The Best The Ordinary Products for Psoriasis

Psoriasis is a chronic skin condition that develops on the skin as a result of excess growth of skin cells that clump up and form patches on the skin. The cause of this disorder is not yet fully understood, however, it is known to have numerous triggers which makes setting up a skincare routine difficult.

In this article, you will learn which products from The Ordinary are the best for psoriasis-prone skin.  

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What to consider when setting up a skincare routine for psoriasis?

Psoriasis manifests on the skin by the appearance of dry, flaky, scaly and sometimes painful patches on the skin. This condition is most likely to develop on the hands, scalp, elbows, back, and knees, but it can also appear on your face.

Unfortunately, this disorder has no cure yet and because its causes are not yet fully understood, the best way to manage flare-ups is by acting upon its triggers.

Psoriasis triggers

Before getting into what skin care products will be best for your skin, it is important to know what triggers psoriasis flare-ups.

Below is a list of the most common triggers:

• Stress 
• Certain skincare products and medications like malaria treatments, ibuprofen lithium, hydroxychloroquine, and prednisone
• Smoking and drinking alcohol
• Skin wounds, burns, cuts and severe sunburn  
• Hormonal imbalances especially in women 
• Dry or very cold weather 

What kind of skin care products are best for psoriasis?

The main challenge with psoriasis-prone skin is rapid skin cell growth. It normally takes 2 to 4 weeks for skin cells to reach the surface of the skin. In the case of people with psoriasis, this process takes 3 to 7 days.

As a result of this, skin cells that aren’t fully developed reach the surface of the skin faster causing crusty patches covered with scales.

The skin also tends to be dry as the skin barrier gets impaired and its capacity to retain water is low.

Knowing all this, here are the types of products to look out for when building your skincare routine:

• Gentle cleansers that are not stripping and are very hydrating.
• Gentle exfoliants and skin rejuvenating actives like salicylic acid and vitamin A (retinoids) that help get rid of the accumulated skin cells.
• Hydrating moisturizers that contain emollients that can help trap moisture in the skin. 
• Hydration actives like hyaluronic acid, aloe vera, or panthenol that will provide the skin with much-needed hydration. 
• Anti-inflammatory actives like niacinamide, bisabobol, allantoin, centella asiatica, or oat oil. Psoriasis is an autoimmune disorder characterized by inflammation due to a dysfunction of the skin’s immune system.  

Skincare ingredients to avoid when dealing with psoriasis

• To prevent flare-ups it is best to avoid skin care products that contain allergens such as fragrances, essential oils, and dyes. These are most likely to trigger irritations and possible flare-ups. 
• Avoid products with a high level of alcohol or harsh surfactants that can have a drying effect as this may worsen your already dry skin

Are The Ordinary products suitable for psoriasis?

Now that you know the basics about dealing with psoriasis which brand offers great products for your skin concern is the next question you will need to answer. To help you out we will talk about one of the most popular skincare brands on the market, The Ordinary. 

The Ordinary is a brand known to be focused on simple yet effective formulations with skin care actives that target specific concerns. These high-performance products target a wide array of skin concerns such as acne, rosacea, perioral dermatitis and, of course, psoriasis. 

The Ordinary products for psoriasis

Although The Ordinary products are not labelled specifically for psoriasis, some of them contain active ingredients that can be found useful for inflammatory issues like psoriasis.

Below is a list of all The Ordinary products you can consider in your skincare routine. 

The Ordinary 100% Organic Cold-Pressed Borage Seed Oil

This organic oil is obtained from the cold press of borage seeds. It is a recommended product for psoriasis due to its moisturizing and skin barrier repairing properties.

Borage seed oil is rich in essential fatty acids such as linoleic acid, gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), oleic, stearic and palmitic acids.

Although few scientific studies exist that prove its action on psoriasis this oil is believed to be potentially beneficial for psoriasis as is the case with other inflammatory conditions like acne, rosacea, and eczema.

The Ordinary 100% Cold-Pressed Virgin Marula Oil

Marula oil is a rich natural oil with numerous benefits for dry and inflamed skin. Its healing and repair properties are what makes it suitable for conditions like psoriasis.

It has moisturizing properties that help soften and retain moisture in the skin. It is equally anti-inflammatory and antioxidant which means it can soothe flare-ups and protect the skin from further aggressions. 

The Ordinary 100% Cold-Pressed Rosehip Oil

This pure organic oil is rich in linoleic acid that confers its moisturizing properties which is essential to reducing skin dryness triggered by psoriasis.

It has equally anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that can help soothe the skin and reduce itchiness and scaling.

Rosehip oil is equally rich in pro-vitamin A which can help improve skin texture. This works by speeding up the skin cell renewal process and forces the skin to shade dead cells on the outermost layer of the skin. 

The Ordinary 100% Organic Virgin Sea-Buckthorn Fruit Oil

The Ordinary sources its sea-buckthorn fruit oil from the pulp of the Sea-Buckthorn berry. This oil has a high concentration of essential fatty acids among which is palmitoleic acid (Omega 7), an essential fatty acid that moisturizes the skin and limits skin damage caused by dryness.

It is also high in antioxidants like Vitamin E, carotenoids and lycopene that protect the skin and supports the skin’s barrier function.

The Ordinary Squalane Cleanser

This cleanser is one of the most hydrating and gentle formulations from the brand ideal for psoriasis-prone skin. It contains squalane a moisturizing and soothing oil that helps improve water retention in dry skin.

Squalane also has antioxidant properties that help protect the skin from irritations. This sulfate-free cleanser guarantees the possibility to clean your skin properly while respecting the integrity of the skin’s barrier. 

The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Anhydrous Solution

Salicylic acid is one of the front-line topical treatments recommended in the management of psoriasis. This beta hydroxy acid has both exfoliating and anti-inflammatory properties that can help get rid of psoriasis plaques on the skin.

Salicylic acid also has the benefit of facilitating the absorption of other psoriasis treatments. This serum is made with oil-soluble salicylic acid mixed in squalane to counter its drying effect making it suitable for dry and psoriasis-prone skin.

In addition to this serum, The Ordinary also offers a 2% Salicylic Acid Masque and a 2% Salicylic Acid Solution.

The Ordinary Granactive Retinoid 2% in Squalane

Retinoids are vitamin A derivates that are used in skincare mainly for antiageing, hyperpigmentation and acne. However, their ability to speed up the skin renewal process makes them effective in improving on skin texture of psoriasis-prone skin.

Because retinoids present a risk of irritation The Ordinary came up with Granactive Retinoids, a new technology of retinoids to provide the benefits of this active without irritancy.

As such, sensitive skin prone to psoriasis can use the Granactive Retinoid 2% in Squalane, Granactive Retinoid 5% in Squalane and the Granactive Retinoid 2% Emulsion.

Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA

This moisturizer as the name indicates is made up of natural moisturizing factors or skincare elements that are naturally found on the skin and make up the skin’s barrier.

As listed on the website these elements include “multiple amino acids, fatty acids, triglycerides, urea, ceramides, phospholipids, glycerin, saccharides, sodium PCA, hyaluronic acid and many other compounds that are naturally present in the skin.” 

People with psoriasis have an impaired skin barrier and low levels of sebum to keep the skin properly moisturized. Adding this moisturizer to your routine will help up your skin’s water retention capacity.

The Ordinary also offers the Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA for Scalp serum which can be used to manage psoriasis plaques on the scalp.