So I recently found out about this and I figured I would share in case anyone else had 2019 skincare goals, like myself.

The Ordinary is a Canadian brand of skincare products that are usually under $15 per product, with most being under $10. Their whole thing is that they offer clinical formulations of products at reasonable prices.

They offer skincare help in the form of regimen guides here

Or, if you would prefer recommendations specifically tailored to your issues, you can send customer service an email with a few photos of your concern areas and they will recommend products for you. here

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I decided to contact The Ordinary to have someone recommend products specifically for my issues.

I wanted to focus on clearing up any hyper-pigmentation/PIH, dryness, dull looking skin, rough and bumpy texture, and to pre-emptively fight any signs of aging that might be creeping up on me and have that nice beautiful glow! Additionally, I asked for a hair inhibitor for body hair.

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Here's the email I received from customer service:

Hi there,

Thank you for reaching out! We suggest using no more than 3 serum formulations in a single routine for optimal skin penetration. Generally, we recommend applying water-based solutions first, followed by anhydrous or oil formulations, and finally cream/suspension formulas. About 2-3 drops of each serum and 1 pea-sized amount of creams should be enough for the full face and neck.

A regimen with the recommended products would look something like this (see below), we have listed them in order of application:

AM

The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% B5 - $6.80

A multi-depth hydration support serum that contains 3 hyaluronic acid complexes at multiple molecular weights and Vitamin B5.

The Ordinary Alpha Arbutin 2% HA - $8.90

A concentrated serum with purified alpha arbutin; Alpha Arbutin reduces the looks of dark spots and hyperpigmentation.

The Ordinary “Buffet” - $14.80

 A multi-technology peptide serum that targets various visible signs of ageing at once.* It is best to not use Peptides in the same routine as the following products: Direct acids, LAA (L-Ascorbic Acid) and ELAA (Ethylated Ascorbic Acid).* This can be used in the immediate eye area and targets fine line :)

The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors HA - $5.80

A cream formula that offers non-greasy surface hydration that acts as a direct topical supplement of impaired NMF components; NMF are elements that keep the outer layer of the skin protected and well-hydrated.

The Ordinary Mineral UV Filters SPF 15 - $8.90 or 30 with Antioxidants

PM

The Ordinary Alpha Arbutin 2% HA

The Ordinary "Buffet"

The Ordinary Granactive Retinoid 2% in Squalane -$9.60

A moderate strength water-free retinoid solution that contains a 2% concentration of an advanced retinoid active complex called Granactive Retinoid that has been shown to offer better results against multiple signs of ageing than retinol without any of the irritation and drawbacks common with retinol.*Retinoids can make the skin more sensitive to UV radiation. Sun protection is particularly important when using retinoids. Granactive Retinoid 2% must not be used in conjunction with other retinoids including retinol or retinoic acid. This product is not a treatment for acne. Acne-prone skin may experience a temporary increase in acne during the first few weeks of using any form of retinoid.

The Ordinary 100% Organic Cold Pressed Rose Hip Seed Oil - $9.80

A daily support oil for healthy, hydrated skin; Rose Hip Seed Oil is rich in linoleic (omega 6) and linolenic (omega 3) acids as well as pro-vitamin A, which enables it to target signs of photo-ageing and several other skin conditions.

The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors HA

*We don't have any products that specifically target ingrown hairs within The Ordinary, but you may wish to explore The Chemistry Brand Inhibitif Body Serum -$30

It contains advanced technologies to minimize the looks of hair regrowth, irritation, redness and ingrown hairs, while hyaluronic acid hydrates deeply.

*For under-eye wrinkles, we would recommend Hylamide SubQ Eyes -$35

A high strength serum that uses a wide range of technologies to visibly target signs of under-eye aging, puffiness, dark circles, and dehydration, as we don't carry any products targeting this area specifically :-(

We recommend avoiding unprotected solar exposure, gradually incorporating one new product into your regimen at a time and applying test patches first to see what works best for your skin.

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So that's it! I ended up purchasing all of the recommended products, and I am interested to see what my success will be with this routine. Some other things I'm going to do to help my skincare is to drink a lot more water and to finally, finally, finally cut out cheese as the last step in my going dairy-free.

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Hope this can help someone else out there!