If you didn’t catch my previous post on The Ordinary’s Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 serum, you may not know that I placed an order for a few of The Ordinary’s products from well.ca;  I’ve used them enough now (over a month) that I feel comfortable reviewing them so today I’m reviewing a moisturizer – The Ordinary’s Natural Moisturizing Factors.

ABOUT

From The Ordinary website:

“Natural Moisturizing Factors (NMF) are elements that keep the outer layer of the skin protected and well-hydrated. NMF 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.

This formula offers non-greasy hydration that acts as a direct topical supplement of impaired NMF components. It contains 11 amino acids, phospholipids, alpha/beta/gamma fatty acids, triglycerides, sterols and sterol esters, glycerin, ceramide precursors, urea, saccharides, sodium PCA and hyaluronic acid. It offers immediate hydration and lasting results with continued use.”

PRICE

$5.80 CAD/USD for 30 mL / 1 fl oz

PACKAGING

This moisturizer is packaged in one of my favourite ways – a squeezy tube!  I am really not a fan of moisturizers being in jars – glass or otherwise but that seems to be the preferred choice of many of the higher end brands.  I prefer this style because it’s easy to throw in a makeup bag without worries of it breaking while traveling and it just seems more hygenic (no sticking your fingers in the actual product!).

INGREDIENTS

Aqua (Water), Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetyl Alcohol, Propanediol, Stearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Arginine, Aspartic Acid, Glycine, Alanine, Serine, Valine, Isoleucine, Proline, Threonine, Histidine, Phenylalanine, Glucose, Maltose, Fructose, Trehalose, Sodium PCA, PCA, Sodium Lactate, Urea, Allantoin, Linoleic Acid, Oleic Acid, Phytosteryl Canola Glycerides, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, Lecithin, Triolein, Tocopherol, Carbomer, Isoceteth-20, Polysorbate 60, Sodium Chloride, Citric Acid, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Pentylene Glycol, Triethanolamine, Sodium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin.

PERFORMANCE

So as mentioned, I have been using this as my daily moisturizer for about a month now; I’ve been pairing it with The Ordinary’s Ascorbyl Glucoside Solution 12% which is essentially a Vitamin C serum.  I apply the serum first, let it soak in for a good 5-10 minutes and then apply this on top.

This moisturizer has a really thick, rich texture and that scared me at first.  Even though I have dry skin, I don’t like wearing really heavy, intense moisturizers during the day – I save those for my night time routine.  Additionally, when I start to rub this into my skin, it feels a little greasy.  The greasy feeling is replaced with a tacky feeling once it starts to absorb but that tacky feeling can stick around for a while; as a result, I usually end up waiting around 15 minutes after I’ve applied this before I can apply my foundation.  Obviously this is not ideal if I’m in a rush but I’ve learned to apply my skincare the minute I get out of the shower, do my eye makeup and hair and then finish up with my face so it hasn’t been that inconvenient for me.  Ultimately though, I do consider it be a little more high maintenance than other moisturizers I’ve used.

Is the extra work involved with this worth it?  Right now, this is working for me.  My skin feels moisturized and my foundation applies smoothly but I’m not sure this is going to be enough for my dry skin in the Winter.  This states that it protects and hydrates the outer layer of the skin and I’d agree with that claim; as the weather gets colder and the air gets dryer, I suspect deeper layers of my skin will need to be hydrated and protected as well.  I’m not opposed to adding in an oil to my routine to help with that but it’s something I’ll need to look into.

MISCELLANEOUS INFO

• Alcohol-free
• Oil-free
• Silicone-free
• Nut-free
• Vegan
• Gluten-free
• Cruelty-free

VERDICT

Overall I’m happy with this moisturizer right now; I’m not seeing anything mind-blowing from it and as mentioned, I think I might need to supplement this with an oil as we move into Fall and Winter but I’m definitely willing to give that a try.  I think given the very low price point and ingredients, this is definitely worth a try if you’re considering placing an order for some of The Ordinary’s products!

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What’s your favourite daily moisturizer?