little white truths

Hello and welcome to another post on The Ordinary!

I had intended to review this oil a long time ago (it's almost finished), but then I contracted contact dermatitis so I wasn't able to use it again until my doctor gave the ok for me to incorporate oils into my routine again.

I've now been using it for a couple of weeks (added to the three months I was using it previously) and it's reminded me of how much I like it. Indeed, oils are something The Ordinary seems to do well so they're not a bad place to start if you're interested in trying something from the brand.

Worth noting now is that this product has had great reviews online (see eg Adore Beauty).

I've also seen a few YouTubers mention that if you want a good facial oil, there's no reason not to buy one of these. For a reasonable price, you're essentially getting the same thing that you'd be getting from any other brand that produces plain oils like this (note that The Ordinary also makes Marula and Argan oils).

I have to agree. An oil is an oil. Might as well go for the cheaper one!

The Ordinary claims/product details:

Verdict

I'm really enjoying this oil and I recommend it.

It's a thick, yellow-coloured oil and it does have an unrefined, seed-like scent that I personally don't mind because it smells very natural.

The oil spreads well enough but it doesn't go on as thinly as other oils because it's thick, so I need to use more of it each time than I do with other oils. This doesn't bother me personally but it's worth mentioning because I am getting through it faster than I would normally.

Also, while it does absorb well, it still leaves behind coating on the skin that won't be for everyone: my skin feels tacky after use. Indeed if you have oily skin, you may prefer to try one of The Ordinary's other oils because this one might be too rich and heavy for you. But if you have dry, dehydrated skin like I do, you might really enjoy this.

I use mine in the evening after my serum and I find that it keeps my dry skin feeling comfortable until morning. There's something about this product that not only targets dryness, but that also leaves a coating on the skin that feels protective. I also feel as though it has strengthened my skin over time so that my skin feels more resilient.

Worth noting especially is that my skin was very dry, dehydrated and lifeless after I was put on DermAid 1% for three weeks to treat my contact dermatitis. Once I was given the all-clear to start using some of my normal products again, I was happy to bring this oil back and I do think it's helped nurse my skin back to health.

Does this oil perform somersaults? Well no. It hasn't made me look younger or 'reduced signs of photo-ageing'. What it has done, however, is helped bring my skin back into balance very quickly so that it no longer feels/looks dry or ashen.

And while it's the most expensive of The Ordinary's three oils (by comparison, the Argan Oil only costs $12.90), I feel that it's good value for what you get and I would absolutely buy it again.

Worth trying.