Deciem The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%

I was drawn to The Ordinary due to a friends recommendation, and also the low price attracted me! I really enjoyed using this serum. It made my skin feel smooth and look radiant. My pore size looks smaller after using this for a month, and fine lines are plumped. It is a really fluid light serum, and I use it under my day moisturizer and SPF. Love this product!

i am very fair with redness in my cheeks and chin that even most foundations dont cover, as well as some enlarged pores on the left side of my nose. after using this for a bit over a month i can see a big change in the redness i was having and well as the fact that my pores are less noticable! my only caution is that if you are laying over this serum you must PAT and not rub, or it will pill. I am happy i no longer feel the need to wear liquid foundations to cover my cheeks! a powder works just fine for me now, when i feel like it ;)

Using this as a serum didn't do anything for me, not for pores and not for oiliness. However, when using on the odd blemish, it does help to flatten and calm down, however if you dab too much it will be visible as a white smudge once dried, which you can get away with overnight, but during the day - not so much! Previously I was using Paula's Choice Glycolic 10% but this was too harsh for bumps behind the ears/back of neck, it would irritate them more, unlike The Ordinary Niacinamide + Zinc which is gentle enough for sensitive areas. For this alone I would re-purchase.

Selena x



~ My HG list ~

(I've sampled 100s of skin, hair and m/u products over the last decade and a half, as I love trying out new stuff all the time - usually sample sizes via e-bay, also plenty courtesy of a friend who works at Sephora. Thought it might be useful to share my top 10 must-have products, subject to change if and when I come across something more effective)


1. Hair Loss Treatment: ‘Divine Herbal’ - Hair Oil
2. Lip Balm: Jack Black - Intense Therapy
3. Pigmentation + Anti-Ageing Treatment: ‘Divine Herbal’ - Facial Treatment Serum
4. Cleanser: 'Aveda' - Purifying Gel Cleanser
5. Concealer: ‘Mac’ - Studio Finish Concealer
6. Lash Growth Serum: ‘Divine Herbal’ - Divinelash
7. Foundation/SPF: ‘Juice Beauty’ - Stem Cellular Repair (warm glow)
8. Face Scrub: ‘Sisley' - Botanical Gentle Buffing Cream
9. Moisturizer: ‘Antipodes' - Rejoice Light Day Cream
10. Hand Cream: 'Origins' - Make A Difference Rejuvenating Hand Treatment

I've never reacted to a product this way, I think I must be allergic. The product gave me tiny bumps all over the face, it was pretty scary. They didn't show up on the first use, only on the second and fortunately they went away after a couple of days. I'm giving it two out of five simply because I don't know if it's a simple allergic reaction or if there's some bad ingredient in there that could be switched up to something else less irritating. Then again I do believe this could work for some people, it's also highly inexpensive and I do like The Ordinary as a brand.

THIS IS THE WORST PRODUCT I HAVE EVER PUT ON MY FACE. (No, I'm not exaggerating)
Bought this along with salicylic acid according to one of the skincare regimen from The Ordinary website. I only put 8 drops on the course of 2 days on my face and then suddenly my face is filled with a lot of tiny itchy white bumps (YES, THE WHOLE FACE). I immediately stop using the products and treat my face with some bentonite clay followed with pure squalane oil. The day after, I found a micellar water that once caused the exact same reaction. Turned out it has niacinamide in it as well (I only used it once). So, the problem is niacinamide for me. I actually asked around to some friend who had used The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% a person said that it didn't cause any reaction but didn't do anything to her skin as well. So, I compared my skin to hers and do a bit of research. Turned out I have fungal acne and she doesn't. So, my assumption now is maybe it reacted horribly due to my fungal acne (Just an assumption).

I have tried many products from the Ordinary (and continue using quite a few of them), but if I had to choose only one to continue using for the rest of my life, that would definitely be their Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%. I am on my third bottle now and today I bought another two as a backup.
I had very oily skin when I started using Niacinamide regularly. Right now I describe my skin as combination, but it's actually quite normal on some days. My T-zone is never VERY oily anymore. And I do believe that this serum from the Ordinary helped a lot with my skin's sebum production. As a result, my pores around the nose and chin look visibly smaller.
I usually use this product once a day, in the morning, as the first thing that goes on my skin after washing it. Other serums, SPF, and moisturizer go on top of it. Niacinamide does not effect the application of other products or my makeup at all. It is, however, important to remember to not use it together with Vitamin C products.
On the days when my skin tends to be more problematic, breaks out or suddenly produces more oil (usually around my period), I use this product twice a day. My breakout is ALWAYS visibly diminished in the morning if I used Niacinamide the evening before. I would really like to continue using it twice a day every day, but I'm a little worried that my skin might get used to it too much and the product will become less effective. So far my skin has been loving it! I highly recommend trying it for anyone who has oily skin, enlarged pores, and/or suffers from hormonal breakouts.

Although the product has some drawbacks, I still think that it is better than the rating here.
First of all if you have a normal to dry skin: walk away. zinc inside will soak up all your moisture and oil you have limited.
Also this product is not for under makeup. This can be a drawback but honestly I do not find it safe to use photosensitive products during the daytime, even under my spf.
I love this especially during my pms time. I am getting that extra oily face and chin area starts to be red and swollen. Using at nights during those days, calms my face and chin area down. Although using 2% salicylic acid gels would work similar on my chin, I do not like the peeling of my skin, which happens each time with those strong gels. I find this product more gentle in that sense.
About the brightening effect: I cannot say anything specific because firstly I do not use it daily, and secondly I use other products in my routine to reduce dark spots.
Packaging is simple and hygienic, enough product for a year.

I think their products are pretty overhyped but I think people love their products because of their affordability.I didnt like this product at all every time I would put it on my skin overnight I would get big splotchy flat pus filled bumps on my face that were kinda painful.Once I stopped using it they would go away.I was gonna give it to a friend but I’m scared it might break her out so I’m gonna have to dump it.I realllllyy wanted it to work.

I've been using this daily for about a month and it has been amazing for my super oily skin. I am so, so happy I found it! I squirt about half a pipette into my usual blob of EltaMD UV Clear sunscreen in the morning, apply (making sure I cover my t-zone well), wait for it to dry, and then put on makeup (liquid foundation with a beauty sponge). I have never had an issue with it pilling or balling up. My makeup lasts so long because I BARELY get oily!! I previously had to blot basically all day long and now I blot once, MAYBE twice the whole day. I'm so excited about this product. I think it may be lightening my acne scars and brightening a bit as well, but the most noticeable result has definitely been for my oily skin. Also, I am very acne prone and it has not broken me out. So happy this works so well!

I'm on my second bottle so I think I can review the Niacinamide and give a true response. I use it on the nights that I don't use my retin-a, so that is every other night. I have noticed that my pores are smaller, my hooded eyelids aren't drooping as much and my skin seems a bit tighter. I follow it with The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2%*B5. I've been using Retin-a for a long time so I can't say that this is all from the Niacinamide but for the price I'll keep using it.