The Ordinary Squalane Cleanser 50 ml Review

 Ingredients:

Squalane, Aqua (Water), Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Glycerin, Sucrose Stearate, Ethyl Macadamiate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Sucrose Laurate, Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate, Sucrose Dilaurate, Sucrose Trilaurate, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Isoceteth-20, Sodium Polyacrylate, Tocopherol, Hydroxymethoxyphenyl Decanone, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Malic Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Chlorphenesin.

I try to mark the sunscreen ingredients in red and other possible irritants in lilac. Ingredients thought to be good and useful for skin I mark green.  Learning as I go, google is my friend etc...

Thoughts:

- If no second cleanser is used, leaves residue on my skin that seems to break me out

- I feel I have to rub it surprisingly long between my fingers to get the balm turn to oily texture

- Just doesn't turn as oily, runny and easy to use as normal cleansing oils

- Doesn't work for well for clearing out clogged pores, I feel massaging does almost nothing in comparison to normal cleansing oils

- The Ordinary says you only need a little at a time, but I feel I have to use quite a lot product to have enough so that I don't have to harshly rub my face or eyes to get the make up off

- ... actually, quite pricy considering the price structure of the Ordinary. It is no cheaper than any other cleansing oil, also I maybe am using it faster than its competitors.



+ No scent

+ Doesn't irritate at all, not even eyes, haven't noticed cloudy vision either

+ "Good enough"

+ Not drying at all

+ Takes makeup, sunscreen etc off very well as long as enough product is used

+ Emulsifies and washes off very well as well, at this point no need to rub like crazy (but I definitely need a second cleanser etc because it leaves almost undetectable residue that seems to break me out)

+ Nice for travelling, easy tube packaging, thick consistency. But, it's not like I'll be doing travelling for some time now.

* I thought I would absolutely love The Ordinary's Squalane Cleanser, I thought it could be my all-in-one, especially as a travel cleanser as it comes in two handy sizes. Maybe I just don't know how to use balm cleansers properly, maybe my hands and face are so cold all the time that the product just doesn't melt as it supposed to?

* If I compare The Ordinary's Squalane Clanser and Hylamide's High-Efficiency Face Cleaner, I like Hylamide better even though I think it smells bad. And it is very watery.

* I am going to try more balm type first cleansers, but it seems the traditional cleansing oils are my preferred type, as it is easier to clear clogs by massaging, also heavier oils don't absorb to skin and you don't need to use so much.

Price: 

7,20 € / 50 ml

18,20 € / 150 ml

Bought from: 

The Ordinary website

Buy again? 

Maybe-no. I mean, I could, but with all the "better" choices out there, will I?

Worth the money? 

I wish I could compare The Ordinary's Squalane Cleanser to several other balmy oil cleansers, but the only one I've tried is the classic Banila Co Clean It Zero, and that one was so much more pleasant to use because it melted so easily, but I had only mini so can't properly assess it. Anyway, for me I don't think Squalane Cleanser is worth the repurchase. It is ok product however and if I got one as a gift I would use it. Also, if the 150 ml tube were to cost the same as 50 ml (7,20 €) I would purchase it just because it is so cheap and "good enough".

The Ordinary Pycnogenol 5% 15 ml Review

Ingredients:

Propanediol, Pinus Pinaster Bark Extract.

I try to mark the sunscreen ingredients in red and other possible irritants in lilac. Ingredients thought to be good and useful for skin I mark green.  Learning as I go, google is my friend etc...

Thoughts:

- Felt a bit strong at first, felt warm or even drying when I started to use it, so I recommend starting out slowly and mixing with other creams etc. Now I do use it on its own almost!

- Can stain fabrics, I accidentally dropped some of the serum on my towel and I got it off, but it required me to wash it twice in 60 Celsius. Be careful and always wash hands after applying. EDIT: Well, now I notice I didn't get it all off. So it shall live forever as a brown spot on my towel. Lovely.

- Feels a bit "oily", despite not having oils in it (propanediol). Doesn't always absorb completely and you can feel it. (If used on its own.) 



+ My skin looks more even colored, I have less redness, especially on my cheeks

+ Calming on red skin, breakouts, etc. I don't mean irritated skin here, just... naturally red, acneic skin. I feel breakouts don't get as bad/clear out faster.

+ Weird, but almost pleasant scent, it does smell like wood/pine! Quite strong though.

+ Strong, red/orange colour as well (that might stain fabrics), but doesn't seem to stain face.

+ Doesn't affect other products on top (like make up, creams).

+ Moisturizing enough that I can skip moisturizer, but not heavy or skin clogging at all

+ Pycnogenol is antimicrobial.

* Wow, I am so, so slow with using products/writing reviews. This review I had started almost exactly a year ago! So beware, my bottle might be expired by now, as it says it's good 6 months after opening, and mine has been open for a year. I do feel it is still effective and I keep all my cosmetics out of bathroom, in a dark corridor drawer set up (that is next to bathroom).

* I must admit, the past two/three weeks my routine has been so lazy, I have used only Garnier Micellar Wash Gel, The Ordinary Pycnogenol, and Garnier UV Fluid Sunscreen in the morning, and in the evening after washing my face, Neulii PHA Peeling Pads and The Ordinary Pycnogenol. That's it. My skin looks good. No separate moisturizer. I am thinking, you can do whatever you want with skincare, no one has a gun on your head and tells you to use toner, moisturizer, hyaluronic acid serum... etc.

* When I had The Ordinary's Pycnogenol Serum as one of my Current Favorites back in June last year, I wrote: Pycnogenol is antioxidant and derived from the pine bark of the French maritime pine trees. I have only tested this one for a week, and I don't really know what I'm seeing, but it does something. I get a feeling like it's niacinamide serum and tea tree oil combined kind of results? Very strong too, I really suggest mixing it with something in the beginning.

* I really wonder what happened, why did I stop using Pycnogenol for such a long time if it was a favorite from the very beginning? :)

* I personally haven't noticed any plumping effect or difference with fine lines. Or glow. Just more even skin.

Price: 

9,90 € / 15 ml

Bought from: 

The Ordinary website

Buy again? 

Yes.

Worth the money? 

Yes. The Ordinary's Pycnogenol 5% is only 15 ml bottle but it sure has lasted me long time. Also very affordable for a serum. It is a bit unique ingredient, but I highly recommend trying it out sometime, no matter the skin type. But it is like combined results of niacinamide, tea tree and vitamin C for me. But less irritating or drying.