little white truths

As you may know, I've tried quite a few products from The Ordinary and this is the latest one. You may also remember that I tried the 10% lactic acid a while ago (see review here), and I found it to be too strong so I could only use it as a mask - but thankfully this product is less potent and I can use it each day without issue.

Having said this, it's not the most effective treatment of the ones I've tried from The Ordinary (my personal favourites are the Argireline Solution 10% (reviewed here) and the Alpha Lipoic Acid (reviewed here)), so I wouldn't buy this one again. More on that below.

The Ordinary claims/product details:

• Lactic acid is an alpha hydroxyl acid that exfoliates the skin
• Offers a very mild exfoliation and is supported with a purified Tasmanian pepperberry, known to reduce signs of inflammation and sensitivity that is often associated with exfoliation
• Should not be used on sensitive, peeling or compromised skin
• The pH of this formula is approximately 3.8
• RRP $12.40 AUD for 30ml

Verdict

I think this is an ok product and it's a good starter acid if your skin doesn't have much experience with acids because it's not super potent, so it's one to keep in mind if you haven't used many active ingredients before. Having said this, it doesn't do a hell of a lot for me and it's not as effective as other products I've tried from The Ordinary so I wouldn't buy it again.

It's a fluid serum with a barely detectable chemical scent. Some of The Ordinary's products are on the sticky side so they don't absorb well, but this one's very watery so it sinks into the skin beautifully and I like the thin texture.

I've been using mine every evening for the last three months and I've never had an issue with tolerance or irritation. Do note, though, that my skin is used to acids so something like this barely touches the sides. If you're not used to acids then you may wish to build up more slowly.

What I've found with this product is that it doesn't do a hell of a lot for my skin, and I think that's because I use a variety of active ingredients in my skincare so there's not much work left to do, and only the really good new products leave a mark - which I suppose is a good way to sort out the men from the boys.

I think this does have a mild resurfacing effect so it helps with clarity and congestion, and it also leaves my skin looking brighter and feeling smoother. It doesn't do these things as well as my other products, however, so I wouldn't buy it again.

Worth noting also is that I've had a look at the online reviews of this product (see eg adorebeauty.com.au), and while it works well for some people, I've seen plenty of reviewers make similar comments to mine - that is, it's too gentle to have a huge impact and they've used more effective products from The Ordinary before.

Overall I think this product is fine as a starter acid, but if your skin is used to acids then you may find that it's not as effective as you would like. Still, I have noticed some impact so it's not a complete waste of time, it's just that it doesn't do enough for me personally.

Too gentle for me.