Estee Lauder I’m not sure, only time will tell. But for now, excuse me while I go smother myself in oils and slug away in bed.

Ordinary Madness / DECIEM