little white truths

As you may know, last year I made it my business to buy various products from The Ordinary: I wanted to try a good chunk of things from the range so I could add my thoughts to the mix, and since then I've been opening and using them in turn. I've preferred to do it this way because then I can really focus on what each individual product is doing, rather than trying a few things together and not being sure of what's doing what.

Next up is this Buffet serum, which you'll have heard a lot of people rave about - although I have to say that I don't personally feel it's done much for me. Perhaps that's partly because it's come after my HG Lancome serum, and nothing can compete with that so this was always going to come out worse. Mind you, I did try it before I started using the Lancome again and it didn't wow me then either, so perhaps it just doesn't work for me full stop.

The Ordinary claims/product details:

The product comes in The Ordinary's standard frosted glass bottle and it has a dropper applicator.

I personally like the packaging because it's functional and simple, although I know that some people don't like glass because it's heavy for travel and it may also break if you drop it. That certainly makes sense, but I've always liked the feel of glass packaging in my hands. Each to their own of course!

Verdict

This isn't a terrible product but it hasn't done anything positive for me so I personally wouldn't buy it again.

The product has a slightly sticky, gel-like feel that's typical of The Ordinary's serums and it leaves behind a very tacky finish that won't be for everyone. Indeed, when something feels like that I always question how well it's absorbing - and I do feel that this isn't quite absorbing properly into my skin.

I don't just feel this because it leaves a tacky coating on the surface of the skin, but also because I can't feel it sinking in and doing anything positive for me. It doesn't hydrate and it doesn't plump my skin either, although it does brighten it a little and I think that's got a lot to do with the tacky finish because that alone adds some radiance - but it's not the kind of radiance that's coming from within.

I've been using the product for months now and I've almost finished it, so I think that if it were going to do something for me, it already would have by now. And I can honestly say that the only thing I've really noticed is that my skin feels dry when I use it, and unfortunately the coating it leaves behind seems to interfere with my moisturiser's ability to absorb - meaning that whatever I put over this product doesn't juice up my skin as much as I need it to.

For this reason I've only been using Buffet during the day, because I can't cope with having it on my dry skin in the evening and I need to use something more hydrating for nighttime.

On the claims: no I don't think this targets multiple signs of ageing (indeed, I don't think it targets any); no I don't think it's easily absorbed (my skin doesn't absorb enough of it); no I don't think it helps hydrate the skin (quite the reverse, in my case); and no it hasn't done anything for my fine lines or for firmness etc.

Overall I can't recommend this product because it hasn't worked for me. Mind you, that appears to put me in the minority and it obviously works for many - so if you want to try it then go ahead. It's not expensive and I'm sure you could wait for specials anyway, so it's not a huge loss if it doesn't work for you either.

Back to the drawing board.