The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% is definitely one of the most raved about products in skincare community. It is called “magic in a bottle” by many. My pregnancy was not kind to my skin and hair. My skin felt very congested and I had severe breakouts in my first trimester. Since in pregnancy you can not use Salicylic Acid, I did some research and decided to get The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% serum since it is supposed to reduce congestion and breakouts. Lets read on to know if it is holy grail or overhyped from my perspective, someone who has super-sensitive skin.
Price, Quantity & Buy Online:
5-6 EUR for 30ml. Buy online at Lookfantastic, Cultbeauty, Beautybay.
About The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% Serum:
A serum to combat blemishes, congestions and sebum over-production.
Using two of the most efficient blemish-battling ingredients in an ultra-high concentration formula, this light, fluid serum works to reduce both future breakouts and the appearance of existing blemishes. By controlling sebum production, pores remain clear and decongested from blemish-causing bacteria, ensuring clearer, calmer skin with prolonged use.
Niacinamide (Vitamin B3) is indicated to reduce the appearance of skin blemishes and congestion. A high 10% concentration of this vitamin is supported in the formula by zinc salt of pyrrolidone carboxylic acid to balance visible aspects of sebum activity.
Contraindications: If topical Vitamin C (L-Ascorbic Acid and/or Ethylated L-Ascorbic Acid) is used as part of skincare, it should be applied at alternate times with this formula (ideally Vitamin C in the PM and this formula in the AM). Otherwise, Niacinamide can affect integrity of the Vitamin C.
Ingredients:
Aqua (Water), Niacinamide, Pentylene Glycol, Zinc PCA, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Tamarindus Indica Seed Gum, Xanthan gum, Isoceteth-20, Ethoxydiglycol, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin.
- Niacinamide – Excellent for improving general skin health, niacinamide boosts skin’s immunity and improves moisture retention by strengthening the epidermal barrier.
- Zinc – Supports skin structure by healing damaged skin and encouraging the production of collagen and elastin.
My Experience with The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%:
The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% is raved for good reason frm ingredients perspective. But since i have sensitive skin, not every product is suitable for me. So I have decided to slowly introduce The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% into my routine.
Packaging:
The Ordinary Niacinamide serum comes in a matte white transparent bottle with pipette. The packaging is simple and all details are mentioned on outer packaging.
Texture, smell & Consistency:
The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% is slightly tacky and has not very runny consistency. since it is fragrance free, it does not really smell of anything. It gets absorbed into skin without leaving any trace. If you use more than required then you might face issues such as foaming and tackiness.
Performance:
I did a patch test before introducing The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% into my skincare. then i started slow by using twice a week for 2 weeks. I used 2 drops of it using patting motion after my cleanser and toner then followed it up with my moisturizer.
After first week itself my skin look irritated and my breakouts aggravated still I continued to use it for another week. Still the irritation and breakouts got worse. I stopped using it for 15 days and my skin calmed down and was less irritated. Meanwhile I did some research about purging. However there are conflicting opinions about whether Niacinamide can cause purging or not. Only one way to find out was to use it for 6 weeks.
This time I mixed it in my moisturizer and used only 1 drop. Now my skin was not irritated by it but breakouts were there. Slowly I increased the frequency to alternate day and then every morning. By 6 week, my breakouts were getting lesser and skin was looking less congested. then I increased it to 2 drops mixing in my moisturizer. It worked very slowly on my skin. Later when my skin got used to it, I started using 1 drop directly on skin followed by moisturizer and it did not irritate my skin. But whenever I tried using 2 drops directly on skin, it broke me out very next day, so yes it was strong for my skin and causing irritation as well.
Final Verdict: 3.5/5
The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% is not a magic potion for me. It is overhyped product for me. It is just too much hassle to use this product on my super-sensitive skin for mediocre results. I have been using for about 10months and it did not do anything extraordinary for me. It definitely made my skin look less congested and less oily and cleared the breakouts. It irritates my skin if I use a little extra, I think 10% is may be strong for my skin. And as per my experience The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% does cause skin purging. So if you have congested, oily breakout prone skin, you can give it a try. Bu do keep in mind that it can cause purging as well as irritation so start slow.
However this is not a repurchase for me. If you are intrested in video review here it is:
Have you used The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%? Share your thoughts in comment section below. Checkout my skincare reviews here. you can also checkout this review on my youtube channel:
Till next time…take care…xoxo.
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