DewscopeSerums & Treatments3 min read
The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% Review: Is 10% Too Much?
At $6.00, The Ordinary's niacinamide serum is the cheapest sensible test for oily or blemish-prone skin. The 10% dose is strong, though, and a minority of users flush or feel it is too drying.
Our verdict
The best cheap serum to try for oily, congested or uneven skin: simple water-based formula, no fragrance, and the reformulated texture rarely pills. But 10% is a strong dose. Dry or reactive skin may flush or feel stripped, so start every second night and patch test.
Best forOily or blemish-prone skin wanting a very cheap first serum
What we liked
- Costs only $6.00 for 30 ml, about 20 cents per milliliter
- Short, water-based formula with zinc PCA and no oils or silicones
- Reformulated without carrageenan and hydrogenated castor oil
- Reviewers report hyperpigmentation fading and possibly less oil
What held it back
- 10% niacinamide flushes or irritates a meaningful minority
- Can be too mattifying for dry skin types
- Slightly tacky finish that very oily creams may not sit on
- Some users report a breakout phase in the first two weeks
Six dollars. That is the entire price of the thing, and it is the main reason this serum has a cult. The Ordinary's Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% costs $6.00 for 30 ml (a 60 ml bottle is also sold), and a lot of oily or blemish-prone skin gets what it needs from it. The honest question is whether 10% is more niacinamide than skin wants. For some people it is, and the formula is blunt enough that you should start slowly.
What is in the bottle
The ingredient list is short and water-based: water, niacinamide, pentylene glycol, zinc PCA, dimethyl isosorbide, tamarind seed gum, xanthan gum, isoceteth-20, ethoxydiglycol, phenoxyethanol and chlorphenesin. The brand lists it as alcohol-free, oil-free, silicone-free and vegan, with a pH between 5.00 and 6.50.
Two things stand out. First, zinc PCA is the zinc source, and it is there for oil control rather than as a second active that does heavy lifting. Second, the gums are the reason for the texture: slightly tacky, light and watery rather than silky.
The pilling problem, and what changed
This serum had a reputation for balling up under other products. Lab Muffin Beauty Science
