Mixing and Layering the Ordinary Products
After buying one item from the Ordinary a few years ago, we fell into the Ordinary rabbit hole. The packaging is minimalist and reminiscent of medical supplies, which is extremely intimidating. And instead of clear upfront names like “Anti-Aging Night Cream,” it only lists active ingredients like “Retinol 0.5% in Squalane.” Literally, the only things we understood in that name was the word “in.” What is retinol? Is 0.5% good? What is squalane? How do we use this?
To make matters worse, as soon as you pick up the bottle, you’ll see instructions about what you can and can’t use with the product.
So, naturally, we sent our writer down the Ordinary rabbit hole. After thorough research and months of testing, she grew her personal collection of the Ordinary products. Here’s the Ordinary skincare routine that works for her, what she’s learned and links to resources so you can build your own.
And if you’re wondering what retinol is, check out our beginner’s guide to retinol.
The Ordinary skincare routine for the a.m.
My morning routine targets blemishes and skin brightening.
Facial cleanser
The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution
The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%
The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%
Moisturizer
Sunscreen
Some days I swap out the Niacinamide and Azelaic acid combo for the Alpha Arbutin 2% + HA just to switch it up and focus on acne scars.
The Ordinary skincare routine for the p.m.
My evening routine targets hydration and signs of aging.
Facial cleanser
The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5
Moisturizer
The Ordinary Retinol 0.5% in Squalane (right before bed)
I apply retinol right before bed — separate from my evening skincare routine — because it can be very irritating to the skin. Applying it to hydrated skin (after the moisturizer has thoroughly absorbed), rather than freshly cleaned skin, can help minimize irritation.
Weekly face masks
On days that I do a face mask, I omit the retinol from my nightly routine. Retinol can be a super irritating ingredient, so it’s best not to use it when your skin is already sensitive from the following face masks:
The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution (dissolves dead skin)
Aztec Secret Indian Healing Clay with Organic Apple Cider Vinegar (detoxes pores)
How I built my skincare routine
I am not a dermatologist. So I recommend checking out Dr. Dray (dermatologist) and Cassandra Bankson (medical esthetician) on YouTube. But here’s a quick rundown about the Ordinary.
The Ordinary active ingredients
First thing is first. Unlike most skincare lines, the Ordinary doesn’t name its products by the benefits like “skin-brightening” or “acne-fighting.” Instead, it tells you the active ingredients.
I’ve been breaking out and have some growing concerns about fine lines and wrinkles. So I turned to these ingredients:
Glycolic acid: improves skin radiance, clarity and texture
Niacinamide: minimizes pores and regulates sebum
Azelaic acid: brightens skin, improves skin texture, reduces blemishes
Alpha arbutin: reduces hyperpigmentation
Hyaluronic acid: hydration
Retinol: helps with fine lines, photo damage, and skin-aging
How to layer the Ordinary products
Once you’ve identified what actives you want in your regimen, it’s time to start building and grouping things together. You can read all the fine print on each product about what you can and can’t mix together. But believe me, it’s overwhelming.
Here a few tips on mixing the Ordinary products:
Simpler is better. Start with one or two products before expanding your routine.
Always test patch. The Ordinary uses high concentration of its active ingredients. Always patch test before putting anything on your face.
Always use sunscreen. Many of these products, including glycolic acid and retinol, make your skin sensitive to the sun. Try to use them at night and always wear sunscreen for UV protection. Plus, you should wear SPF every day anyway because UV rays can lead to skin cancer and aging.
Step 1: Pick your active ingredients.
Identify your most important skin concerns (anti-aging, acne scars, break-outs, dry skin, hyperpigmentation, etc.) and the products you need. Here’s the Ordinary’s regimen guide on skincare products and concerns.
That regimen guide also tells you what category each product is, which will come in handy in the next step. For example, the Buffet is a peptide. Didn’t catch that from the name huh? Yea, me either.
Step 2: Separate your products into a.m. or p.m.
Based on what conflicts each product has, separate each item into your morning or nighttime routine. You can use the Ordinary’s guide linked above or this cheat sheet created by some Ordinary skin addicts. For example, since the Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution shouldn’t be combined with retinoids (or direct acids, or peptides, etc), I use it in the morning and save my retinol for my evening regimen.
And be sure to read the label because some products only be used in the evening if it makes you sensitive to the sun. One solution is to use a really great SPF in the morning — after your skincare routine and before your makeup.
Step 3: Order your products.
The Ordinary generally recommends that you use water formulas before oil. That can be super confusing because that’s not clearly labeled on each bottle. Here’s another cheat sheet created by the same Ordinary enthusiasts, who are rockstars in my humble opinion. Move from left to right and apply your products in that order.
But don’t freak out. It’s all going to absorb into your skin, so just because you apply it in a different order doesn’t mean it’s not going to work anymore.
Two golden skincare rules about layering:
Apply hyaluronic acid to damp skin. Hyaluronic acid is a humectant that works like a sponge and holds onto water. So applying it onto moist skin gives it something to hold onto — or it’ll pull moisture from your own skin (a big no-no). And be sure to apply a moisturizer immediately after to lock everything in, or it may just evaporate into the air — leaving you drier than before.
Use an occlusive as your last step at night. Occlusive products form a barrier on your skin to trap moisture and keep everything else out. So anything else you lay on top of your occlusive is pointless. That’s why I prefer a lighter occlusive cream like Burt’s Bees Renewal Firming Moisturizing Cream, which uses beeswax instead of Vaseline’s petrolatum, to lock in the HA but get my skin ready for retinol later in the evening.
Still confused? Use a premade regimen or ask Deciem.
You can find a ton of personalized regimens already built online. The creators of the two cheat sheets have a few sample regimens organized by skin concern.
Or you can ask Deciem, the parent company of the Ordinary, to help you out. Live chat with them to design a skincare routine that works for you. For absolute beginners who don’t want to stress about any of this, I recommend using Deciem’s Regimen Builder. Although you won’t be able to customize or pick your products, it’s a good starting point to test-drive the Ordinary.
Why is my skincare balling up?
This is a problem that I encountered when I applied Niacinamide and Azelaic acid one after another. When the product isn’t absorbing, it may ball or pill on your skin even if they are compatible. Here are a few tips to help prevent this:
Apply less. If you put too much product, the serum or cream may cake up and become just skin on the surface of your skin. Once it dries up, it’ll rub off. So, apply less.
Spread it evenly. If you don’t spread it, the excess will ball up.
Wait before applying the next product. Make sure the first layer is fully absorbed before applying the next. (The one exception is hyaluronic acid and moisturizer.)
All this talk about pH
There’s a lot of talk about the pH of products and incompatibility floating around the Internet. People claim that you should only pair products with similar pH together.
Dr. Dray, a dermatologist, says pH isn’t super important because it all ends up mixing into your skin anyway. The one exception might be a vitamin C serum, which has a significantly lower pH. But most skincare is formulated for your skin already.
Pros tips for buying the Ordinary skincare
Here’s where you can stock up on the Ordinary products and a couple of ways to save money.
Available at Ulta or Sephora. Not all products are available at both retailers — especially its retinoid line.
Opt for extra large sizes. Sephora carries jumbo sizes of several products, including niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, and buffet.
Some products are only available online. Not all Ulta stores carry the Ordinary, and some products are exclusively sold online.
Use coupons. Most Ulta or Sephora coupons work on the Ordinary skincare. I love Ulta’s $3.50 off $15 coupon to slowly build up my stash.