Review: The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% & Zinc 1%

We love The Ordinary. Their products are simple and effective. The prices are very affordable.

One of the most popular serums from their range is the Niacinamide 10% & Zinc 1% treatment.

It's a great serum for blemish-prone, oily skin.

Here's an in-depth review...

The Ordinary: Well-Researched Ingredients, Effective Products

The Ordinary was one of the first brands with a strong focus on well-researched ingredients, effective products, and affordable prices.

The majority of the ingredients used in their products have been known for their effectiveness for decades. Only a few products contain relatively new, less-researched (but promising) ingredients.

The products really do what they claim. And this is what makes the brand so reliable.

This also applies to the Niacinamide 10% & Zinc 1% treatment. Let's have a look at the full ingredient list.

Full Ingredient List: The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% & Zinc 1%

The Niacinamide 10% & Zinc 1% contains 11 ingredients in total. That's very minimalistic and especially suitable for hypersensitive skin (the fewer ingredients, the lower the risk for skin reactions).

Here's the full ingredient list of the product:

AQUA (WATER), NIACINAMIDE, PENTYLENE GLYCOL, ZINC PCA, DIMETHYL ISOSORBIDE, TAMARINDUS INDICA SEED GUM, XANTHAN GUM, ISOCETETH-20, ETHOXYDIGLYCOL, PHENOXYETHANOL, CHLORPHENESIN

As the product's name already says: the key ingredients are Niacinamide (10%) and Zinc (1%).

The product doesn't contain any pore-clogging, aka comedogenic ingredients.

According to the risk rating of the organization CIR (Cosmetic Ingredient Review), all the ingredients are safe to use.

You can check out the full ingredient breakdown here.

Now, let's have a deeper look at the key ingredients and what they actually do...

Key-Ingredients: Niacinamide And Zinc

Niacinamide

Niacinamide is a great multitasking ingredient.

In a nutshell, here are some benefits of Niacinamide:

It protects your skin barrier
The skin barrier protects our skin from dehydration, aka water loss, and the penetration of harmful substances. It consists of lipids and dead skin cells. One of the key components are Ceramides. Since Niacinamide can increase the synthesis of Ceramides, it can help with a compromised skin barrier.

It lightens hyperpigmentation
Hyperpigmentation is a harmless skin condition where patches of the skin become darker in color than the rest of the skin. Niacinamide can lighten these dark skin patches and make your skin look brighter.

It balances sebum production
Excessive sebum production makes your skin shiny and oily. It also increases the risk of clogged pores and acne. Since Niacinamide affects sebum production, it can balance your skin.

It acts anti-inflammatory
Studies confirm that Niacinamide has anti-inflammatory properties. This is great for redness-prone skin and inflamed acne conditions.

It prevents skin aging
Niacinamide can smooth out wrinkles and act as an antioxidant. What do you need more :) ?

If you're interested in an in-depth post about Niacinamide, check it out here.

Zinc: An Oil Absorbent

Zinc is a mineral. In cosmetics, it can act as an absorbent.

This is especially helpful if your skin is on the oilier side since it can absorb excess oil like a sponge and acts mattifying.

On the other hand, if your skin is on the drier side, zinc isn't your best friend since dry skin already lacks oil - there's nothing to absorb.

The Texture

This serum is not as lightweight as water. It is a little bit thicker. It can feel sticky if you apply too much of the product.

Our recommendation:

• ❯ Don't apply too much of the product (2 drops are enough)
• ❯ Let the serum absorb before applying other products.

When You Should Use It In Your Routine

You can use this product in your morning and/ or evening skincare routine.

Since it absorbs excess oil (zinc) and acts mattifying, it works great for the daytime.

The product is a serum and should be used on clean skin before a moisturizer.

A simple routine containing this product can look as follows:

• ❯ AM:
  Cleanser > Niacinamide 10% & Zinc 1% > Moisturizer > SPF
• ❯ PM:
  Cleanser > Niacinamide 10% & Zinc 1% > Moisturizer > Face-oil

To Sum Up...

The Niacinamide 10% & Zinc 1% from The Ordinary is a great, potent serum.

The key ingredients, Niacinamide and Zinc, are well-researched and effective.

Since the product contains 1% Zinc, it is especially suitable for oilier skin types in combination with one or more of the following skin concerns:

• ❯ Acne-prone skin (pimples)
• ❯ Hyperpigmentation
• ❯ Anti-aging
• ❯ Fine lines, wrinkles
• ❯ Redness-prone skin.

We had great experiences with this product.