The Ordinary oils: Rose Hip Seed Oil & Marula Oil, my review

Yes, another review of some The Ordinary products (see other previous articles)! Many of you seem interested in the brand, so I’m keeping my promise of reviewing all of the products I’m using from them. So today, let’s focus on the two oils I’ve tried: Rose Hip Seed Oil and Marula Oil.

If you’ve read my The Ordinary: introduction and buying guide, you know that The Ordinary has three vegetable oils in its range:
– the Rose Hip Seed Oil
– the Marula Oil
– the Moroccan Argan Oil.

I was only interested in the first two because the argan oil is too rich for my combo to oily skin. And why would I want to apply oil to my already oily skin, you may ask?

Edit 08/09/18:
I’m reviewing the Marula Oil on my new website, btyaly.com smile

Well, because vegetable oils can be very beneficial to the skin if you choose the right one for your skin. Some of them even have a sebo-regulating action (they can prevent the skin from looking greasy too fast).
Indeed, the skin often produces excess sebum in response to some triggering factors:
– the skin is stripped because of a too harsh cleansing,
– not enough hydration in the skincare routine,
– an environment that is too dry,
– or a hormonal imbalance.

And when you apply an oil during your skin care routine, especially if you’re combo to oily, your skin identifies the oil as the protection it needs and usually produces by secreting sebum. Since this protection is already present in the skin with the addition of the oil, the skin considers that it doesn’t need to secrete more sebum and consequently it becomes less greasy (this is very simplified explanation; because some oils are still more suitable than others for this skin type, but you get the gist of it wink ).

In the case of The Ordinary oils I chose (Rose Hip Seed Oil and Marula Oil), I especially wanted to try them for their anti-aging benefits but I knew that they were also very thin and light in texture, penetrate quickly and that there was no concern to use them on my combo to oily skin.

The Ordinary oils: Rose Hip Seed Oil & Marula Oil, presentation:

– 100% Cold-Pressed Virgin Marula Oil:

What the brand says:

“Referred to as a “luxury” oil by some, this antioxidant-rich oil is obtained from the kernels of the fruits of Marula tree. It’s mostly composed of oleic acid and linoleic acid but also contains procyanidin, catechins and flavanoids. Marula oil offers antioxidants, hydrates the skin and is claimed to help restore a radiant tone. This formula contains only cold-pressed virgin African Marula oil that is 100% unrefined.”

As usual with The Ordinary, you have to decode the scientific jargon a bit^^.

Marula oil is extracted from the seeds of the fruits of an African tree, the Marula. It has a powerful anti-aging effect on the skin thanks to its composition. It contains:

– antioxidants: vitamin C, vitamin E, tannins, flavonoids, phytosterols.
These are very effective to protect the skin against free radicals (caused by stress, fatigue, lack of sleep, UV, pollution … in short an active life wink ), responsible for the accelerated aging skin process.

– but also essential fatty acids such as linolenic (omega 6) and oleic (omega 9) acids, nourishing and repairing.

It has anti-microbial properties, which is interesting for acne prone skins.
It’s also supposed to give a lot of glow to the skin. What’s not to love, really? wink

Its texture is very thin, it’s almost a dry oil, the skin absorbs it very quickly. It’s suitable for all skin types.

The Ordinary version is a pure and virgin Marula oil, cold pressed to preserve all its qualities. It comes in a bottle of 30ml, and it retails for $9.90.

– 100% Organic Cold-Pressed Rose Hip Seed Oil:

What the brand says about it:

“This formulation uses 100% pure Rosehip Seed Oil that is both cold-pressed and organic. Rosehip Seed Oil is rich in linoleic acid, linolenic acid and pro-vitamin A, all of which degrade when the oil extraction process involves heat. While cold-pressed extraction is complex, it preserves all of the quality of this important oil which has been shown to reduce signs of photo-ageing and many other skin conditions. “

It is, therefore, a pure rose hip seeds oil.

This oil has a lot of benefits for the skin:

– it’s super rich in anti-aging antioxidants: vitamin C, vitamin E, carotenoids, flavonoids, tannins, as well as citric and malic acids.

– it’s also a natural form of vitamin A (trans-retinoic acid) which has a strong anti-aging power. It accelerates the skin renewal.

– it also contains essential fatty acids such as linoleic acid (Omega 3) and linolenic acid (omega 6), which boost the regeneration of skin cells, and the repairs the skin tissues.

This oil is naturally anti-aging, regenerating, repairing and healing, perfect for my old acne prone skin (it’s perfect to get rid of these stubborn pimple scars).

It has a bright yellow color, and its texture is very light, super fine and penetrates very quickly into the skin. It doesn’t remain on the surface of the skin like other vegetable oils I tried in the past.

The Ordinary Rose Hip Seed Oil is pure (no mixing with other oils), organic and cold pressed. It comes in a 30ml bottle, and it retails for $9.80.

The Ordinary oils: Rose Hip Seed Oil & Marula Oil, my test and thoughts:

– Packaging:

In both cases, the packaging is a 30ml tinted glass bottle with a dropper.
The tinted glass protects the oils from UV filters so that it doesn’t oxidize.

– Scent:

The two oils contain no synthetic perfume added, they just smell of the “raw” natural scent of the products. Clearly, it’s not the most glamorous scent, but it’s not particularly strong smells, so it’s okay. wink

– Texture:

They are both very liquid, and quite fine in texture. They don’t feel greasy on the skin, and I can apply my make up on top without any issue.

– Formula:

Both oils are 100% pure, with no other ingredients. The Rose Hip Seed Oil is organic, and they are both cold pressed to preserve their qualities.
They’re also non-comedogenic, cruelty-free and vegan.

– How I use them:

You can use them both morning and/or night, all year round if you want. Of course, you don’t have to use both at the same time like I do, especially since they have a lot of benefits in common. But, as you’ve probably guessed, I’m clearly a “more is more” kind of person wink

I use the Marula Oil in the morning. I mix four drops of oil with my The Ordinary “Buffet“, before applying my day cream.
I apply the Rose Hip Seed Oil in the evening, four drops mixed with my The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid serum.

I mix them with my serums to increase their absorption capacity even more, and because I have an oily skin, I prefer that my oil is absorbed as fast and deeply as possible.
This is the advantage of oils, you can use them in so many different ways: on their own instead of your moisturizer, before or after your cream, mixed with your serum and/or cream, so many possibilities!

Regarding the pleasure of use, these aren’t the most pleasant oils I have ever used (their scent is very “raw”), but they both have a very nice texture, so I still like to use them (I had a bad experience in the past with another Marula oil I found on Iherb, the Acures one. It’s thick and penetrates quite badly, so it ended up on my cuticles ^^).

– Result:

For the anti-aging result, it will be difficult to judge after only a few months of use, but regarding their repairing and nourishing effects, I can clearly feel them on my skin! It’s super comfortable with these oils.
I also find that the healing effect of the Rose Hip Seed Oil is quite convincing. My little acne pimple scars fade very quickly. And for the “glow” promised by the Marula Oil, my skin doesn’t look too dull at the moment. But let’s be honest, I also use a lot of other brightening products, so it must be a mix of everything.

I am quite convinced and pleased overall, and I think I will definitely repurchase them in the future.

– Value for money:

Their value for money is excellent, like all The Ordinary products I tried for now. Their quality is undeniable, and they retail at a very cheap price tag: $9.90 for the Marula oil and $9.80 for the Rose Hip Seed Oil.

 In summary:

[wprs-pros][wprs-cons]

I like these oils, although I confess I will probably try some more luxurious oil blends once I finish these because the pleasure of use still remains very important for me. But it’s good to know that I can alternate with these two more affordable and effective oils!

The Ordinary oils are available on the brand website: $9.90 for the Marula Oil and $9.80 for the Rose Hip Seed Oil.

And you, have you tried The Ordinary oils? What did you think of them?

Photo credit: bonnie-garner.com