I know, I know, it’s been around a few years now. Upon its 2017 launch, The Ordinary makeup sold out everywhere and rumors of a massive (20,000 or was it 25,000 strong) waiting list spread quicker than wildfire in the Great Sept of Baelor.
And let’s not deny the controversies behind the brand. Who was it that said any publicity is good publicity? Let’s just leave that for another day!
Recently I have felt more than a little compelled to re-visit Deciem’s The Ordinary makeup and their two foundation ranges. Probably mainly because this year I have found myself recommending these foundations quite frequently, in fact very frequently indeed.
I suspect that is due in no small amount to the price tag, and the pandemic perhaps forcing us to think twice before buying that $50 foundation.
We have all come to know and depend on The Ordinary’s ability to pack some power in its punch without blowing straight through our back pocket. So read on as I share the lowdown on their outstanding range and help you see what all the fuss is about.
The Ordinary currently carry two different foundation products in their makeup range. Those are their Coverage Foundation and their Serum Foundation ranges. Let’s find out the differences first of all.
Coverage Foundation
As the name suggests, this product is a high coverage foundation makeup. It applies very easily from the pump dispenser on the bottle. Be sure to flick it to the closed position between uses to keep it safe and prevent spills (yes, I learnt that the hard way!).
The Ordinary Coverage Foundation is an incredibly high-pigment makeup product and is easy to blend. You can start with a very small amount and work it over the face very easily, blend and buff in with your favourite makeup brush or your hands. Adding more product as you so desire.
The Ordinary Coverage Foundation has a semi-matte finish so once on the skin, it will still look natural and if applied correctly and following their instructions, it still won’t look cakey or theatrical. I must say that it doesn’t feel heavy or oily on the skin at all, despite its ample coverage.
A little really goes a long way and it’s also highly buildable, so start small when you first use it. This is a water-based foundation that is alcohol and oil-free. It does not contain silicon.
The colour range of this makeup is really worth looking into with more detail as well. What I like the most about The Ordinary’s colouring system is that it is very simple to follow. Broken down into numbers first of all: just 1, 2 and 3. So 1.0 is described as Very Fair, 1.1 is Fair, 1.2 is Light, 2.0 is Light Medium, 2.1 is Medium, 3.0 is Medium Dark, 3.1 is Dark, 3.2 is Deep and 3.3 is Very Deep.
And then following the number is a letter, or possibly two or three letters. And those letters are easily broken down into undertones as follows: N – Neutral, P – Pink, Y – Yellow, R – Red, S – Silver, G – Gold. The makeups with a Y or G in their label have a very slight reflect of that tone in them as well. Let’s look at the colour coding in a little more depth – for example, if you have dark skin tones, head to number 3. Let’s say your undertones are warm, you would probably be happy with 3.2R (R stands for Red). Similarly, 1.2YG is Fair with Yellow/Gold undertones.
I always recommend people do what I like to call ‘upshade’ and ‘downshade’. That is, get yourself a shade lighter and a shade darker as well as your skin tone shade. At least! Our complexions can change not only through the different seasons of the year but even within the course of a single day. Have you ever noticed that your face can look different at certain times? Whether it be sun exposure or other environmental changes, yes, your skin tone can fluctuate and jump about.
So that being said, and with such a phenomenally kind price point, it is most definitely worth investing in a few various colors of the range to get the most perfect finish to your makeup. Also, sometimes I like to apply a slightly darker shade under the jawbone, or around the hairline and temples. It’s always good to have options, right?
Serum Foundation
The Ordinary Serum Foundation is a very lightweight makeup. Not to say that this means it doesn’t have any coverage. Far from it, in fact. This may just be the miracle product you are looking for. It’s extremely lightweight and buildable and has a very fine consistency.
It is described as still having medium coverage and yet it still feels light on the skin. I have to say, for a lightweight product, the coverage is amazing!
The Serum Foundation also has quite a natural, dare I say dewy finish to it.
On application, you’ll discover just how fine a consistency it really does have. How can this possibly give me any coverage when it’s almost as ‘watery’ as water? Well, it really does. I don’t know if I’d go as far as to call this a “long-lasting” foundation. But if that is the most important aspect of your makeup, then this is probably not going to be where you stop anyway, I suspect.
Just like the Ordinary Coverage makeup, the Serum follows the 1, 2, 3 colour system and the accompanying letters to catalogue the entire range. I believe that both the Coverage and Serum Foundation ranges have 21 shades throughout.
The Ordinary Serum Foundation makeup is also water-based. And like the Coverage Foundation, does not contain alcohol, oil or silicon.
And if you need even more reasons to make the move, it also features an SPF 15.
So if you are the type of person that is really looking for a light foundation with light coverage. Or you feel that you don’t have any major skin issues happening that require extra working. Perhaps you are just on the search for a quick foundation for an evening out, this may well be all you require. And let’s not forget – it is called a Serum for a reason. This isn’t supposed to be a full coverage makeup.
Honestly, I’m all for both of these products as stand alone winners. For me personally, I can’t go past the Coverage foundation. It really gives you a massive bang for your relatively affordable buck and if you are comfortable working with a tiny amount of product at a time, then this could work for you as well.
I use these products on shows when I do makeup on what we call the ‘crowd room’ or background artists. That way I can keep the entire range of a reliable product that is versatile and it really doesn’t cost me an arm and a leg.
Well, thank you for re-visiting The Ordinary with me. I look forward to seeing what new products they are going to release in the future.
Are you still a devout Ordinary makeup user, follower or admirer? Or no? I’d love to hear your thoughts on these foundations. And honestly, for just under USD$7.00 a pop, I think you could clearly say the hype is justified.
Featured image by moi!
