A Very Unordinary Review | The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%

If you're a regular reader of my blog you will remember that in may of last year I wrote a post reviewing The Ordinary's High Adherence Silicone Primer and it's safe to say I was a little bit disappointed. But after hearing so many good things about the brand I decided to give it another go and picked up the Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% which is also known as the High-Strength Vitamin and Mineral Blemish Formula (not very I catchy I know), on a recent trip to London.

The High-Strength Vitamin and Mineral Blemish Formula '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.' In short the solution is designed to reduce the appearance of blemishes and pores while also balancing the skins oil levels. Interestingly, The Ordinary specifically state that this is NOT a treatment for acne, and that it will not get rid of spots completely. For persistent acne-related conditions, they recommend the use of Benzoyl Peroxide and/or Retinoid Acid.

It's not often I can say this, but this is one of the first products targeted at blemished skin that actually lives up to it's claims. From the first day I tried this I instantly noticed a visible difference in the appearance of my skin. I used it before I went to bed and when I woke up in the morning the redness in my skin and around my acne was almost gone. My skin looked more even in terms of texture and pigmentation, and the pores around my nose significantly smaller. The difference was honestly incredible and applying my makeup  was much smoother.

So after these miraculous results I continued to the use the solution. I'd apply 3 drops in the morning before my moisturiser and 3 drops in the evening after cleansing my skin, and kept doing this for a week. My skin looked great but the more I used the product the less it started to work; my skin had become immune to the product. 
Unfortunately this is not the first time this has happened. I often find that when I use a product it's great at first but after time stops working and it is so frustrating. As a result the only thing you can do to get it working again is to stop using it regularly and save it for a special occasion.

This product is great if you have something coming up where you want your skin to look amazing but if you want it look amazing everyday this probably isn't the right product. But for £5 the High-Strength Vitamin and Mineral Blemish Formula is definitely worth a try.

What product from The Ordinary should I try next?

Eleanor xx