Deciem Review Series - The Ordinary - Lactic Acid 10% + HA 2% - First Impressions

Welcome to part two of my First Impressions series!  Today I'm going to talk about one of the first products that I purchased from The Ordinary, the Lactic Acid 10% +HA 2%.

I'd like to quickly run through the purpose of this product and talk about methods of use and precautions, before I give my thoughts on it.  So, this one is all about exfoliation!  It's an AHA, though Glycolic acid is somewhat more common than Lactic acid for exfoliation, at least in Australia.  The great thing about Lactic, as opposed to Glycolic, is that it tends to be a bit gentler, with less irritation caused.  So, for those that cannot tolerate Glycolic acid but would like to use chemical exfoliation, this may be the product for you!  This product also contains 2% HA, which is a humectant, drawing moisture to your skin. As a side note, you should *always* take extra care with your SPF if you're using an AHA treatment, as it can increase sensitivity to the sun.  It's also best to only use this or any AHA as a night time treatment.

As I mentioned in my previous post, I have somewhat oily, acne-prone skin, with a tendency to sensitivity and a strong tendency to PIH (post inflammatory hyper pigmentation).  I've been using AHA products for quite some time, though predominantly Glycolic based ones.  Some of these did cause some pretty intense 'tingling' (ha!), so I was really quite excited to try this out.  There's an extract from Tasmanian Pepperberry in this serum, with claims that it reduces any irritation that might be caused from the exfoliation.

This is what I'd call a 'light serum', quite runny really, without much in the way of a scent.  The dropper system works well, given how liquid the formulation is it was probably a wise choice.  Upon application, it spreads quickly and easily, leaving a very slightly tacky feeling once absorbed.  As I layer my skincare, this certainly wasn't a problem; once I'd finished my skincare routine, there was no tackiness evident.  On a high note, unlike the Vitamin C suspension, this does *not* cause any balling up of product on the skin.  It just goes on, sinks in and that's that!

I'd like to note that I haven't experienced any tingling, itching, burning or discomfort whatsoever with this serum - Tasmanian Pepperberry, it seems like you're the goods!   The Ordinary does recommend that people new to AHA treatments start with the 5%, but I find the 10% simply lovely to use.  I have actually replaced my regular AHA treatment with this one and I use it daily.  It does play well with the other creams and serums in my arsenal, which is fantastic!  Lets not forget what an amazing price point it's at also, as with all products from The Ordinary.  A bottle of this will set you back approximately $13.00 in Australia - pretty great indeed.

As for results, I've been incredibly impressed with the response my skin has had to this product - I've notice a glowy vibrancy and my skin feels satiny smooth.  Definitely no breakouts induced either, so there's nothing here that triggered my acne or sensitivity.

Final result - highly recommended!  It's become an integral part of my skincare routine and I'll definitely be repurchasing.