if you've read my review about antipodes serum, you might notice that sometimes i'd compare that to ordinary vitamin c serum. i understand that it's not a good comparison since the antipodes one is non vitamin c serum, but both works as brightening serum, so i'm curious about the performance. especially since antipodes one is quite pricey. so let's dive in!

this is what antipodes claims: this water-based serum helps correct dull, blemished or uneven skin. the revolutionary antioxidant vinanza grape & kiwi helps minimise the appearance of facial redness. exfoliating enzymes from the superfruit kiwifruit and soothing vinanza oxifend from pinot noir grapes leave skin gloriously glowing. meanwhile, mamaku black fern and reishi mushroom of immortality boost healthy cell renewal for true, fresh-faced beauty.
vinanza grape & kiwi is clinically shown to improve skin cell membrane integrity by decreasing trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL) by 16%, improve skin elasticity by 16%, decrease skin redness by 7% (erythema), and lighten skin by 3,5% (melanin content).

antipodes apostle serum ingredients: aqua (walwera artesian water), aloe barbadensis (aloe vera juice) extract, cyathea medullaris (mamaku black fern leaf) extract, gluconolactone, sodium benzoate, amigei (scleroflum gum), vitis vinivera (vinanza oxifend pinot noir grape) extract, caprylyl/capryl glucoside, dehydroacetic acid, benzyl alcohol, xanthan gum, actinidia chinensis (vinanza kiwi kiwi fruit skin) extract, rubus idaeus (raspberry seed) oil, vinanza grape & kiwi (vitis vinifera/grape seed & actinidia chinensis/kiwi skin) extract, gandoderma lucidum (reishi mushroom) extract, sodium hydroxide, pure plant fragrance of green apple & cardamom, benzyl alcohol, cinnamal, citral, citronellol, geraniol, component of essential oil.

full face progress (no noticeable difference between my left and right face right?)

this is what the ordinary claims (on beautybay website): an antioxidant solution to visibly target dullness, uneven tones, and signs of ageing. with a light serum texture, this high-potency blend of pure vitamin c applies smoothly to the skin, delivering antioxidants that help to brighten and reduce signs of aging by stimulating collagen synthesis and inhibiting melanin production.
- ascorbyl glucoside: a water soluble derivative of vitamin c, meaning it has high-stability and is comfortable to use.

ingredients: aqua (water), ascorbyl glucoside, propanediol, aminomethyl propanol, triethanolamine, isoceteth-20, xanthan gum, dimethyl isosorbide, ethoxydiglycol, trisodium ethylenediamine, disuccinate, 1,2-hexanediol, caprylyl glycol.

as you can see above that there's only two similar ingredients between those serum. the aqua is not completely the same though.. the antipodes one is from special source water from new zealand, while the ordinary's water is just regular water. but they put ascorbyl glucoside which is its main ingredients second after the water, while the antipodes one, the main ingredients (the grape, kiwi, mushroom and the black fern leaf extract) is placed all over the ingredients list. but you can clearly see that the antipodes one is large on natural extract ingredients, which supports its claim being vegan and organic and stuff. so if you are concern about cruelty free, organic and natural skincare, you should pick the antipodes one.

the ordinary progress i use three drops for half-face notice the acne scars on my cheek is lighten within a week

as for the packaging, both comes in cardboard box and dark glass bottle with dropper. it's a usual standard packaging for antioxidant serum which is usually sensitive to sunlight and should be keep in the dark and cool place. 

antipodes progress i also use three drops for half my face notice that the acne scars near my ears are not that quickly disappeared even after several weeks

the serum itself though is totally different. the vitamin c serum is almost clear while antipodes gives me quite a fright with being super dark. turns out it's its normal color. phew! as for application, both spreads easily all over my face, and takes a couple of minutes to be completely absorbed. but, i have to say that with the ordinary one, you have to be careful about layering it. some people reported that it pills on them. i never experienced one though, but i don't have that many product to use daily to begin with, so if you are big on skincare cocktail, you might want to try the correct product to layer with it. 

top is antipodes bottom is ordinary you can see both doesn't work on my dark spots, but the ordinary one works better in terms of reducing acne scars

now, the result time. as i've said in my antipodes review, i said that it works okay for some non-vitamin c serum. it's hydrating but not that much. and it doesn't help with my dark spots, but considering that i'm only using this for a month, probably it just need more time. in reducing acne scars, you can see that the ordinary works better and a bit faster. so if you're like me, which is inpatient in seeing progress result, i suggest you pick the vitamin c serum as it works a bit faster. as for the price, the ordinary one is lot cheaper than antipodes, but there are other vitamin c serum that's as expensive as antipodes one. if you ask me, i'd pick the ordinary one over the antipodes, but not based on the performance. i like it better for giving faster result and cheaper. but i might try other vitamin c serum other than the ordinary.

this is the last ordinary product that i reviewed. i've been meaning to write this review, but somehow i get distracted, a lot. i've tried this serum along with the buffet and niacinamide, but i've experienced breakouts while testing all three, so i decided to take a break and testing them one by one, and i've found the culprit. so now i'm ready to let you know my thought about this product.

this is the description from their website: this water free solution contains a 2% concentration of and advanced retinoid active complex called granactive retinoid that has been shown to offer better results against multiple signs of aging than retinol without any of the irritation and drawbacks common with retinol. granactive retinoid, an active technology from grant industries, is a solubilized system of hydroxypinacolone retinoate, a highly-advanced form of retinoid which is, in fact, a non-prescription ester of all-trans direct retinoic acid that offers a multi-fold better effect against signs of aging than retinol, retinyl palmitate and nearly all other forms of non-prescription retinoid. this product uses next-generation retinoid active technologies which have been shown to achieve better reduction in signs of aging than retinol without irritation. these technologies cannot compared directly with retinol itself in terms of concentration because they include a different retinoid molecule, in a similar way that retinol cannot be compared with retinoic acid in terms of concentration.

the box

description on the box

the packaging: all ordinary products are packaged the same way. it's inside a white box, with ingredients list and description printed on the box. the product is in the same size glass-dropper bottle. the only difference is since retinoid is a uv sensitive product, it is packaged inside a dark glass bottle for uv protection. on the bottle there's another label with description and description as well. i really like their dropper since somehow it could reach deep into the bottle and it can get most of the product out of the bottle.

another description in france

the bottle beside the box

the scent: perhaps because this one contains squalane, it smells like fish oil. but just a little bit. it doesn't have added fragrance so what i can smell from this product is basically the ingredients' scent.

the dropper

the product: the retinoid is a light yellow runny oil, very runny that i have to put it on my hand before putting it on my face. i've tried to put drop directly to my face and it keeps dripping down to my neck before i managed to spread it around, so i decided to drop it to my face then spread it around. it's said to be used after watery serum but before moisturizer, so that's exactly what i did. it's easy to spread around but takes forever to be absorbed. even with all that patting and a little bit rubbing. i know.. i'm not supposed to do that but i'm not that patient.

the retinoid on my hand

the result: since i have bad experience with acid, i use this slowly. i use this once a week for two weeks, then twice a week. and every other day. but i noticed that i get breakouts when i use this that frequent, so i decided to use this every monday, wednesday and friday. and in that day between, i try my best to use sheet mask to hydrate my face well and then on weekend i exfoliate my skin with peeling gel or use clay mask. that seems to work better. unfortunately, although i didn't experience irritation, i don't seem to see the effect. but i don't have any fine lines yet to begin with, so i can't really say about that anti aging effect. all i can say that i don't notice any difference whether or not i'm using this product.

after spreading it

that being said, i think i want to try the retinoid emulsion, the one that get raved by many people. i'm trying to document my progress, but since i don't have any issue as standard base, somehow i can't see my progress. but if i did end up buying the emulsion, i will try to document it for sure. again, i have to say that this is really mild retinol so if you're an acid beginner, then this is something that you can try. but if you've used to other acid, then this might feel too mild for you. but the ordinary has other retinoid products that you can try, so find out which one is suitable for you. as for their scandal, i don't have any comments. but if you don't want to try their products because of their scandal, then have it your way. but as for me, the only product that i want to repurchase for now is their vitamin c serum, so it won't be happening any time soon since i still have my melano cc serum.

i like to clear something first before proceeding to my review: i bought this product before all the viral news about their company/founder attitude, and although i'm not agree with all the issue, i've already bought it so i won't waste my money and not using the product because of the problem. but, it will affect my decision whether or not to repurchase this product.

now, when the ordinary started to get their products out, one of their best sellers is this serum, the niacinamide and zinc one. i suspect many people thought that their skin is oily skin, especially if you're living in tropical country which is usually hot and humid, you will most likely think that you have oily skin, so the claims of this product that helps to reduce sebum will definitely lure that kind of people to buy this serum. so, naturally, i wanted to try whether this product really worth the hype or not, aside from my skin type. me personally had oily skin but now slightly toward combination-normal, so reducing sebum is not my main target anymore. i've used similar product like this from it's skin, one of their colorful serums (i completely forgot the exact name), and it does work although very slowly, but if i recalled correctly, it doesn't have the added zinc. so, i will try to compare both of them.

this is the description from their website: 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. contraindications: if topical vitamin C is used as part of skincare, it should be applied at alternate times with this formula (ideally vitamin C in the PM and this formula in the AM). otherwise, niacinamide can affect integrity of pure-form vitamin C (L-ascorbic acid).
notes: while niacinamide and zinc PCA reduce the look of blemishes and balance visible sebum activity, neither is a treatment for acne.
independent studies suggest niacinamide is also an effective ingredient for brightening skin tone.

the box

ingredients list

the packaging: the product comes in ordinary white box just like the other products from this brand. there's a few description and ingredients list printed on the box. inside there's a glass bottle with a dropper to dispose the product. the bottle is frosted but still see-through so you can see the remaining product inside. the dropper is pretty long that i have no problem reaching until the last bit of the product. since the product inside doesn't need protection from the sunlight, the bottle is white.

little bit description

the bottle

the scent: i don't think this has distinctive scent, but even if it does, it's very subtle.

the dropper

the product: the serum is a bit cloudy white in the dropper, pretty similar to the buffet one, but when i drop it on my hand, it's clearer than the buffet.   it also has similar consistency to the buffet, but i think the niacinamide just slightly runnier than the buffet. it spreads easily on my face. it's absorbed a couple minutes and leaves slightly sticky feeling that fades away if i keep patting my skin. i only need a drop or a half dropper for my whole face.

the product on my hand

after spreading it on my hand

the result: i was baffling to find out which out of 3 products of the ordinary that i tried in my last batch that caused me some breakouts. i've tried them separately for the last month and found out that the buffet might be the culprit. i've yet tried the retinol, but i think the buffet is the culprit so it clears out the niacinamide. now, i don't have enough time the second time to judge the result, since i only got a bit left, so i will try to corporate both result from both trial time. i've seen no difference in my pores, but it's expectable. as for the sebum control, i can say that it helps especially on hot and humid days. my makeup will hold better if i use this serum underneath. but compared to my it's skin, i think both works well equally. as for the brightening effect, i'm also using a vitamin c serum and a sake serum that also claims to help in brightening area, so i can't say about this effect for sure.

now, i would say that i like this serum, but i'm not making decision to repurchase this just yet. i found that the effect is similar to my it's skin serum but i don't know the price of that serum now, so it might only depends on the price difference. but i also discovered that there's a phytoniacin serum from nacific (used to be natural pacific) that works similar to these serum, so i think i would try that one before deciding which one to repurchase.

ever since i saw ordinary products popping in my instagram fee, i'm curious about them. so i silently waiting for review before deciding which one to buy. but the first thing that i knew i wanted to try is this buffet. based on the description, it seems to be all around serum which is promoted as anti aging serum. i thought it would be similar to missha long name ampoule. so, basically i'm curious to see which one works better.

the description from their website: this formula combines a comprehensive array of studied technologies to target multiple signs of ageing at once. the technologies are matrixyl 3000 peptide complex (with palmitoyl tetrapeptide-7), matrixyl synthe'6 peptide complex (with palmitoyl tripeptide-38), syn-ake peptide complex (with dipeptide diaminobutyroyl benzylamide diacetate), relistase peptide complex (with acetylarginyltrytophyl diphenylglycine), argirelox peptide complex (with acetyl hexapeptide-8, pentapeptide-18), probiotic complex (with lactococcus lactis lysate), in a base of 11 skin-friendly amino acid complexes. the total concentration of these technologies in the formula by weight is 25,1%.

the box

a bit description and direction

the packaging: all the boxes are the same. they're basically white boxes with the name of the product at front, with a bit of information at the sides of the box along with ingredients list. the bottle itself is also same as the other, it's transparent glass bottle with dropper to dispense the product and white label. really suits the brand's name, which is "the ordinary". nothing extraordinary about the products. since the serum doesn't need special care, the bottle is transparent. if it needs uv protection, then it will be a dark glass bottle like the vitamin c and retinoid ones. the dropper is okay. it's quite long so it will reach most of the product (at least that's what i experienced with the lactic acid and vitamin c) and i only have one or two more uses that the dropper couldn't reach.

in french

ingredients list

the scent: i think it's scentless, but you can smell a little bit odor from the ingredients. so basically it doesn't have added fragrance so if you're sensitive to fragrance or scent, then you will like it.

the bottle

the product: the serum is cloudy white serum. it's more viscous than missha's, but i think it has the same or similar consistency as the niacinamide one. it won't slip as fast as the retinoid (which is liquid), but it doesn't as thick as cream of gel. it absorbs quickly and leave slightly tacky feeling but it will vanish if you tapped it in your skin with your palm. this serum is quite tricky. it's pilling up under my melano cc serum, but not under my ordinary retinoid. i've tried using less product but still it's still pilling up under my melano cc serum.

the dropper

the result: actually i'm torn about this serum. i like how it hydrates my skin and making it plump. but it's tricky to use. somehow i suspect that this serum might have a part in putting my skin in jeopardy. i've stopped using this serum during the holiday and i put back things back one by one. and my first week went well with just first essence and emulsion in the morning and toner, vitamin c, moisturizer at night. then i add this serum to the equation. the first three days, nothing happened. but up until today, i will get acnes here and there. tiny little bumps that annoys me. they will be gone in 3-4 days but something else will popped up later. but i've come to the last bit of my buffet serum, so i will use it elsewhere than my face and then i will update you here whether or not my face's clearing up after stopping this serum.

product on my hand

after blending it in

honestly, i'm disappointed in this serum. i have high hope in finding missha's serum dupes which works well for me. considering this is not a cheap one, i also hope that this will work on me, but unfortunately, i don't think this serum and me is a match. but if you're looking for an all-around serum with affordable price, then you can try this serum. i think every skin types can try this serum. but lately there's been commotion with ordinary since there were rumours about the founder, so if you're not willing to support the brand because of the issue, then don't buy it and try something else. as for me, definitely won't repurchase.

when my brother was back home last christmas, i asked him to buy me some ordinary products. unfortunately, some of the items that i want were sold out, so i only managed to get 3, the granactive retinoid (which i haven't tried), the ascorbyl glucoside (tried and reviewed here), and the lactic acid 5%. i almost finish the lactic acid and i will proceed to retinoid before deciding which one is better for me. i don't think i will need them both for now, so i will get just one of them if i ever decided to repurchase. so let's see about this one.

this is the description from their website: lactic acid is an alpha hydroxyl acid that exfoliates the skin. this 5% formulation offers very mild exfoliation and is supported with purified tasmanian pepperberry known to reduce signs of inflammation and sensitivity that is often associated with exfoliation. this formula contains a studied tasmanian pepperberry derivative to help reduce irritation associated with acid use. this derivative of plant origin and varies in colour seasonally and this color variation may apparent in the formula from time to time.

the box

ingredients list

the packaging: just like all products from the ordinary, it comes in ordinary white box, there's description at the box in english as well as the ingredients list. the packaging is very simple, really hand in hand with the brand name, ordinary. the ingredients list is short as well, considering the brand philosophy is using the key ingredients as the main stuff, without other gimmicky ingredients. the bottle itself is made of glass with dropper on top. honestly, i don't like glass bottles since i have very active and curious toddlers, so glass bottles are not my preference right now. the dropper is a plus for me since it's easier to dispose the product on my face. usually i will put a drop on certain area then blend it in with my finger. but the downside is the dropper can't reach the bottom of the bottle, so when it's almost finish, i probably have to turn the bottle upside down so i can get the product easier without the dropper.

the other side of the box

the bottle

the scent: i've tried another AHA product from cosrx before this one, and both smells awful. it has that foul scent but both are subtle and only linger for a minute or two. it doesn't annoy me, but it might annoy someone, so you might want to put that in mind.

the dropper

the product: it's a pale yellow serum, slightly more viscous than liquid, but a bit watery than the ascorbyl serum. i usually put a drop on each areas on my face then massage it with my finger. i use it after cleansing my face, before putting anything else. it takes a while to be absorbed and it leaves slightly sticky feeling, perhaps because of the added hyaluronic acid. but it layers well under everything else. although sometimes i feel that it might balls up, but it doesn't.

the serum inside the dropper

the result: this is an exfoliating serum, but it's very mild indeed. i start using this once a week before increasing the frequency up to almost everyday. i skip this when i use exfoliating mask or clay mask. so far i don't notice any sign of over exfoliation. at first i don't see any effect on my face. then when i upped it up to every other day, i notice that my face is a bit brightened than when i'm not using it. like all the dead layers is scrubbed off from my face. i can definitely see my forehead is super smooth, no fine lines whatsoever. but i don't see any improvement in my skin texture around my cheek and chin, where i sometimes have closed comedones.

the serum on my hand

it takes awhile to be absorbed

so honestly i'm not too happy with the result. i was hoping this will smooth my cheeks and chin texture since that's the areas where i have texture problem. but i'm glad this one doesn't give me breakout or purging, unlike the cosrx one. but if you only have problem with skin texture aka fine lines, then this one is perfect for you. it won't irritate your skin and probably even add a bit hydration thanks to the added hyaluronic acid in it. if you're familiar with acid, then the 5% might be too mild for you. as for me, i will try the retinoid before deciding which one to repurchase or not.

half a year ago, i never heard of the ordinary. then suddenly i saw these white boxes and lots of glass bottle with dropper on it. then everybody starts to rave about the ordinary. so i did my homework and found out that the ordinary is a branch brand from deciem. they made lots of skincare products and all of them are affordable. i bet you'd already known how it's possible. they stripped the ingredients back to basic, so you can expect short ingredients list. the main ingredient and a few stabilizer or added ingredients for more benefit. so of course i had to try it. because it's mainly about acids and vitamin c, i decided to give myself another shot at AHA. this time i'm buying their lactic acid 5%, retinoid serum (the granactive version one) and their vitamin c, of course. i had tried the famous melano cc but i couldn't see why people rave about it, so i decided to gave the ordinary one a try. they have several forms of vitamin c serum, and i had hard time choosing which one is best for me. luckily since i didn't jump in the first time, i got the chance to read other people's review. after reading extensively, i decided to get their ascorbyl glucoside 12% serum.

this is the description from their website: vitamin c is an effective antioxidant, brightens the skin tone and reduces signs of ageing. in its pure form, vitamin c is unstable in water. ascorbyl glucoside is a water-soluble derivative of vitamin c. it is much more stable in water but it is less potent than direct L-ascorbic acid. being more compatible with water allows for a very pleasant serum texture. it is considered a gold standard of vitamin c derivatives due to its high stability and comfortable use. but it's impossible to achieve extremely high L-ascorbic acid potency with this solution. aside from general benefits of pure vitamin C, ascorbyl glucoside has been shown to offer specific skin brightening benefits.

the box

description in english and france

the packaging: it comes in a white box, there's description and ingredients list on the side of the box. inside of it, you can find the dark glass bottle with dropper on it. the dark glass is expected since vitamin c is known to get oxidized easily. again, the label on the bottle is also white, very simple. it really suits the name, the ordinary. the serum is 30 ml, which is the usual size for a serum. the dropper makes it easier to get the product out, but when it's running out, i don't think the dropper can get until the last drop.

the glass bottle

the dropper

the scent: this is the least acidic/fruity-scented vitamin c serum that i've ever tried. definitely very subtle so you don't have to worry about the scent. but if you're asking me, i think it smells artificial, like some chemical stuff.

the serum inside the dropper

the product: the serum is oil-based serum, so it's on the thick side of serum. it's cloudy white inside the dropper. i usually put one drop on each area, my forehead, my nose, my cheeks, and then my chin before spreading it all over my face. since this is oil based, shininess and a bit greasiness are expected.

the serum on my hand

after spreading it

after being absorbed

the result: at first, i thought it will be too oily for me. too greasy. it seems stay on top of my skin for a long time. but i persisted. i keep using it and then i notice that my skin absorbs it faster. a little bit faster. i don't notice any brightness, and it also doesn't seem to help with my PIH. now, at this point i also think that this serum is overrated. but i keep using it. and then one night i notice that my cheeks is bouncier. in these pictures below, you can see that it helps fade my acne scars, but not as good as naruko essence.

front side: notice the acne scar on my right cheek that comes in week 2 then fades in week 3

right side: again, notice the fading of my acne scar during week 2-3

left side: again, noticeable acne scar fading

the first thing that i have to mention is that i've been using this serum for almost 3 months and it's still in the same condition as when i received it the first time. i didn't store it in the fridge and it still works fine. it doesn't change color or smell so i think it's still safe to use it. although it doesn't work wonder on my PIH or my overall complexion (not that i mind, since i'm pale enough already), but i like how it makes my skin bouncier, more plump. it also works well to fade my acne scar, but not as good as my previous naruko essence. at first, i didn't think it will work well under any cream, but after using it every night i can declare that it works well under my usual cream. both will make me glow the entire night and the next morning i will be glowing and my skin is well hydrated and plump, and bouncy. i will definitely get this serum again if the online shops here didn't sell it with higher price than usual. i will wait for my brother again to get this.