The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% Serum for Oily Skin
by The Ordinary · skin_care
Editor's Take
A bottle of 10% Niacinamide and 1% Zinc PCA that actually delivers on the oily-skin promise, using real penetration enhancers to push actives past the surface.
Four-pillar formula scores
- Efficacy: 8.8 / 10
- Modern Tech: 6.8 / 10
- Clean Beauty: 6.5 / 10
- Sustainability: 3.5 / 10
The Verdict
This is a technically thoughtfully built serum that earns its efficacy score through high-load actives and a real delivery system , Dimethyl Isosorbide and Ethoxydiglycol do the work of getting Niacinamide and Zinc where they need to go. The formula is Modern-band technology, Excellent-band efficacy, and built for the exact use case on the label: sebum regulation and barrier support for oily skin. The trade-off is a Mixed sustainability profile and a 6.5 clean score, driven by ethoxylated Isoceteth-20 and a synthetic preservative system that stricter frameworks flag. Worth it if you want a category-defining oily-skin serum and can live with the petrochemical solvents doing the delivery work.
Full INCI list
Aqua (water), Niacinamide, Pentylene Glycol, Zinc PCA, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Tamarindus Indica Seed Gum, Xanthan Gum, Isoceteth-20, Ethoxydiglycol, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin.