Learning The Ordinary’s Prep, Treat, Seal Method For Good Skin
Guests spent the afternoon exploring and learning about the different ingredients that help improve the skin.
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The Ordinary’s first-ever event in Malaysia last Friday (22 March) was an afternoon filled with education and exploration around their clinical formulations and latest product launches.
Liam Hislop, the Education Associate Manager at DECIEM, delved into the brand’s philosophy and shared exciting insights about the brand’s products such as the reformulated most loved product – Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 – and their strongest retinoid yet – the Retinal 0.2% Emulsion.
Hislop also shared the 3-step Prep, Treat, Seal method that anyone including people who are new to skincare, can easily follow.
Here’s how the method works:
1. Prep
For the first step, prep your skin by washing it with a cleanser that’s suited for your skin. This is to remove residue and dirt from the skin and prepare it to absorb your serums and moisturiser.
2. Treat
The second step is where you include toners and/or serums to improve problem skin areas such as acne, acne scars, pigmentation, fine lines and more.
Always start small before adding on more products to the skin. It’s advisable to find out what your skin needs more of before piling on products.
It’s best to use at least two to three serums because the skin cannot properly absorb any more than that.
3. Seal
Finally, you need to seal and lock in all the hydration with a good moisturiser.
TLDR: You don’t need to do a whole 10-step beauty routine. Keep your skincare routine simple.
Checking out some of the new products
During my time with The Ordinary, I got to check out the product lineup while learning how the different ingredients help improve the skin.
I took the opportunity to test the texture of The Ordinary’s reformulated Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5. As promised, the new formula does not leave a tacky feeling after applying and absorbs quickly into my skin.
In the skincare community, retinol has long been touted as a holy grail for skin concerns. Retinol helps with healthy cell turnover, resulting in smoother and firmer-looking skin. It helps manage skin issues like fine lines, uneven skin tone, and skin roughness.
The Retinal 0.2% Emulsion is a new product and is the strongest retinol in its retinol range.
This brings three different iterations of retinol aka Vitamin A in its lineup: retinol, granactive retinoid, and now retinal.
What’s different between retinol and retinal?
Retinal aka retinaldehyde is a form of Vitamin A that is one conversion step closer than retinol to the most direct form of Vitamin A since retinol must undergo two conversions once applied to the skin.
With retinal, the “process” is shortened by a step, making the delivery of the bioactive form of retinol molecules into the skin more efficient.
While retinol is a great product, it’s not suitable for everyone’s skin as it can cause irritation or skin dryness.
This is why consumers are always reminded to start with a small concentration of retinol and pair it with a good moisturiser.
The Retinal 0.2% Emulsion has the addition of Synthetic Oat Analogues, a synthetic form of avenanthramide, to help target skin discomfort and dryness.
It’s advisable to use retinol products at night as the skin will be more sensitive to UV exposure after using retinol. If you’re including retinol in your beauty regimen, you’ll need to apply sunblock during the day to protect the skin.
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