This post is all about The Ordinary anti-aging skincare routine.

While most people assume that Hyaluronic acid is the main anti-aging ingredient in skincare, the truth is that its main property is skin’s hydration. Hydration is super important in order to retain skin’s youth – around 50% of the body’s total hyaluronic acid is present in the skin, and changes in this amount can lead to the formation of wrinkles. Applied topically, Hyaluronic acid can significantly decrease wrinkles and enhance skin firmness and elasticity. (SOURCE)

However, Hyaluronic acid does not stimulate the formation of new skin cells. When skin cell production slows down, this is when we start to see the signs of skin aging. The production of new skin cells should be stimulated by either certain procedures or by skincare products that contain specific anti-aging ingredients.

Disclosure: This page may contain affiliate links, which means that I get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links, at no cost to you. Read my disclaimer for more information.

Anti-Aging Skincare Product Ingredients

1. Peptides

Peptides are essential ingredients in the anti-aging skincare. They are short chains of amino acids that act as building blocks of proteins (collagen, elastin and keratin). These proteins are the foundations of the skin and are responsible for its texture, strength and resilience. Without peptides, skin is less intact, which can lead to a loss of firmness, the appearance of wrinkles, a change in texture and less ‘bounce’. When applied topically, peptides trigger skin cells to build collagen, elastin and keratin, thus making skin look younger. Scientific research has proven that peptides can support the skin on multiple levels, including: firming, soothing and hydrating. (SOURCE)

The Ordinary products that contan peptides:

The Ordinary Buffet + Copper Peptides 1% – Buy on Amazon

The Ordinary Matrixyl 10% + HA – Buy on Amazon / Buy on Skinstore

The Ordinary “Buffet” Multi-Technology Peptide Serum – Buy on Skinstore

2. Vitamin C (in the Ascorbic acid form)

Vitamin C has so many benefits when it comes to skincare. First, it neutralizes the free radicals that cause oxidative stress and damage skin cells (including the ones responsible for the production of collagen, elastin and hyaluronic acid). Second, it is essential for synthesis of collagen in skin cells. (SOURCE)

The Ordinary products that contain Vitamin C:

The Ordinary Vitamin C Suspension 30% in Silicone – Buy on Amazon

The Ordinary Ascorbic Acid 8% Plus Alpha Arbutin 2% – Buy on Amazon

The Ordinary Vitamin C Suspension 23% + HA Spheres – Buy on Skinstore

The Ordinary 100% L-Ascorbic Acid Powder – Buy on Skinstore

The Ordinary Ethylated Ascorbic Acid 15% Solution – Buy on Skinstore

The Ordinary Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate Solution 20% in Vitamin F – Buy on Skinstore

The Ordinary Ascorbyl Glucoside Solution 12% – Buy on Skinstore

My personal experience:

I really want to try every product from the Ordinary that contains vitamin C, because there are so many of them! However, as of until now, the only product I’ve tried is Vitamin C Suspension 23% + HA Spheres.

This solution is a water free suspension of Vitamin C and Hyaluronic Acid. It contains pure Ascorbic Acid (which is the first ingredient in the ingredient list, meaning that it has the most concentration in the formula). The texture is not like of serum, feels more like lotion, and is a little bit grainy. I noticed that it has a mild burning effect at the moment you apply it to the skin, but I think this is due to the high concentration of Ascorbic Acid. I also think that this can happen when your skin is dry, as it is more sensitive.

3. Vitamin A (Retinol)

Retinol increases skin cell production (proliferation). It also increases collagen production, which plumps the skin and reduces fine lines and wrinkles. (SOURCE)

The Ordinary products that contain Retinol:

The Ordinary Retinol Serum 0.2% in Squalane – Buy on Skinstore

The Ordinary Retinol Serum 0.5% in Squalane – Buy on Amazon / Buy on Skinstore

The Ordinary Retinol Serum 1% in Squalane – Buy on Amazon / Buy on Skinstore

The Ordinary Granactive Retinoid 2% Emulsion – Buy on Amazon

The Ordinary Granactive Retinoid Serum 5% in Squalane – Buy on Skinstore

My personal experience:

The Ordinary has so many products that contain retinol so it may be hard to select one. The first product with retinol that I tried was Retinol Serum 1% in Squalane – I used it every night before going to sleep and soon noticed that my skin became really glowing and looked more youthful.

However, when starting retinol you should be careful because your skin might be too sensitive to this product. I remember when time my skin broke out, but as I said, I used it almost every night. Currently I’m using Retinol Serum 0.5% in Squalane because it contains less concentration of retinol. It’s definitely wise to start with products that contain less concentration of this ingredient and see how your skin reacts to it.