Last year, I had an embarrassing redness flare-up that finally made me want to take control of this skincare issue, rosacea. I struggle with mild rosacea and get flare-ups depending on the situation like the temperature and my emotions, these two trigger my rosacea the most. I watched hundreds of videos by dermatologists on ways to improve your skin and reduce the redness caused by rosacea and one of the ingredients that kept coming up was azelaic acid.
So far, I’ve only used two products containing azelaic acid, The Inky List and The Ordinary which I’ll be comparing two in this post. Remember everybody’s skin is unique so what may work for me may not work for you but sharing my experience about these products could help you decide which one is best for you.
What is Azelaic Acid?
Azelaic acid is an acid and potent skincare ingredient used to help treat those with rosacea and severe acne. Azelaic acid is derived from wheat, rye, and barley. Azelaic acid helps treat the epidermis (the outside of your face) as it helps kill acne-like bacteria and even out your skin tone, reduce redness, it can also help unclog pores. Azelaic acid comes in several forms such as creams, gels, and serums, I’ll be comparing a cream and serum in this post.
DISCLAIMER: Links included in this post might be affiliate links. If you make a purchase with the links I provide, I may receive a small commission at no additional charge to you.
The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10% | 1 oz / 30 mL $12.20
Azelaic Acid Suspension 10% is a cream-like formula that brightens skin tone and visibly improves skin texture due to a high concentration of azelaic acid—a natural and effective antioxidant found in grains. It has a lower irritation potential than other direct acids, which means it’s gentle enough for daily use as part of your skincare regimen.
PROS
– Affordable
– Saw results quicker
– Helps reduce redness
CONS
– The consistently
– Difficult to apply
– Can be drying
– Can sting your eyes (happened to me once by accident)
– Some say it causes pilling
My Experience
I’ve tried multiple skincare products from The Ordinary and they have always worked well on my skin (and wallet) so I had high expectations with The Ordinary’s azelaic acid suspension and I wasn’t disappointed! Whenever I use this azelaic acid I always notice my redness isn’t as present or potent. There are a couple of things I don’t like about this product like the texture of this cream because it’s difficult to spread on the face. I warm up the product in my hand before I apply it to a damp face (I found applying on fresh washed skin helps spread this cream). I also apply this cream to my other skincare products to reduce the dryness in the product. I’ll cleanse, treat, apply a serum, and use a moisturizer afterward, doing this helps my skin not look or feel dry which sadly this azelaic acid cream does.
When I was reading other reviews on this product, I saw that many experience pilling, however, I’ve used multiple tubes of this same product and never had anything weird happen. I’ve applied multiple different products over and under this cream and haven’t had any issues.
You can purchase The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10% here
The Inkey List 10% Azelaic Acid Serum | 1 oz / 30 mL $18.00
A fast-absorbing, non-pilling azelaic acid serum is formulated with 10% Azelaic Acid. By reducing the appearance of redness and an uneven skin tone, this anti-redness serum gives the skin a more even complexion and instantly soothes and calms skin that feels irritated.
PROS
– Gel-like serum consistently
– Hydrating
– Absorbs quickly
– Long-lasting
CONS
– Costs more than The Ordinary
– Takes longer to see results
My Experience
This was actually the first azelaic acid product I tried and at the time I enjoyed it. The serum consistency felt nice on my skin and didn’t leave my skin feeling dry like The Ordinary’s azelaic acid did. When I used this serum, the product felt nice on my skin and absorbed quickly into my skin without making my face feel dry. This serum has a green/blue/gray tint that I believe is supposed to help soothe the redness but it didn’t make much of a difference with my redness. It took a while for me to notice any changes in my redness. I do believe that this serum helped my skin calm down but not as quickly or noticeably as The Ordinary’s azelaic acid did. It’s unfortunate because I enjoyed using this serum because of the gel-like serum texture and the tube lasted longer than The Ordinary’s even though they both contain the same amount.
You can purchase The Inkey List 10% Azelaic Acid Serum here
Final Thoughts
I’ve been using azelaic acid in my skincare routine for over a year now. I’ve used 2 tubes of The Inkey List azelaic acid serum and 4-5 tubes of The Ordinary’s azelaic acid. Overall, I highly recommend using The Ordinary azelaic acid because it’s more affordable and you see results quicker than The Inkey List’s azelaic acid. If The Ordinary’s azelaic acid doesn’t work well on your skin then I would suggest you try The Inkey List’s next.
I know there are a lot of other azelaic acids on the market, I really want to try Peach Slices and Paula’s Choice azelaic acid eventually but I do believe that The Ordinary currently has the most affordable azelaic acid so if you’re looking for an affordable azelaic acid The Ordinary is the best choice!
Azelaic acid has definitely improved my skin in combating my redness and has become a new staple in my skincare routine. If you struggle with redness or rosacea I highly recommend investing in a product featuring azelaic acid as it has changed my life!
Do you struggle with rosacea? Have you tried Azelaic Acid before?
Leave a Reply