The Ordinary Top Picks for Slowvember- 23% Off All Month Long
Slowvember originally started as Deciem’s way of combatting the high-pressure sales environment of Black Friday, which often led to buying things on impulse without much consideration.
Instead, Deciem brands, including The Ordinary and NIOD, offer a 23% off discount sitewide for the full month of November.
The point of this is to still offer a great deal to loyal customers, maybe entice some new customers, but to also give everyone a chance to learn about the products properly, and ensure things are being purchased thoughtfully.
PS: Using code SLOWNMF gets you a free Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA - 100ml with every The Ordinary order.
About Deciem & The Ordinary
I have been a fan of Deciem pretty much since they started and used to watch Nicola Kilner (now CEO) when she used to visit Australia to do presentations on TVSN.
It was free learning about skincare ingredients, and I loved it.
Back then, The Ordinary was known for single ingredient products, and pioneered accessible pricing for commodity ingredients.
I would even go so far as to say the whole reason we know about niacinamide and hyaluronic acid is because of The Ordinary.
As the skincare industry has evolved, so has The Ordinary, and their newer range of products focus on Multi-Actives.
Formulations that are still well-priced but have a more comprehensive action.
The single ingredient products are still amazing value and I think a good introduction for people who haven’t tried certain ingredients. Or, if you’re looking to keep your routine simple.
The Ordinary Soothing & Barrier Support Serum
A multi-active solution designed to help repair skin barrier, soothe discomfort, and reduce the look of redness.
Also known as the ‘pink serum’, this is a standout product for overall skin health maintenance but also as a targeted skin soothing serum.
At its core this is a niacinamide crossed with cica serum boosted with extras to further support the skin barrier and help reduce the appearance of redness. One of my favourite products across all brands! The texture is more emollient so it has a moisturizing impact too.
Shop: Soothing & Barrier Support Serum 29.10 AUD to 22.41 AUD
The Ordinary Pycnogenol 5%
An antioxidant-rich plant extract that helps to brighten your skin.
This is a very simple formula consisting of Pycnogenol in a solvent. Pycnogenol is extracted from French bine bark and is known to have a wide range of skin benefits, namely being an antioxidant.
This is a great one to explore for under sunscreen. While it can be used as alternative to other antioxidants like Vitamin C, Pycnogenol is known to have a synergistic effect with Vitamin C to further boost its efficacy.
Tip: The texture of Pycnogenol 5% feels a bit oily, so I love to mix a few drops into Soothing & Barrier Support Serum. That has become a favourite serum combination.
Shop: Pycnogenol 5% 19.10 AUD to 14.71 AUD
The Ordinary Saccharomyces Ferment 30% Milky Toner
A gentle exfoliating toner that promotes smoother, brighter skin while boosting hydration. Suitable for sensitive skin.
One of my favourite products of the year, Saccharomyces Ferment 30% Milky Toner has both a moisturizing and mild exfoliating effect. It features NAG as part of the ferment which is a focus ingredient The Ordinary inherited from Estee Lauder.
NAG doesn’t directly exfoliate like typical acids, it more so promotes natural cell turnover by preventing the ‘links’ between dead cells from happening in the first place.
I spoke to the team at The Ordinary recently and they suggested NAG should have a similar effect to other topical acids, just over a longer period of use. Definitely gentle enough to be used daily.
Shop: Saccharomyces Ferment 30% Milky Toner 24.00 AUD to 18.48 AUD
The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 (With Ceramides)
A second-generation hyaluronic acid serum to hydrate, smooth and visibly reduce lines and wrinkles
The updated HA serum has a more refined texture than the previous version, feels much silkier and more luxe. Plus, the added ceramides make this a much more well-rounded product to target dryness and dehydration.
Shop: Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 (With Ceramides) 15.90 AUD to 12.24 AUD
The Ordinary Glycolipid Cream Cleanser
A gentle cream cleanser that effectively removes makeup.
A standout cleanser from The Ordinary and a gentle way to cleanse effectively. As cleansers have become milder, spending a bit of extra time working your cleanser into skin has become prudent. This cleanser has a delightful coconut scent from the raw ingredients and can be started on dry skin for the best effect.
Adding water will begin emulsification and adding more water will rinse things off cleanly. This is not a super-rich texture, it’s more of a gel cream feeling. I’m not sure it would be super effective for high pigment makeup, but general day to day cleansing will be great, and the key feature is its gentleness.
Shop: Glycolipid Cream Cleanser 19.70 AUD to15.17 AUD
The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 0.5% Body Serum
An exfoliating body serum to for blemish-prone skin to help minimise the appearance of pores, smooth uneven texture and balance the look of uneven tone.
If you have body breakouts and/or razor bumps this is a bumper size body serum that can be used by itself or coupled with a lotion. The formula is for sure simple, this is a hit because of the value and the clinically relevant percentage of salicylic acid without being too harsh. Great for regular use!
Shop: Salicylic Acid 0.5% Body Serum 24.20 AUD to18.63 AUD
Read: Budget Body Care by The Ordinary. Full Review, Swatches & More
The Ordinary Multi-Peptide + Copper Peptides
An advanced age-supporting serum with additional antioxidant support.
This a flagship product from The Ordinary and a key example of their ability to democratize ingredients. I think copper peptides are a good ingredient to explore if you feel your skin is in a bit of an imbalanced state. Or if you’re not able or don’t want to use retinoids.
Personally speaking, I prefer the NIOD option for copper peptides, but this is always a good one to start with due to the value.
Shop: Multi-Peptide + Copper Peptides 1% Serum 54.10 AUD to41.66 AUD
Conclusion
Slowvember is a great time to explore products you might have been interested in for a while but haven’t tried yet. And a good time to stock up on favourites.
If you are planning to stock up, try not to stock up on things that are probably best used fresh (like retinol). The spirit of Slowvember is to buy things slowly and intentionally so no need to end up with 10 different products, especially since the Multi-Actives are combing different ingredients anyway.
Disclaimer: Some links in this article are commission links. Anything earnt from using these links to purchase goes towards paying our talented writers.