Are The Ordinary's Products Actually Dangerous? The Truth About The Chemical Burn Claims

unless you are completely new to the world of skincare you've probably heard of the ordinary they are one of the most popular skincare brands on the market right now and have been for about 5 years they know for their somewhat stripped back approach to Skin Care in certain ways and providing effective products at affordable prices and on this channel you often hear me say that I have a LoveHate relationship with the ordinary whilst I feel like they did so much for the skincare industry and the Cosmetics industry as a whole making us interested and kind

of more switched on about the ingredients we're using in our skincare What percentages even mean and really beginning to ask questions about what's n skincare they also screwed over a lot of our skin on the other hand they can be quite a difficult brand to understand and despite the kind of stripped back appearance their products and their actives and ingredients can be a little bit of a mindfield when it comes to actually deciding what you should and shouldn't use on your skin for the vast majority of people the ordinary is a staple in their routine

but not everyone 's experience with the brand has lived up to that reputation over the years since their launch there have always been some people claiming that the ordinaries products has caused everything from chemical burns irritation and even long-term skin issues and these complaints seem to be getting even more frequent in recent years especially when apps like Tik Tok and Instagram started their short form content a lot of people were sharing their issues with the brand and their products so what's really going on here are the ordinary making these dangerous products that purposely damage people's

skin or is there a little bit more to those claims in today's video I want to talk about some of the negative reactions that people have had why I personally think they're having those reactions and what you can do to avoid it happening to you so let's have a look at what issues some people have had with the ordinary's products in particular so when the ordinary launched back in 2016 the brand made an immediate impact on the world right it was crazy like people just became obsessed with them and on YouTube the only skincare content

for a long time was about the ordinary consumers loved and still do love their transparency around uh particular ingredients including the concentration and of actives in their products it's 2018 and Natasha marlu decided to try the ordinary salic acid 2% solution in an attempt to boost what she described as the very basic skincare routine that she'd been using consisting of soap water and a light moisturizer that's a little bit too basic if it's actual soap so she's never used the product before right and she didn't want to use too much so she put two drops

on a cotton pad and applied it to her face she said that she didn't have any adverse reactions at first other than her skin going a little bit red right but there was no pain she thought it was normal and just went to bed however when she woke up the next morning she realized something was very very wrong and in an interview with the Daily Mail she said when I woke up for work the next morning and I looked in the mirror I wondered what was all over my face my initial reaction was that it

was loads of spots it kind of looked like I had 100 white heads on my face I touched my chin and that's when something popped and I had realized that they were blisters all this clear and yellow liquid came out it was horrible she goes on to say it felt like a throbbing pain on my face it was burning and sore to touch my forehead was where it hurt the most as that was the deepest burn so of course Natasha ended up going to hospital and she was told that she suffered from chemical burns and

she was given a course of antibiotics and signed off work for 2 weeks basically to give the wound some time to properly heal so she actually got in touch with the ordinary not a lot of people do this but she got in touch to complain about her experience but apparently they responded by offering her a £425 refund for the product she bought and to send her another product to soo irritation obviously she didn't think that was good enough it's not very likely that when somebody's had a bad reaction from a particular product from a particular

brand that they then want to invest their money or time or efforts into another one of their products she said that the packaging actually only warned about stopping use in case of persistent irritation and that the product could increase the skin sensitivity to the Sun and she just kind of wants the ordinary to update their packaging to include warnings about possible side effects from just one application and so that this could have been avoided if those warnings were in place and after what she experienced it's a reasonable thing to ask for I think in my

opinion just another little warning to be added it's obviously very sad that this happened to her but I'm not sure what really would would have prevented this to be honest with you almost everyone tends to ignore those kind of warnings and assumes it won't happen to them just like people ignore the advice to patch test products before using them on your face so whether that would actually have made a difference is very very debatable and we can just say now that this is almost a rarity one use from a cotton pad this is an extreme

reaction to minimal product and that's not to say that you need a certain amount of product in order to cause some significant damage as we can see but I do think to put a a warning that one just one use of this product could could cause chemical burns is a little bit extreme when it's such a rare thing to do especially as they already recommend you patch test that patch test probably would have made such a big difference in the first place not to put blame on the consumer but this is why patch testing is

so important another case was that of Aurora Garcia who went viral after sharing her reaction she had to the ordinaries AHA 30% plus BHA 2% exfoliating and brightening peeling solution in 2020 you know the one this is the one that people were dripping down their face in extreme amounts pretending it was like blood or something some people on Tik Tok were Derma rolling over this people in their pre-teen kids in their pre-teens were using this product unnecessarily I personally do believe this is an unnecessary product I don't think anybody needs this high percentage exfoliation at

home in an interview she did with BuzzFeed she described how she'd been struggling with blackheads and white heads like on her nose and on her chin for a while I know that little bit there and describing how she found out about the product she said when I saw the ordinary peeling Solution on Tik Tok I ordered it because it seemed legit considering so many people had reviewed it as she never used the product before Aurora did do a patch test first isn't that amazing she applied the solution to her upper cheek and left it for

5 minutes she didn't feel really any tingling or any other kind of reaction whatsoever after that time so she assumed that it was fine to use I mean it's good that she did a patch test right so many people don't do it so many people ignore that advice but 5 minutes is a little bit short it might be fine for something like a cleanser that you're going to wash very very quickly but generally you should be leaving that product on your face for as long as it directs you to so if you're patch testing a

new serum or chemical exfoliant like a toner you would just leave on you wouldn't wash off but I would always recommend tap patch testing behind the ear or like on the neck so really the peeling solution should have been left on for about 10 minutes so double the time and that's just for when you wash it off you should then really wait another 24 hours to see if there's any redness burning or irritation that occurs after right so pretty quickly after doing her patch test Aurora then applied the product to her problem areas so her

T-Zone the nose and the chin at first there were no issues whatsoever but the day after she used the solution for the first time she started to notice like little bumps all over her chin her skin in the area also felt Tighter and was starting to burn I mean Aurora did the right thing and she stopped using any skincare products on her face at this point but things were only going to start getting worse over the next few days she said by the third day there were blisters covering my chin at this point the pain

was probably about five however as the days went by the pain got worse I couldn't eat I could barely open my mouth and I had to keep a protective gauze on the area after visiting an Urgent Care Center Aurora was actually diagnosed with impo and given antibiotics and an ointment to treat the area it's worth pointing out that impo is a secondary issue here skincare products don't directly cause impo but if you've had a bad reaction to a product then it can possibly create an opening in your skin for bacteria to get in which is

what causes impo the bacteria so had she had an open wound on her chin acne she picked a spot maybe she had picked at her blackheads she had a cut there maybe the product did cause some irritation on her skin which then led to it but this product doesn't give you impetigo if that makes sense although it could have helped cause it you know Aurora herself made a Tik Tok clarifying that she doesn't blame the ordinaries product for causing the issue she was very very aware that different skin types react differently to different products and

she was just unlucky that she had a negative reaction she now advises people on her Tik Tok account to do their Research into products and to understand what works for their skin type before trying new products I mean she's seems completely switched on when it comes to skincare especially as she did do a patch test she didn't do it quite correctly but the idea was there you know so again this is just a prime example of not everything works for everyone and unfortunately there are going to be some product that do completely destroy someone's skin

that is going to be somebody else's Holy Grail I mean luckily for Aurora she didn't have to suffer for too long at all actually and within a couple of weeks her skin was mostly back to normal but unfortunately this kind of issue still seems to be a problem to this day and a quick look on Tik Tok and at product reviews on the ordinary's website shows that plenty of people are still having problems with the Brand's products one woman in particular says that she has sensitive skin then complaining she had a reaction to the ordinary's

pink barrier serum it's like the bar soothing barrier support serum but it came to be known as the pink serum right hey guys not to be a slender slenderer of the ordinary but I tried their like pink barrier serum it ruined my face it messed me up bad this is what my skin normally looks like so it messed me up bad guys I have sensitive skin too so maybe that was an L on my part several people in the comments said that they had the same issue this is like a multi-ingredient serum that honestly I

absolutely love and it contains eight active ingredients and Technologies they say including nicomide vitamin B12 a camide complex inella asiatica biod derivatives GIC acid derivatives a soothing complex abysal and sugar-based hydrators but this just goes to show you that even a product that is me to help heal and soothe the skin somebody out there somewhere is going to have a reaction to it because it is skin care like in this Tik Tok where the poster was using the ordinaries 10% plus zinc 1% nicomide serum no that's wrong the ordinary's nicomide 10% plus zinc 1% she

thought she was just purging she was breaking out really really bad so she kept using it but she says after a few months it stopped helping her skin so she stopped using it others in the comments said that they were having the same issue one woman in particular says that 10% niwi is too strong for most people admits she has sensitive skin and then complains in a review that she broke out because 10% is too strong however I did have a chat with Michelle from Lab muffin Beauty science recent and niite isn't necessarily a triggering

ingredient even at higher doses you know it's like saying like centella could be too irritating it's not known to be an irritating ingredient so that's kind of up in the air I think people get confused because there are so many actives that are more irritating higher percentages but nicomide has hasn't actually been shown to be one of them which is interesting but I do find it weird that you don't necessarily need a 10% nicomide anyway when it's been shown to have really good benefits at 2 to 3% but the product reviews for this product are

generally very positive of a star rating of 4.3 but there are also some people giving negative reviews complaining that they broke out several of them admit to KN that they have sensitive skin so products tend to irritate their skin regardless of what the concentration is and admit that they should have basically done some research before but they left negative reviews anyway so again I never want to blame the user of a product and as much as I agree that the ordinary maybe do have some actives that are too high percentage and unnecessary products a lot

of these things are down to the fact of user error not doing patch tests and just using products that you don't necessarily need and then we have this video here which you're going to watch where this Creator says that the ordinary cicc acid 2% solution made her breakout made her skin red and blotchy this is a huge PSA to all the girlies if you're thinking of using the ordinary salicylic acid 2% solution because it was recommended to you maybe don't and lots of people in the reviews for this particular product say that they've used this

product for months or years with no problems but then all of a sudden they had issues with it in 2024 so they're wondering if the formula has changed potentially so why is this happening you know we kind of touched on it but the ordinary is a brand that does a lot right they provide high quality effective and science back products at a very reasonable price and their prices have gone up but in comparison they're still reasonable they're known for being transparent about their ingredients and their formulation so we do know exactly what we're getting they

don't make these vague promises or confusing or use confusing jargon the products are simply named after the ingredients that they contain so really they are giving us a wealth of information but I often think it's too much when so many other Beauty Brands are using marketing buzzwords and focusing more on extravagant packaging or elabor or elaborate marketing claims or trademarking weird names for a bunch of you know eight weights of hyaluronic acid the ordinary's approach aims at simplifying Beauty and making it more accessible but that doesn't mean they always get it right despite aiming to

simplify the industry the minimalist approach can some sometimes result in more confusion and a lack of understanding of their products in my opinion which in turn can lead to misuse or overuse we know their products with potent active ingredients includes like glycolic acid salicylic acid retinol vitamin C other very heavy exfoliants they also offer them in higher concentrations than a lot of other brands on the market do so if you're new to using these kind of ingredients and don't really know how they work or what they're really for what you should and shouldn't be using

them with for example there's a risk that it could cause more damage to Your Skin Barrier to your skin in general increase sensitivity cause more damage than good and obviously I'm not trying to demonize any of these actives that's that's never what I this one dog here honestly I'm not trying to demonize any of the ingredients or the actives they can be a hugely important and integral part of your skincare routine know helping to make your skin look the best it's ever been the best it's ever felt brighter firmer plumper more even whatever they can

address skin concerns ranging from hyperpigmentation uneven skin tone break Out rough skin texture you know the ordinary really does have it all but if you ever overdone it with your ahas and bhas you'll know that there are some less than desirable side effects and so we know it's it's so important to actually understand these ingredients and how to incorporate them into your skincare routine and how your particular skin type might react to them and this is my ISS not my issue but although the ordinary do provide educ educational materials on their website like an ingredient

glossery Glide guide to layering products effectiv and how to build a skincare routine they could arguably do a little bit more to make it clear to new customers that these products aren't necessarily for everyone and that's kind of where I feel the ordinary can really go wrong and how what the ordinary did is amazing is also quite troubling and unnecessary at the same time the ordinary have everything you would ever need ingredient wise for every skincare concern but that's also the problem is they have everything every ingredient you ever need for every possible skincare concern

and in my opinion and my experience not just with myself but talking to people about skincare a lot of the time you're like oh do I need that should I use that do I need AIC acid should I be using a vitamin C should I be using glycolic acid and then you kind of Link ingredients to every skincare concern you have and end up having this extensive routine with far too many products in far too many actives and this is why I think I favor nowadays those kind of like serums that do it all they

kind of like have a checklist of things they do so you can use two serums in your routine rather than thinking right I've got these 10 serums for all the concerns I have in my routine how do I SL these into a weekly routine what can I and can't I use together how is my skin going to react it actually becomes so much more complicated than ever had to be I think it's great if you realistically you know you're going to have a minimal routine you cleanse you hydrate you have your one treatment stage from

the ordinary and then you're go to moisturizer sunscreen right but for enthusiasts or for people who have multiple concerns I just don't think the ordinary is a good idea and I think that's reflected in their products as well they never had these barrier caring products until people started having reaction and with that being said the responsibility of course does also lie with the user at the end of the day a brand can only tell you so much and I do believe the ordinary do a good job doing your own research into your skin type what

sorry it's just hair there dog hair everywhere doing your own research into your own skin type what's going to work for it how to incorporate new products safely is so necessary to make sure you're looking after your skin properly so it really is super simple on how you can avoid these issue patch testing is so important integrating new products especially those with higher concentration concentrations of actives do a patch test I'm guilty for not doing a patch test right what I think is even more important which I I've had to emphasize over on Tik Tok

actually is gradual introduction of products introduce potent products slowly and this means dropping everything else I have a core routine of a cleanser a toner and a moisturizer and a sunscreen that I've used for years and years and years and I know my skin has no reaction to these products so then I can safely introduce a new product into routine if anything happens to my skin I know it's that product you can then slowly start building your routine from there chopping and changing as you go the amount of people I see over on Tik Tok

who have bought a whole new skincare routine and use it all in one go and then blame the products when their skin reacts to it it's craziness it's craziness sun protection I know we all use sunscreen the majority of us but when using active ingredients it can increase photosensitivity of your skin of course so it's crucial to apply skin care there is no point doing all this stuff if you're not wearing sunscreen especially when it comes to evening out skin tone and of course pay attention to irritation signs of irritation redness burning s stinging excessive

dryness and adjust your skincare routine necessarily so if this happens to you you will know stop using any active ingredients potent serums and focus on gentle very gentle cleansers hydrating moisturizers and barrier repairing products funny enough the ordinary skin healing bar like what that pink Serum is a good one so yes I guess my closing message is whilst I have a LoveHate relationship with the ordinary they have some very effective products that very high percentages and it really is down to us as consumers to patch test follow the directions on the packaging just listen to

our skin so please don't let this video put you off using the ordinary products they can be incredibly effective for a lot of people and they obviously are and they are arguably some of the most effective and better quality products on the market right now