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The Beauty Wonk

January 7, 2020

The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10% Review

I’ve been using The Ordinary’s products from the past 2 years and most of them have worked really well for my skin. But their 10% Azelaic Acid Suspension is one of the best yet underrated products. 

It’s been really helpful in calming down my irritated skin, reducing congestion and redness – all this while making sure there’s no tingling or burning that we usually experience with other acids. So, it was mandatory for me to review it and let the world know how wonderful this is!

Disclosure: Contains affiliate links. I receive a small commission for purchases made via them.

What is Azelaic Acid?

Azelaic acid is a dicarboxylic acid that’s made from products like barley and wheat but most brands use lab-engineered form due to stability and effectiveness. Did you know it is produced naturally by the yeast that lives on healthy skin?

It is a gentle exfoliant which helps to unclog pores and refine the skin’s texture. Azelaic acid is an excellent ingredient to calm down inflammation especially for people with rosacea. 

Personally, it has worked amazing in helping me with skin congestion and redness.

Unlike direct acids and retinol, it’s pretty gentle on the skin and is considered to be pregnancy safe. It also fights acne, helps in lightening post-acne spots and gives even skin tone.

It’s the most effective when the concentration is between 15 and 20% (prescription based), but there’s research to suggest that even at a lower concentration of 10%, it shows results.

If these are some of your skincare concerns then keep on reading to know how The Ordinary Azelaic Acid helped me to fight these skin issues and the one thing I don’t like about it.

Ingredients & Product Description

Ingredients List The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension
Ingredients

It is nut-free, vegan, gluten-free, cruelty-free, alcohol-free, oil-free and has a pH between 4.00-5.00.

Price: USD 10 for 30ml

Availability: You can buy it from Sephora, ULTA, or the brand’s website.

My Thoughts on The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension

Their Glycolic Acid Toner was my first product from The Ordinary and as soon as I started to see results from it, I bought a bunch of other products.

The Azelaic Acid Suspension was one of them. This underrated ingredient deserves a lot of love and attention, so does this suspension from the brand.

Packaging

The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension comes in a small grey coloured tube with the flip open cap whose opening is sealed. The packaging is easy to travel with and functional. This tube comes enclosed in a white cardboard box that has all the product details.

Texture & Smell

The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension Texture
Texture

The gel-to-cream texture for me was the least favourite thing about this product. This azelaic acid has a silicone base and that’s the reason this product doesn’t have a gritty feel. However, it’s too silicone-y and I feel like I’m applying a pore-filling primer on my face.

If you have dry skin, you need to top it off with a rich moisturiser to avoid dryness. I wish it felt a bit more hydrating as I’m not fond of the matte silicone feel I get. But then it’s just $10 right?

I usually use it over the area that needs some attention and haven’t noticed “excessive” pilling. But it doesn’t work well under makeup so the best time to use this is at night.

The Ordinary doesn’t use fragrance in their products and the smell of the azelaic acid suspension is raw but not at all strong. It’s the closest a fragrance-free & essential-oil free product can come to smelling fine.

How to Use AZELAIC ACID?

After cleansing and toner (if you use any) apply a thin layer of azelaic acid all over the areas that need extra help or the entire face if you wish.

Chances are that your skin might feel dry so you can apply moisturiser over it or apply a hydrating serum before the azelaic acid.

Packaging of The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension
Packaging

The point is to not have a lot of layers between the cleanser and azelaic acid stage so the product reaches your skin and works in the most effective manner.

I have oily skin and this is how I incorporate the azelaic acid in my routine. During summers, I cleanse my face, spray a hydrating face mist/ toner and then apply azelaic acid when the toner is completely absorbed.

During winters, even oily skin needs extra hydration so it’s usually cleansing followed by a calming and moisturising serum and then azelaic acid. If the skin is too dry, I follow up with a moisturiser.

It can be used in the same routine as other acids (tried and tested with both AHA & BHA but check what works for you) and can be used every day, either morning or night.

If you have an extended routine then just remember that it goes after toner, serum, etc and before moisturiser and oil.

This product is like a skincare SOS for me so I mostly use it when my skin starts acting up and gets a lot of whiteheads, painful red bumps and overall redness on certain areas. The sad part is that it’s happening a lot these days (LOL) and this product has helped me immensely!

Does THE ORDINARY AZELAIC ACID Work?

YES! I’ll give you my recent experience. My skin basically went down the drain a few weeks ago and I got multiple acne on both my cheeks. 

Initially, I used pimple patches (and they worked) but every day I’d get 3 new so the situation was getting out of hand and I’m not rich enough to be using multiple pimple patches daily. 

And then there were large areas that were red and painful. Basically, my cheeks would hurt bad on just touching and it was filled with multiple forms of acne.

How to use The Ordinary Azelaic Acid in Your Routine
Skincare Routine

And this is the nighttime routine I followed to soothe my irritated skin:

Cleanse – By Wishtrend Acid Duo Cleanser
Serum – By Wishtrend 15% Propolis Ampoule
Treat – The Ordinary Azelaic Acid on both the cheeks

In the morning, I’d just use the same cleanser and serum followed by Purito Unscented Centella SPF if I had to go out. (which I didn’t mostly)

And my skin REALLY calmed down within 3-4 days, the whiteheads disappeared, the redness was gone so was the pain and I had 2 active acne that I treated by applying The Ordinary Salicylic Acid as a spot treatment.

Once the skin cleared up with some post-acne spots left behind, I added one of my old products back in my routine. 

One use and BAM the same problems came back in a day!! I ran back to the above-mentioned routine and things got better in the next 3-4 days. The propolis ampoule also has been really helpful in making sure my skin stays calm, hydrated and doesn’t itch.

Before Using The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension
Before – See the redness?

I’m happy that the second encounter showed me the reason (product) that made my skin mad. And that it gave me a chance to click a ‘before and after picture’ to show you guys how the azelaic acid helped to reduce redness overnight!

I only have pictures to show the improvement in redness but trust me I had a lot of bumps and whiteheads too (the first time) that disappeared with sticking to the above-mentioned routine.

Sorry for the strong flash, I had zero will to switch on the lights or remove the blinds.

Redness Gone After Using The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension
After – Redness Gone!

I’m telling you this entire story so you know how much it has helped my skin. This is the reason why I wanted to write a review on the azelaic acid suspension. If you’ve been facing similar issues, give this product a try. It WORKS!

I’ve been using this more as a treatment when my skin needs it and not once has it caused any sort of burning or stinging which isn’t the case with alpha or beta hydroxy acids.

Shop The Post

After my skin became normal, I continued using it to see how it works on lightening the acne spots. And it has been nothing but a delight. I haven’t completely gotten rid of those stubborn marks but they have lightened! Will update the experience here if they completely go away!

I’ve heard some people say that silicone doesn’t work well with their skin so The Ordinary Azelaic Acid might not be the best if you’re one of them.

Is it a dupe for Paula’s Choice 10% Azelaic Acid Booster?

Ah, the famous question! I haven’t used Paula’s but from what I have heard from people I trust and the ingredients list – The answer is no, at least not an exact one. While both the products have 10% azelaic acid as their hero ingredient, Paula’s Choice has a lot more to offer (hence more money to take from us). 

Paula’s Choice costs $36 while The Ordinary costs $10 for the same quantity. But these are the reasons that make Paula’s Choice 10% Azelaic Acid Booster superior:

  • It has 0.5% salicylic acid combined with azelaic acid that will really help unclog the pores and reduce blackheads & acne effectively. 
  • It also has licorice extract that would help the product in lightening the dark spots at a faster rate.
  • But the best part is their formula! It’s not silicone-y in any way, instead, it feels moisturising.

Buy Paula’s Choice Azelaic Acid

Conclusion

If you’ve been dealing with redness, have rosacea, congested pores and acne – mainly whiteheads, or milia then The Ordinary 10% Azelaic Acid is something you ought to have in your skincare routine.

The product is inexpensive and effective with a balanced pH — isn’t that what we mainly want from skincare?

Why You Should Buy The Ordinary Azelaic Acid?

  • Reduces redness
  • Reduces whiteheads
  • Decongests the skin
  • Calms down the skin
  • Slowly evens out skin
  • Lightens acne spots
  • pH 4-5
  • Cruelty-free
  • Vegan
  • Non-irritating
  • Exfoliates mildly
  • Travel-friendly packaging

Why You Should Avoid The Ordinary Azelaic Acid?

  • Very silicone-y texture

Don’t forget to pin it on Pinterest!

Related Posts You Might Like:

The Ordinary Niacinamide + Zinc Serum

The Ordinary Caffeine Solution + EGCG Review

Which is better? – The Ordinary Glycolic Acid vs Pixi Glow Tonic

By: Rifat Yaseen · In: Skincare

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Hello, it's Rifat! Welcome to my beauty space where I talk about makeup, skincare & haircare. My aim is to talk about healthy skin and not run after unrealistic beauty standards.

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thebeautywonk

Rifat 🇮🇳 Skincare Blogger
Not every product will remove your acne or stubbor Not every product will remove your acne or stubborn dermal PIH. But do they suck? Maybe they have ingredients that will help you in maintaining your skin?🤔

In many cases, the brands are to be blamed too. They tend to overpromise and underdeliver which sets wrong expectations in consumers.

👉 Anyway, these were just my thoughts and idk about the research behind it. Take it with a grain of🧂

✨Feel free to drop in your skincare queries.✨

‼️By no means I want to imply that skincare is as important and necessary as food. That was just an analogy.😌
I see too many "Oh it's just hydrates the skin" bu I see too many "Oh it's just hydrates the skin" but,

What if your skin is dull because it's not hydrated? What if you're breaking out because your barrier is impaired due to lack of moisturization? What if your face feels tight because it's dehydrated? What if the minor fine lines are a result of lack of hydration? Hydrate your skin... with skincare products ofc, not by drinking water😋

PS: apologies for playing with the emoji. I got carried away🥳

Feel free to comment in case you need product suggestions 😊

#skincarequotes #skincaredaily #skincaretips #skincarelove #igskincare #365skincare #skincareaddiction #skincareaddict #takecareofyourskin #dryskincare #oilyskin  #skincarecommunity #skinroutine #skinproducts #skintips #skincareadvice #skincarereview #sensitiveskin #dehydratedskin #skincaretips101 #skincarethread
I have a super low maintenance hair (not the scalp I have a super low maintenance hair (not the scalp though but that's another story). They're straight, moderately frizzy, not too dry, and not too dense. Now let's see how the @nykaabeauty Onion & Fenugreek haircare worked for me. (gifted)

TL;DR Shampoo is good.

𝗗𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗼 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗳𝗮𝗹𝗹?
I don't know. I do shed a lot of hair in general but I don't sit and count them. I don't want to stress about nothing. I do have certain areas that lack density but idc atm, I'll marry rich and use the guy's money to get a transplant or something.

👉All I can say is, the shampoo cleanses the hair well, lathers really well for an SLS free shampoo, doesn't strip the hair, and didn't trigger more hairfall in my case. The texture is runny and the packaging is convenient.💙

𝙀𝙫𝙚𝙣 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙄 𝙨𝙠𝙞𝙥𝙥𝙚𝙙 𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙞-𝙙𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙧𝙪𝙛𝙛 𝙨𝙝𝙖𝙢𝙥𝙤𝙤, 𝙢𝙮 𝙨𝙘𝙖𝙡𝙥 𝙙𝙞𝙙𝙣'𝙩 𝙜𝙚𝙩 𝙞𝙩𝙘𝙝𝙮.🥳

Which shampoo are you using these days? Do you like it? Hate it? Meh it?

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗲𝗿?
I expect a conditioner to soften and detangle my hair. And this one failed. The softness is OK-ish, doesn't help with frizz, and my hair feel tangled. It's as good as not applying any conditioner. And as I said, my hair is easy.

👉I tried different combos and the shampoo works great with other conditioners. In my case, it's the flawsome kinky berry mask.

𝗣𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗲 & 𝗣𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴
The packaging attracted me to these products the most. White and lavender 🥺 make me look forward to hairwash days. They're priced well too considering how everything costs atleast 700 these days🌚

#NykaaAffiliates #NykaaBeautyXNAP #GoodHairDayEveryday #NykaaHairCare #NykaaNaturals #NykaaBeauty
Why do you take hard balm, rub it directly on your Why do you take hard balm, rub it directly on your cheeks harshly, immediately add water, and then complain it's not working? Heinn?

PS: Yes I know some brands have really soft cleansing balms that melt as soon as you touch them. Exception. Also depends on the weather condition. But I'm mostly referring to when people take a chunk that resembles cold, hard butter on their cheeks and aggressively try to rub it. Don't do it imo.
It's a close call between the two but if you refer It's a close call between the two but if you refer to the comparison, @spektacosmetics wins... for everyone except me😭 Hear me out, okay?

For me, strategically placing oil on skin with a tool is OK. But rubbing oil between my fingers is like scratching fingernails on a chalkboard. The squeal sends shivers down my body and same is the case with oils. I know it's weird and isn't the case with most and I get it. But that's just me. So it's a very personal choice. For you, it'll be a plus point because the oils actually nourish your nails and the skin around it. Also, the packaging is cute.

➡️Talking about nailpolish removal,

They both work fine when I'm working with lighter colours but the true ability of a nailpolish remover is revealed when I test it with my OPI Big Apple Cherry.

Colorbar stains the hand I use to hold the cotton and my nail bed, Red. I kind of have to work hard to get rid of that. Don't enjoy that. It's relatively easier to remove with Spekta.

Which nailpolish remover would you choose?
❗Spekta (gifted by brand), affiliate code - RIFAT15 for 15% off.
Khadija (@beautyanomaly) tagged me to share 8 thin Khadija (@beautyanomaly) tagged me to share 8 things about myself and it really took me a while to think of all these points. I didn't know that I didn't know much about myself but here you go:

1. I've always achieved well academically just by putting in the least efforts.

2. I like to impress people (both online and offline) and make them happy so I get really nervous and tired while socialising.

3. I haven't watched Harry Potter. Ok maybe I have (a part or two) when I was a kid. But I really don't care about it. Same with DC/Marvel or whatever sci-fi comic stuff that exists. Don't unfollow me.

4. I like to overplan, decorate, and organize. I can't wait to have my own place so I can decorate it the way I want.

5. I'm very scared of October. I have lost 3 close family members in the past 3 years - each of them in October.

6. I'm camera shy and that's why I've been delaying my YouTube appearance. I just don't wanna look ugly and awkward.😭

7. I sometimes sniff my underarms on days I don't take a shower. The weird smell makes me gag but I still like it.

8. No matter how hard things get, I never actually complain about life. I'm always very grateful. Might be surprising because I don't talk much about positivity and shitting rainbows🌈. But that's because it's a part of my nature so I just think it's like, idk, brushing your teeth? You don't need to tell people to do that because you think they already do.

Tell me one RANDOM thing about yourself. Please embarrass yourself so I feel better🥰
My love letter📝 to @aveenous For more than 3 y My love letter📝 to @aveenous

For more than 3 years, I stepped out of the shower with red, itchy skin mostly on the upper body. It'd take at least half an hour to settle down no matter how much I moisturized. I changed bodywashes and soaps and even changed water as I moved  cities but nothing worked.

Initially I accepted that this is how it's going to be but the annoyance made me decide to visit a doctor and get it checked. But the pandemic happened and my appointment was postponed indefinitely.

Around the same time, I found the Aveeno Skin Relief Body Wash. It was fragrance free and had oatmeal to soothe the skin. It felt like a perfect match so I asked my followers about it. They unanimously approved it✔️ (thanks guys!) and I went ahead with the purchase.

Ever since I have started using it, there hasn't been a single case of redness. No itching either. So gentle, calming, non-foaming - truly a skin relief💙 I can't imagine trying any other body wash now 🥺 Thank you for making this!

With love❤️
Rifat

🏷️

#aveeno #bodycare #bodycareproducts #bodycareroutine #bodycaretips #takecareofyourbody #bodywash #bodywashes #sensitiveskin #sensitiveskinsolution #sensitiveskincare #sensitiveskinproducts #showergel #showergels #beautyreviews #skincarescience #skincarefavourites #igbeautyblog #skincareaddicted #kbeautylover #skincareobsessed #igskincare
𝗝𝗮𝗻 '𝟮𝟭 𝗘𝗺𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 For me emptying existing products >>> buying new ones. Tell me what you finished this month!

Before the world shut down, I had moved cities multiple times in just a year and a half. And I had to allot an entire huge suitcase for my cosmetics. I'd literally walk in railway stations and airports with 2 big suitcases and a heavy backpack all alone😭 and that made me abhor clutter even more.

So my life goal (lol) now is to finish everything I have. Let's see my empties:

💦 @pixibeauty Vitamin-C Cleanser - Good quality micellar water. If you're not into cleansing oils and balms, try it. (PR)

💦 Pixi Glow Cleansing Gel - What an underrated cleanser! No foam at all and absolutely non-drying. Love it, do try💙 (PR)

🧴@sulwhasoo.india FCA - It surprised me! Was expecting irritation but I got hydration, calmness, and supple skin. Wasn't suprised enough to repurchase though. But I'm intrigued by the brand and want to try the emulsions and sleeping packs. (PR)

💠 @laneigeindia White Dew Essence - Has a viscous, gel-like texture. Decent in terms of hydration but the sweet artificial scent is too strong for my liking. Skip🤞

🏷️

#beautyreviews #skincarescience #skincarefavourites #igbeautyblog #skincareaddicted #kbeautylover #skincareobsessed #igskincare  #projectpan #projectpancommunity #projectpanner #projectpanning #projectpanupdate #projectpanners #projectpannersunite #projectpanningcommunity #beautyempties #skincareempties #pixibeauty #sulwhasoo #luxuryskincare #drugstoreskincare #koreanskincare #kbeautycommunity #abcommunity
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