The Ordinary ” Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate 10 % ” Review

Hi! 😊 As you know, with this post I’m ending my first round from the Deciem series. So without further adieu, let’s start with my review of  The Ordinary – Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate 10%.

As usual, I’ve divided this post into several sections :

Packaging

Unlike my previous products by The Ordinary, this product comes in a small grayish-colored tube with a flip-top, all nicely snuggled in a white cardboard box. Again, very simple sturdy packaging, with the instructions both in English and french. You get 30 ml of product, with a shelf life of 12 months after opening.

About the product & the ingredients

When you start to use vitamin C in your skincare routine, I believe that the introduction of such antioxidants should be in a form of a gradual incline. By this, I mean when it comes to the form of vitamin C and its strength.

Most people start with pretty high strength vitamin C serums (e.g. 21%, 23%), I’m personally not for that, since you don’t actually know how your skin will react to it – it’s your first time using it in your routine, and it’s something new to the skin in such high concentrations ( although we all have some of it in our skin ) and also depends on the form of the vitamin you use. My approach was to start light (formulation wise) and low and then work my way up, building my skin’s tolerance to it. This is the reason why I decided to start off with, in my opinion – an entry-level vitamin C.

This is a cream moisturizer where the focus is on a single, key ingredient, in this case – Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate a.k.a MAP.

MAP is a derivative, more stable form of vitamin C. It’s great for people with very sensitive skin since it gives all the benefits of regular L-Ascorbic Acid, but without the side effects that sometimes come with other forms of vitamin C (redness, burning sensation, skin exfoliation, etc.). In general, it’s less invasive and more gentle to the skin.

Now, it’s not considered as strong as L-Ascorbic Acid, so results with this form of vitamin C may vary ( in short – some people see major results, others don’t). It’s also supposed to be effective at levels as low as 5% (here you have 10% strength MAP ).

Like other forms of vitamin C, MAP helps with signs of age, stimulates collagen production, helps with an uneven skin tone (brightening the complexion, suppressing melanin formation – Now, this is a pigment we all have in our skin, hair, and eyes. When we get a tan, we should thank melanin for that bronze goddess glow 🤗. Also, when you get that stupid dark brown spot after a pimple, again – thank melanin for that 😒 ), helps with inflammations, and of course, hydrates the skin. You could say, he can fix anything. From wrinkles to dryness and dark spots, this product should help with it all. This is also a vegan and cruelty-free product.

Now for the COSDNA ingredients list :

Note: This way you can see if the product has any ingredients to which you’re allergic.

Application & impressions

This time we have a cream moisturizer, unlike our previous products that were both serums. This cream is of a lighter, slightly gritty texture, good for normal and my combination skin ( it would probably even suit oily), just in my opinion not rich enough for really dry skin. Little goes a long way, moisturizes nicely (although it’s not its main purpose). Easy to work with and the skin absorbs it fast. Had no side effects like redness or burning, it’s very mild as if you’re putting on a plain moisturizer.

It’s meant to be used morning and/or evening after your water-based serum (MAP is btw water-soluble). I’ve used it only at night, but if you want to use it in the morning, don’t forget your sunscreen ( “when you use Vitamin C products, skin is even more sensitive to sunlight “ – this is a very common misconception. I myself was told this numerous times and after looking into it in the last couple of months, realized it was completely false.

Vitamin C oxidizes easily, so a lot of vitamin C products come in airtight, dark glass bottles to slow down the process of deterioration as much as possible ( that’s why it changes color when it goes “bad” ). When it comes to its benefits to the skin, it’s actually a great provider of photoprotection. Look at it as an extra shield underneath a sunscreen, since it doesn’t absorb UV light and neutralizes free radicals ( sunscreen blocks about 55% of free radicals, so using an antioxidant such as Vitamin C underneath, will boost our protection from sun damage). Also, a great combo with vitamin C would be vitamin E. Together, they protect our skin cells ( their hydrophilic and lipophilic compartments). Some researchers even say that this combo is not only useful as great protection against UV damage but also in the prevention of skin cancer in the future.

Do I recommend?

Well, I’m in that category of people who didn’t see any difference after a whole tube, so that’s about, a month and a half. When it comes to the main issue where I wanted to see a change, my uneven skin tone (the area around my lips and chin), unfortunately, I didn’t see any difference with my skin after its use. Worked well when it comes to hydrating, but nothing more – I mean, for that, you can get a plain moisturizer. Maybe It’s just too mild for my skin, to show any real results. Now, will it work for you? – I don’t know. Maybe it will, maybe it won’t. Since it’s pretty inexpensive (retail price 9,60 € /1189 rsd) and if you had really bad experiences with other forms of vitamin C, so your skin is super sensitive, maybe you can give it a go. We all have different skin. That’s in general the thing about skin care – there’s never something so universally perfect, that suits everyone ( of course there’s also stuff that’s just plain crap ). In my case, I won’t be repurchasing it, and I’ll try another form of vitamin C.

Hope my review was informative enough!

Enjoy your weekend guys! 😊

X

BelgradePixie

¡ En mi blog, pueden preguntarme sobre los productos tambien en español, en la sección de comentarios – Voy a responder con mucho gusto ! 😊

Disclaimer : I bought this product with my own money, all opinions are solely my own. I’m not affiliated with the mentioned brands or companies. Keep in mind I’m not a dermatologist, chemist or pharmacist. Also, what worked for my skin, won’t necessarily work for yours.

For further information, please visit my Disclaimer page.