Despite knowing better, I’ve always been the ‘sleep in my make-up and apply over it in the morning’ type of girl. I’ve never been one for a nightly skincare routine – no fashion wash, creams or lotions for me. Give me a pack of Neutragena make-up removing towelettes and I’m good to go.
And that barebones, not great for your skin kinda thing worked for me for a long time. And really, I wasn’t wearing make-up all that often anyway. This past year though, I’ve started to experiment more with make-up and have been wearing it more often. So the need for more frequent removal came into play.
The past couple months though, I’ve been I’ve been actively working to drop this bad habit. I’m almost 35, I should be able to handle removing my make-up at the end of the day and applying a little skin of face serum, right?
Thanks to these 6 affordable products from The Ordinary, this beauty-routine-resistant 35-year-old finally has a solid skincare routine.
This post may contain affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my link, at no extra cost to you. You can read more about my use of affiliate links here.
Disclaimer: As when trying any new skin product for the first time, it’s recommended you do a spot check to test how your skin reacts to these products. If irritation occurs, discontinue use.
Morning:
Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG
Price: $6.70
What It Does: Reduces Appearance of Eye Contour Pigmentation and of Puffiness
Targets: Dark Circles, Puffiness
This is the product from The Ordinary that first got my attention. I’ve always had pretty dark pigmentation under my eyes and have struggled with how to deal with it; this product along with Dr. Jart + Focuspot Micro Tip Patches and Peace Out Puffy Under-Eye Patches have been crucial in lightening the pigmentation and decreasing puffiness. This is the only serum I use both morning and night.
Buffet
Price: $14.80-$28.10
What It Does: Combines a comprehensive array of studied technologies to target multiple signs of aging at once
Targets: Signs of Aging, Firming
If I’m in a hurry in the morning (and let’s face it, when am I not running at least five minutes behind schedule?), I apply the Caffeine Solution and Buffet, followed by a little bit of eye brightener and concealer and I’m out the door.
High-Adherence Silicone Primer
Price: $4.90
What It Does: Acts as a matte, hydrating, blurring primer for makeup that looks higher in definition and adheres for longer.
Targets: Dryness, Dullness and uneven texture, Pores
This is my last step before putting on make-up. I’ve been testing out this primer recently, partly because I’ve liked everything else from The Ordinary and partly because it’s $31.10 cheaper than my usual all-purpose primer for the same amount of product. Compared to other “cheap” primers, I’ve really liked this one; the only difference I notice between this and my usual Smashbox primer is the consistency when applied. Performance-wise, this has been great.
Night:
Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution
Price: $8.70
What It Does: Offers mild exfoliation for improved skin radiance and visible clarity; improves the appearance of skin texture with continued use.
Targets: Dullness, Uneven Tone, Textural Irregularities
After removing my make-up, this is the first step in my routine at night … so I guess technically it’s my second step, but you get the picture. I do get a pretty strong tingling sensation on my face after using this product, but it’s nothing unbearable or painful.
Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG
Price: $6.70
What It Does: Reduces Appearance of Eye Contour Pigmentation and of
Targets: Puffiness; Puffiness, Dark Circles
This is the product from The Ordinary that first got my attention. I’ve always had pretty dark pigmentation under my eyes and have struggled with how to deal with it; this product along with Dr. Jart + Focuspot Micro Tip Patches and Peace Out Puffy Under-Eye Patches have been crucial in lightening the pigmentation and decreasing puffiness. This is the only serum I use both morning and night.
Granactive Retinoid 2% Emulsion
Price: $9.80
What It Does: Offers better results against multiple signs of aging than retinol without any of the irritation and drawbacks common with retinol.
Targets: Signs of Aging, Textural irregularities
After applying the Caffeine under my eyes, I put a small drop of this on each of my cheekbones and on my forehead, then smooth in with my hands. Occasionally, I’ll apply this between my collarbones too. It does cause UV sensitivity, so be sure you’re using some sort of sun protection during the day (I use a BB cream with SPF 35).
Vitamin C Suspension 30% in Silicone
Price: $6.80
What It Does: Brightens skin tone and reduces the appearance of signs of aging.
Targets: Uneven Tone, Signs of Age, Antioxidant Support
I keep this one by my bed and apply it about 30 minutes after the Granactive Retinoid. I like to give the GR time to fully absorb before applying this Suspension. It goes on smoothly and, like the Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution, does cause a tingling sensation. I’ve read that this sensation should decrease and potentially go away completely as my skin gets more used to the formula.
All stock images are the property of The Ordinary, Deciem, etc
<< Pin This >>
Wow! I have been looking for something for the dullness of skin. Thank you for sharing.