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Deciem have some great products from my rosacea skin. Boots The Chemist recently started to stock The Ordinary products. On my last visit to the Chelmsford store. I was chatting with a lovely lady called Alison who recommend these products for my rosacea skin. Only three, the Azealic Acid, Hyaluronic Acid with B5 and Natural Moisturizing Factors.I am a big fan of The Ordinary and Deciem the parent brand for the simple reason of scientific research, their slogan is “Clinical Formulations with Integrity.” The products are all high quality for affordable prices making skincare accessible to those who want things they may not be able to afford otherwise. But you do need to do your research. In November 2019, Deciem made the decision to take a 23% discount of all products in their range on the website and standalone stores. They wanted people to shop slower, they commented that “skincare decisions should be based on education rather than impulse. And we want to give out audience, the time for research, reflection and consideration ”  The stores and website was actually closed on Black Friday. I brought a few things that I had my eye on for some time. These are Deciem products that I first used to see how they worked on my rosacea skin.

• Natural Moisturising Factors and HA, in comparison with the last moisturiser I had used, the Simple Calming. This did not work as well on my skin. Natural Moisturizing Factors are made up of multiple amino acids, fatty acids, triglycerides, urea, ceramides, phospholipids, glycerin, saccharides, sodium PCA, hyaluronic acid and many other compounds that are naturally present in the skin. Another one that people have raved about, but for me it was disappointing. Not a fan of the product or smell and did not see any difference in my skin. So not repurchasing this
• Then I used Pycnogenol which is a natural plant extract derived from the pine bark of French maritime pine trees. It contains procyanidins, bioflavonoids and organic acids that work in synergy to rejuvenate the skin, with the aim of enhancing skin hydration and elasticity. With the ability to selectively bind to collagen and elastin, Pycnogenol protects these proteins from degradation, helping to nourish the skin from the inside out. Being a unique and powerful antioxidant, Pycnogenol scavenges for free radicals before they cause damage by oxidative stress. It can also recycle oxidized Vitamin C to restore its activity.  This little bottle of oil amazed me. I looked so refreshed in the morning and after four and half hours sleep I could not believe this. The smell is bad, the orange oil could stain light coloured clothes. But I put this straight onto my skin, use two drops just before moisturising. I will definitely be repurchasing this, I have the other oils to compare this to, but this truly amazed me.

• Lactic Acid is an Alpha Hydroxy Acid (AHA) which will help to increase skin cell turnover on the surface of the skin to help with correcting uneven tone, textural irregularities and fine lines. I really like using Lactic Acid as the molecule is bigger so it doesn’t penetrate as deep as say Glycolic Acid which is quite a small molecule so this means that Lactic Acid is a lot more gentle on the skin. If I see a difference over time, I may repurchase, I am not sure. It is very gentle and no problems with my skin.

• Azelaic Acid is supposed to be good for rosacea. I used this on alternative nights to the lactic acid. Found in grains, Azelaic acid is produced naturally by yeast that lives on normal skin. It brightens the skin tone while visibly improving the evenness of skin texture and reducing the look of blemishes. It is a multi-functional support ingredient for all skin types. I really like this, I use this am and pm after serums and before moisturisers. I will be repurchasing this once finished.

• Marula oil offers antioxidants, hydrates the skin and helps restore a radiant tone. It’s a fantastic oil in every sense of the word despite its affordability. This formula contains the highest quality cold-pressed virgin Marula oil that is naturally aroma neutral and non-greasy. Really impressed with this dry oil. For the price, I wasn’t expecting much but my dry, sensitive skin loves it.

• These I used morning and evening and mixed them together in my palm. Marine Hyaluronics brings together lightweight marine-derived water reservoirs that attract and hold water like hyaluronic acid (HA) but are lighter than HA in texture and feel. The formula contains exopolysaccharides from skin-friendly marine bacteria, Hawaiian red algae, Glycoproteins from Antarctic marine sources, micro-filtered blue-green algae and several health-supporting amino acids. This was very watery, but left the skin feeling soft and no tackiness. Not sure if I would buy this again. I do prefer another brands HA.
• Amino Acids are found in the skin’s own Natural Moisturising Factors and provides enhanced barrier support, elasticity, osmotic balance and desquamation. Amino Acids + B5 offers non-greasy hydration support for the maintenance of healthy, functioning skin. It may cause a temporary tingling sensation upon application. If desired, the formula can be mixed with other serums or creams upon application to reduce its strength. This was very watery when used and left the skin tacky. But it has been very good for my skin. I will probably buy this again.

Just before I used them, I thought about putting them in a larger bottle and mixing together. But during the lockdown, I contacted them online through a chat. A reply from Alexx.

• Hyaluronic Acid (HA) can attract up to 1,000 times its weight in water. The molecular size of HA determines its depth of delivery in the skin. This formulation combines low-, medium- and high-molecular weight HA, as well as a next-generation HA crosspolymer at a combined concentration of 2% for multi-depth hydration. This system is supported with the addition of Vitamin B5 which also enhances surface hydration. This was okay for the price, but the product after applying left my face tacky. But used on my neck and decolletage, if felt very silky. And a moisturiser on top was fine.  I may just get this to use on my neck and body.

• “B” Oil solubilises a purified form of micro-algae in a blend of squalane and oils of marula, argan, baobab, pataua, brazil nut, inca inchi, rosehip and borage to support healthy skin defense, to enhance radiance, to quench free radicals and to help balance pro-irritant mediators. The formula imparts a golden green hue and a mild herbal odour as a result of its high micro-algae concentration. Not a fan of the smell, so time will tell.

• The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% & Zinc 1% was brought this to compare with the Hylamide version. Niacinamide (Vitamin B3) is indicated to reduce the appearance of skin blemishes and congestion. A high 10% concentration of this vitamin is supported in the formula by zinc salt of pyrrolidone carboxylic acid to balance visible aspects of sebum activity.

Deciem is a brand that I feel comfortable recommending to others. What I also like is you can ask then for a routine from any or one brand and they will tell what you need to buy. I think I will always have some of these brand in my stash. For the price, you can not go wrong. And I will be buying other products from The Ordinary. Other things I would like to try.