The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc %1 Review – Blush & Pearls

I’ve heard varying reviews on The Ordinary Niacinamide + Zinc serum, so I wasn’t sure where I was going to end up with this one. Some people love this, while others claimed it broke them out or caused skin irritation.

If you’re curious about The Ordinary Niacinamide serum, in this post I will cover:

-the benefits of The Ordinary Niacinamide

-how to use The Ordinary Niacinamide in your skin care routine

-how long does it take for The Ordinary Niacinamide to work

-how often it can be used and for which skin types

-how this serum worked on my skin

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What Does The Ordinary Niacinamide + Zinc Do For Skin?

Niacinamide is one of those do-it-all skin care ingredients that has a number of benefits for many different skin types. Because of all the benefits of niacinamide (which I list below) and the low risk of irritation, I highly recommend adding it to your skin care routine, no matter what your skin type is.

Benefits of Niacinamide for Skin:

Hydrates + Improves Redness: Niacinamide is easily absorbed by the skin and has been found in studies to improve the skin’s natural barrier to help with moisture retention and reduce irritation. Skin that is better able to retain moisture is plumper, more hydrated, more radiant and therefore more youthful looking.

Brightening: Niacinamide has also been shown to have skin brightening benefits and is a proven treatment for dark spots, discolourations, brown patches and melasma.

Collagen Boosting: Niacinamide can boost ceramide production (the building blocks of skin).

Oil Fighter: Niacinamide is sebostatic, meaning it can reduce sebum (oil) production if you suffer from excess oil output.

Improves Skin Texture: Niacinamide has pore minimizing and skin smoothing benefits while fighting the signs of aging (so, it’s basically youth in a bottle).

Fights Blemishes + Acne: It’s anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial properties make it great for fighting acne and blemishes and it works to fight hyper-pigmentation too. 

UV Protector: Niacinamide can help to repair sun damage and protect skin from further sun damage.

The inclusion of zinc in this serum is an additional help to skin types that deal with inflammation and acne, as it reduces inflammation and acne scarring.

RELATED READING: 11 Ways To Manage Oily Skin

What’s In The Ordinary Niacinamide + Zinc Serum

This serum comes in a clear, fragrance-free gel that is slightly thicker than water and is dispensed with a dropper from a frosted glass bottle. The brand states that this serum is:

-alcohol free

-silicone free

-cruelty free

-nut free

-vegan

-oil free

-pH of 5.5-6.5

While this serum is marketed to reduce the look of blemishes, The Ordinary doesn’t claim that the niacinamide and zinc mixture will cure acne.

What Can You Not Mix With Ordinary Niacinamide?

The Ordinary website indicates that niacinamide and vitamin C shouldn’t be used together to avoid reducing their potency, although I’ve found some skin care posts that shown that this claim is a myth.

Otherwise, niacinamide can be mixed with pretty much any skin care ingredient – it’s pretty easy going – and works with alpha-hydroxy and beta-hydroxy acids, as well as retinol, peptides and antioxidants.

How To Use Niacinamide With Powerful Active Ingredients, Like Retinol

Niacinamide has been found to help skin adjust to the use of strong skin actives that can be irritating, such as retinol. The niacinamide acts as a buffer to these ingredients to soothe skin and reduce the potential for irritation.

Apply it before your stronger treatments or mix some niacinamide into your treatment products for full effect.

Can You Use Niacinamide Every Day?

Niacinamide for the most part is quite gentle on skin, so most people would be able to use it up to twice daily in their skin care routine in any season. Obviously, if you try this serum and feel any type of irritation, reduce usage or stop using it altogether. 

I’ve read some reviews from people who have experienced some purging and blemishes from using this niacinamide serum, but purging should subside in a week or so. Niacinamide is safe for all skin types and for use during pregnancy and breastfeeding. 

How Long Does It Take For The Ordinary Niacinamide To Work?

Like most serums, you should really use The Ordinary Niacinamide + Zinc consistently in your skin care routine for at least 3 months to see results, although some results may be noticeable within the first couple weeks depending on the condition of your skin. 

How I Use Niacinamide In My Skin Care Routine

This niacinamide serum has no fragrance and applies easily to the skin. I like to mix a couple drops of it with my Cosrx Snail Mucin Essence after cleansing and exfoliating my skin each morning.

The gel serum absorbs quickly into my skin with no residue left behind and it worked well under my makeup all day. I love the dropper it comes with, as it dispenses the product very well (some droppers just plain suck!). I’ve read other reviews claiming that this serum pilled for some people, but I’ve never had this issue with it.

How Did The Ordinary Niacinamide + Zinc Work For Me?

I’m not really sure I can comment on whether this directly serum reduced my oil activity – how can I accurately measure something like this?

I didn’t see any drastic reductions in my oil production throughout the day, but over time, I’ve found that keeping my skin well hydrated, not overly stripped while using this serum has led my skin to become less oily, for sure.

In terms of acne, I usually don’t get pimples, but I do feel it has minimized my pore size and helped keep my skin smooth, supple and less red. Smaller pores have been a mission for me since my skin started experiencing texture issues last year, so this is a BIG plus for me.

It’s also more affordable than its Paula’s Choice niacinamide booster counterpart and works well with my daytime skin care and makeup products. I have read other reviews that claimed this serum helped with blemishes, so for $6 it’s definitely worth a try.

Would I repurchase? Yes – I obviously love the $6 price point and pore-reducing effects of this serum. I also love the anti-aging properties that come along with niacinamide, especially now that I’m pregnant and can’t use my beloved retinol.

I feel like this serum provided the same results as my Paula’s Choice Niacinamide Booster at a fraction of the price and helps give me a healthy, radiant complexion.

Other Niacinamide Serums To Consider

Besides The Ordinary, the following brands also have niacinamide serums in similar strengths:

-The Inkey List Niacinamide Oil Control Serum

–Paula’s Choice 10% Niacinamide Booster (reviewed here)

–Peter Thomas Roth – PRO Strength Niacinamide Discoloration Treatment

-Algenist Algae Niacinamide Moisture Veil

-Glow Recipe  Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Dew Drops

-First Aid Beauty Facial Radiance Niacinamide Dark Spot Serum

-Glossier Super Pure

Will you be trying The Ordinary Niacinamide Serum in your routine?