Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%
The Ordinary · 2: treat

Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%

A water-based serum with 10% niacinamide and 1% zinc PCA, aimed at oiliness, visible pores, uneven texture and blemish-prone skin.

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How to use

Morning and evening, in the treat step: after cleansing and before heavier moisturizers. Apply a few drops to the face. Use vitamin C in a separate routine, per the brand. Patch test first.

Pros
  • Niacinamide has good evidence for redness, texture, and oil and pore appearance
  • Zinc PCA is added for oil control
  • Very low price for a 10% serum
Cons
  • Clinical trials mostly used 2-5% niacinamide, so 10% is not proven to work better and can sting some skin
  • The brand says to keep it apart from vitamin C
  • The zinc evidence is thinner than the niacinamide evidence

Pros, cons and how-to-use notes are Derminology's own opinion and suggestions, based on ingredients we've matched to published clinical evidence and on the brand's directions. They are general information, not medical advice. Always follow the label, patch test new products, and ask a doctor or dermatologist if you have a skin condition, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or use prescription treatments.

Active Ingredients

The ingredients we've matched to real clinical evidence and used to score this product's efficacy below — not the full ingredient label.

Claims

? Non-comedogenic (unknown)
? Dermatologist tested (unknown)
? Safe for sensitive skin (unknown)
? Hypoallergenic (unknown)
? Fragrance free (unknown)
? Paraben free (unknown)
? Oil free (unknown)

Efficacy readout

Blemishes
3.5/5
Aging
3.8/5
Irritation
4.4/5

Eczema and Rosacea scoring: Coming soon — most clinically-proven treatments for these are prescription-only and fall outside a consumer product database. Not shown on the chart above.

Colored = scored    Grey = not applicable to this product

References

No references added yet.

Related — same routine step