How The Ordinary Alpha Arbutin Cleared My Hyperpigmentation

This post doubles as a first impression and review of the Ordinary Alpha Arbutin.

I’m currently in my third bottle of The Ordinary Alpha Arbutin, and it just dawned on me that I haven’t posted a review of my experience.

Anyway, better late than never.

Before I go on, here’s a brief background of my skin.

I used to suffer from dry dehydrated skin with a slice of hyperpigmentation.

While I didn’t really have acne as a result of my dry skin, I still had regular breakouts here and there. I also had textural irregularities.

But about a year ago, I took my skin into my hands and decided to take time out to work on my skin.

Between The Ordinary Skincare, Korean Skincare and a super strict regimen, I haven’t had to wear makeup in over three months now.

Now that we have gotten that out of the way, let’s get into business!

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First Impressions of The Ordinary Alpha Arbutin

I’m sure by now everyone knows about the 30ml pipette bottle that the Ordinary products come in.

In fact, after my first bottle, I kind of wished it came in the bigger 60ml bottles.

This was because it quickly became a staple, which meant that I never ran out.

But it doesn’t, so I’m just gonna continue stocking up until it happens.

The Product itself

The product, a serum, has a semi-thick transparent texture, which means that it runs out quickly.

I literally just noticed that last week when I opened a new bottle.

Of course, because of its texture, one full drop is usually enough for my entire face.

According to Deciem:

Alpha Arbutin reduces the looks of spots and hyper-pigmentation. It’s used at a high 2% concentration versus a standard concentration of 1% and supported with a next-generation form of Hyaluronic Acid for enhanced delivery. Alpha Arbutin is much stronger in effect than Arbutin or Beta Arbutin.

As you can see, it was formulated solely for hyperpigmentation.

This means that for you to see results, you need to use it consistently.

I love the fact that it is also formulated with hyaluronic acid, which aids in fast absorption.

Price

It’s priced nicely at £7. What else would you want?

Ingredient List

Again, I don’t really look at their ingredient lists anymore because I trust Deciem won’t disappoint.

Fragrance

I like to believe that it is fragrance-free because I can’t identify any shady scents.

Review of The Ordinary Alpha Arbutin

You are directed to;

Apply a few drops to face in the AM and PM as part of your skincare regimen. Use sun protection in the AM. 

Funny enough, I never really noticed the SPF direction.

But now that I look at it, Lactic Acid is in the ingredient list, which explains it.

What I do

I use it after my toners and essences before my moisturisers.

It has been a staple in my routine for about six months now.

How it worked

Before I switched to pure Alpha Arbutin, I used to use The Ordinary Ascorbic Acid 8% + Alpha Arbutin 2%.

But then, I was in the Deciem Chatroom group on Facebook and was reading about some lady’s complete transformation.

She said the pure Alpha Arbutin was more effective than the one mixed with Ascorbic Acid.

So I stopped using the latter and switched over to the former without even finishing it.

Then I started to use it every day, sometimes during both my AM and PM routines consistently.

One day I just decided to check and all the blackheads on my face were almost completely faded.

One thing that is important to note is that I always use a BHA exfoliant with Salicylic Acid to prevent new pimples from becoming blackheads.

This way, I can contain the situation.

Given how long it takes to get rid of hyperpigmentation, it is only wise to take preventive measures.

The Ordinary Alpha Arbutin vs The Ordinary Ascorbic Acid 8% + Alpha Arbutin 2%

Like I mentioned earlier, I bought the Ordinary Ascorbic + Alpha Arbutin because I thought it would save me time in the morning.

Instead of using two separate serums, I was happy to find a combined product.

But then, I had to consider my goals. If I wanted fast results, I needed to double down on the Alpha Arbutin. So I stopped using the Ascorbic Acid.

I would only suggest you use the Ascorbic Acid version if you have cleared the majority of your hyperpigmentation.

I mean, if you currently have flawless skin but need some little brightness or a functional serum you can use daily, then you can go for it.

In Conclusion,

The Ordinary Alpha Arbutin has easily become a staple in my AM routine.

I particularly love it because it doesn’t conflict with acids.

I was able to use it in combination with my acids during my winter skincare routine with no issues.

So if you want to get an effective product for hyperpigmentation, you should definitely get it.

As long as you are ready to put in the required work and are consistent,

Where to buy

The Ordinary

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