As someone who graduated with a science degree, the Ordinary is a brand that appeals to my inner nerd. The Ordinary markets itself as no frills, simple but effective brand with clearly labeled active ingredients so that you know exactly what you are getting. Their price point is so affordable as well; their most expensive product retails for $17.80 CAD (for a Vitamin C serum), which isn’t exactly breaking the bank. Another great thing is that they are a Canadian company, so we get fair Canadian prices and free shipping with a $25 purchase, which is pretty sweet.
The first thing I pounced on was their High-Adherence Silicone Primer ($4.90 CAD), which Wayne Goss raved about. The Ordinary actually has two different primers, the other one being their High-Spreadability Fluid Primer ($7.90 CAD), but of course with my oily skin I would go with their mattifying primer. The product claims that it “uses advanced adaptive silicones to act as a matte, hydrating, blurring primer for makeup that looks higher in definition and adheres for longer”.
I have been trying this product out for about a month now, and my feelings are mixed. I have tried a lot of mattifying primers over the years, and usually they have a certain feel and texture when they go on. The Ordinary’s primer feels almost like a moisturizer when you put it on initially, rather than the dry, smooth feeling that the others usually have. It also looks a little shiny after application, as opposed to the instant matte look that I usually get with Benefit’s Porefessional or Dr Brandt’s Pores No More primers. It throws me off a little to be honest, because I’m not sure that I’m getting the matte look that I want with the primer.
In terms of efficacy, once blended into the skin it does blur my pores and ease the application of foundation. However, I am not sure that it really extends the life of my foundation. At six hours post-application, my nose looks as shiny as it would be if I hadn’t used any primer. That being said, I am really oily, and the foundations I usually use tend to be long-lasting on their own, so it could be the lifespan of the foundation that is the limiting factor.
Above is a comparison between the Ordinary’s primer and the L’Oreal Revitalift Miracle Blur Instant Skin Smoother Finishing Cream. As you can see, the texture coming out of the tube is very different.
Blended out, the Ordinary’s primer leaves a slightly glossy look on the skin, whereas the L’Oreal one is completely matte.
All in all, I like the pore smoothing effects of the Ordinary’s High-Adherence Silicone Primer, but it doesn’t give the matte look I usually desire. Not a bad primer, but not one I would use during the hottest months of summer. I will be trying it with the Ordinary Colours Coverage Foundation some time in the near future though, when I receive my order, so stay tuned for a review on that.
yours truly 