These Popular Anti-Aging Products and Serums Are on Sale All Month
Join the anti-Black Friday movement. These dermatologist-approved anti-aging skin care products and serums from Deciem's The Ordinary are on sale all month long.
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Holiday shopping and skin care
The big holidays and Black Fridayโthe biggest shopping dayโare not far away. Most people love a good sale, and Black Friday has some of the best. But along with those sales comes the Black Friday stress of dealing with crowds in stores, the panic from an e-commerce site crashing with too much traffic, and the overall rushed feeling of just buying quickly because things are on sale.
What if you could get those Black Friday deals longer than just a single day? The beauty and skin care brand Deciem is doing just that, offering 23 percent off its merchandise, including anti-aging products, during November. (Need advice? Here are some dermatologist-recommended OTC skin care products.)
“Deciem houses several different brands aimed at skin, body, and hair care,” says Marie Hayag, MD, board-certified dermatologist, founder of 5th Avenue Aesthetics in New York, New York. “I appreciate that Deciem is constantly testing and creating new formulations. Additionally, I think everyone can appreciate that they do not do any animal testing.”
Shopping mindfully
The thought behind this month-long sale is that you’ll have the chance to get quality skin care products, especially from Deciem’s brand, The Ordinary (known for making stellar products for a great price), and shop mindfully, without the panic of a single-day sale lingering over your purchases. You can stock up on some of your favorites or add new ones to your anti-aging beauty arsenal.
“I think this is a great perspective to have when it comes to buying skin care products,” says Dr. Hayag. “Rushing to buy products just because they’re on sale makes us want to buy things that we otherwise wouldn’t purchase. It’s so easy to get overwhelmed with too many products. By slowing down and becoming less tempted to impulse buy, people can think about and purchase what they actually want to try and need.”
Hadley King, MD, board-certified dermatologist and clinical instructor of dermatology at Weill Cornell in New York City, agrees that shopping slow and without pressure to buy things we may not need is a good thing.
“Conscious consumption means that thought and education should guide our choices about what we consume and in this way we can consume more responsibly,” she says. “Skin care choices should be based on education and finding products that are a good fit for youโfrom skin type to skin issues and goals to sustainability and responsible sourcing. This is enabled by taking the time to educate yourself and making more intentional decisions.”
Popular anti-aging products and serums
With this month-long sale in full force, you have plenty of time to visit Deciem’s site to take advantage of their anti-Black Friday deals. But to give you a little help and direction, we’ve rounded up some of Deciem’s The Ordinary best quality serums and anti-aging skin care products.
Here’s what our dermatologists recommend. (And here are some anti-aging secrets dermatologists won’t tell you for free.)
The Ordinary B Oil
$7
The Ordinary B oil is a blend of numerous oils including marula, argan, rosehip, and Brazil nut oil. “It has a slightly herbal smell to it due to its high microalgae concentration,” says Dr. Hayag. “Since there are multiple oils in the formula, it provides multiple functions including fighting against free-radicals and providing hydration.” It’s suitable for all skin types and for daily use, especially after using water-based products.
The Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG
$5
Apply this lightweight formula from The Ordinary’s caffeine solution in the morning and evening around the eye area. “Caffeine is a helpful ingredient for under-eye puffiness because it causes the blood vessels to constrict, leading to a decrease in fluid accumulation,” says Dr. King. “This is an elegant formulation for the eye area that contains enough caffeine to effectively decrease puffiness.”
The Ordinary 100% Cold-Pressed Virgin Marula Oil
$8
Restore radiance to your skin using this oil. “Because this marula oil is cold-pressed, the integrity of the ingredients that provide skin care benefits can be maintained,” explains Dr. Hayag. “Marula oil is high in fatty acids which provide hydration and leave skin feeling smooth. It also contains vitamin E, a potent antioxidant that helps skin to stay looking young.”
The Ordinary Granactive Retinoid 2 % Emulsion
$8
This creamy, hydrating emulsion is the perfect way to wrap up your day. Apply it to your face at night before any heavier treatmentsโ”granactive” refers to a gentler delivery system for the skin-rejuvenating retinoids. “I like that they offer a variety of retinol and granactive retinoid formulations to provide the benefits of retinoids at different strengths to suit different skin types,” says Dr. King. Note that retinoids can make your skin more sensitive to the sun, so be sure to wear sunscreen during the day when using this product.
The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%
$6
Your skin will appear brighter and smoother after using this product in the morning and evening. This suspension is a good option for acne-prone skin and rosacea-prone skin, explains Dr. Hayag. Azelaic acid is found in grains and it has both anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties, so it can calm acne hot spots.
“The azelaic acid acts as an antibacterial, reducing acne-causing bacteria. It also regulates the production of certain skin cells, preventing hair follicles from clogging up. Most importantly this means fewer whiteheads, blackheads, and acne lesions. These features including anti-inflammatory and skin lightening properties make it a wonderful product for acne. Because of its high amount of azelaic acid I recommend it a lot to my acne patients especially those that tend to get pigmentation.”
The Ordinary Buffet
$11
This product is named “buffet” because it offers multiple benefits in one bottle. “This serum is a great way to address wrinkles, dryness, and dull skin,” says Dr. Hayag. “It contains multiple hyaluronic acids and peptide complexes, which provide hydration, elasticity, and leave the skin looking younger and plump.” The ingredients in this serum aren’t very irritating either, making this serum suitable for all skin types, Dr. Hayag adds.
The Ordinary Lactic Acid 10% + HA, $5
$5
This product features the ingredient Tasmanian pepperberry, which some research suggests can reduce inflammation and sensitivityโboth of which are helpful when using an exfoliating formula like this one. “Lactic acid is unique in that it is an alpha hydroxy acid but it’s also a humectant, so it can both gently exfoliate and help to hydrate the skin,” explains Dr. King.
The Ordinary AHA 30% BHA 2% Peeling Solution
$6
If you’re an experienced exfoliator, this product is a good option and can provide anti-aging benefits. Alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs) come from citrus fruits and other plants; one of the better known beta-hydroxy acids (BHAs) comes from salicylateโthe active ingredient in aspirin. Both ingredients work to renew your skin. “This peeling solution has multiple AHAs to provide highly effective exfoliation to reveal brighter, younger-looking skin underneath,” explains Dr. Hayag. “Plus, the BHA aids in decongesting pores to resolve blemishes. This solution is best for those that don’t have sensitive skin, and make sure to leave this on for 10 minutes at most.”
The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% +B5
$5
Your own body makes hyaluronic acidโit’s a thick substance that helps you retain moisture. “Hyaluronic acid is a very effective humectant, so it’s great for adding hydration to the skin,” says Dr. King. “Vitamin B5 also helps to keep the skin smooth and soft.” Place a few drops of this vegan formula to your face both in the morning and evening, before you put on any creams. (Here are more vegan skin care products you might enjoy.)
The Ordinary Vitamin C Suspension 23% + HA Spheres 2%
$4
Vitamin C is an antioxidant known for reducing signs of aging, and is one of the main ingredients in this product. “I love that the brand provides a guide to educate the consumer about different formulations of vitamin C,” says Dr. King. “They offer a variety of formulations and clearly explain the differences to help the consumer make an educated decision about which will be the best fit for them.”
Next, read about the best products for every decade.
- Marie Hayag, MD, board certified dermatologist, founder of 5th Avenue Aesthetics in New York, New York
- Hadley King, MD, board-certified dermatologist and clinical instructor of dermatology at Weill Cornell in New York City