Anything but Ordinary: The Ordinary Skincare by DECIEM (Plus One Product by Hylamide)

Oh, The Ordinary. I'm kind of mad at you for calling yourself that -- because you are definitely anything but.

The Ordinary is one of those brands I kept hearing about, kept seeing pictures of on Instagram, but just couldn't get around to buying. And I honestly don't know why I waited so long, simply because THE PRICES ARE SO DARN GOOD. This skincare brand prices almost everything under $10 -- yes, you read that right. And, honestly, I hate to say it's worth every penny, because these products are worth their weight in gold -- and it's not just because the packaging is so darn sexy. My skin has never looked or felt better, and it's thanks in large part to the five products you see here.

After months of pondering and reading tons of customer reviews, I chose these five products to try. I added them to my basket, clicked buy, and waited (impatiently) for them to arrive from Canada. If there were literal pins and needles for me to wait upon, I would have been doing so. Finally, they arrived. I tore into the box breathlessly, unwrapping bottle after bottle with glee.

And did these products live up to the hype? In one simple word ... YES. I am so impressed with their efficacy, not only because they're inexpensive but because they really and truly work. My skin is soft, smooth and glowy in just two weeks with no adverse side effects. My thoughts on the five products I now can't live without are...

HYLAMIDE Booster Low-Molecule HA
This is the one non-The Ordinary product I purchased, and the one I struggled over the most for two reasons: 1) because DECIEM offers multiple HYLAMIDE products that all sound incredible, and 2) because it was more expensive than the other DECIEM products I was considering. I finally settled on this one not because of the pretty pink packaging (although it definitely doesn't hurt), but because it promises to hydrate and plump the skin. Well, guess what? IT DOES. I've actually found that on mornings when I use this, I don't even need another moisturizer. My skin is just left feeling soft, smooth and supple all day -- we're talking over 8 hours, people!
$20 at deciem.com

The Ordinary 100% Organic Cold-Pressed Rose Hip Seed Oil
During a recent facial, my esthetician told me that I should be incorporating face oil into my daily skincare routine. She said that when skin is dehydrated, like mine tends to be, it will soak up the benefits of face oil and eventually become way more healthy and hydrated. I've thought about using one for a long time, but I just never found the RIGHT one -- and then this little gem came into my life. A combination of linolenic acid and pro-vitamin A work to reduce signs of photo aging, so skin looks more balanced. I've noticed a decrease in redness and an increase in hydration since incorporating this face oil into my nightly routine, and I'm definitely not stopping anytime soon.
$9.80 at deciem.com

The Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG
My eyes always look a little hollowed out and feature lovely dark circles. I'm on a constant quest to find the products that will at least subtly reduce the unsightly darkness rimming them -- because, the later in the day that it gets, the more I look like I have two very attractive black eyes. (Seriously, just check out a picture of me at 1am sometime. It's not pretty.) Well, this eye serum is formulated with caffeine and Epigallocatechin Gallatyl Glucoside to prevent just that. I've found that mixing it with my Cremorlab Shadow Off Eye Cream (another recent gem I found, stay tuned for a review) has made my eyes look almost normal! No more dark circles for me!
$6.70 at deciem.com

The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5
The benefits of hyaluronic acid are among those I most covet -- it delivers lasting moisture, diminishes wrinkles and fine lines, works to prevent aging, firms and tones, soothes, combats inflammation ... need I go on? In a nutshell, hyaluronic acid is a miracle worker. And since this formulation combines low, medium and high-molecular weight HA in addition to a next-generation HA crosspolymer -- AND it includes super-hydrating Vitamin B5 -- I think it's safe to say skin looks and feels WAY softer once it's applied. I've been applying it before my night cream and the difference in my skin texture is, quite literally, palpable.
$6.80 at deciem.com

The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Solution
Okay, I saved the best for last here -- and that's saying a lot, because I think it's clear by now how in love with all of these products I really am. But this little bottle is a wonder! I've been suffering from some unsightly breakouts recently, especially around my mouth and chin -- chalk it up to stress. My normal pimple fighters just haven't been cutting it, so I decided to try out this beta hydroxyl acid that works to exfoliate the skin and fight blemishes. The bottle says you can apply drops directly to blemishes twice a day, so that's what I've been doing. And ... OH. MY. GOD. Within one day, they reduce so drastically that they're not even noticeable. It also combats redness, so even when the pimples are still present, they look so much better because they aren't surrounded by that horrible redness that typically accompanies them. (Gotta love being pale so that EVERYTHING shows on your skin.) I am truly stunned and delighted by how incredible my skin looks after only a couple weeks using this product as a topical spot treatment. I don't think I can ever be without it!
$5.30 at deciem.com

I don't know what DECIEM is playing at by making these products so affordable. It's true wizardry. But I'm definitely highly appreciative, because these five beauties have changed my life. Dramatic? Maybe. True? Definitely.

Check out the full range of DECIEM products at deciem.com.