Today’s review is about the famous Niacinamide Serum from The Ordinary my favourite skin care brand. It is a great Canadian skin care brand which is now acquired by COTY. I have already used this brand before and given the review of AHA BHA peeling solution and vitamin C powder, and continue to use many of its great products, reviews of which I will be posting soon.
So, before I tell you my experience. What exactly is Niacimide serum? And how it works on our skin ?
Niacinamide Serum benefits for Skin
Niacinamide serum from the ordinary formula improves skin smoothness and fortifies the skin barrier over time, thereby increasing the strength to fight against pollutants. Because the serum contains a high 10% concentration of Niacinamide and 1% Zinc-PCA, and is water based, it increases the skin brightness and is popular with getting hydrated & glowing skin.
What is Niacinamide Serum ?
Niacinamide is basically a form of Niacin, a type of Vitamin B3. For long, humans suffered for a disease called Pellagra, especially the impoverished people. Pellagra which is basically a deficiency in vitamin B3, caused scaly skin, confusion and soreness in the patients.
In the year 1915, Dr Goldberger did the experiments of diet alteration on some healthy volunteers and concluded that if diet is altered and there is a lack of vitamin B3 in our body than humans can get pellagra. In 1937, American biochemist Conrad Arnold discovered a chemical form of Niacin derivative that could cure Pellagra.
Discovery of Niacin, led to the use of Niacinamide in skincare. It gained immense popularity due to its skin brightening properties as Niacinamide fortifies the skin barrier and protects skin from sunlight and other toxins.
It is great in preventing acne, redness, pigmentation, and wrinkles. Although, it is not stored by our body, but we can get it through meat, fish, meat, milk, eggs, green vegetables, beans, and nuts. Due to its great anti-oxidant properties, it limits damage by free radicals.
Niacinamide serum the ordinary ingredients ?
The Zinc that is used in Niacimide 10% and zinc 1% , is Zinc PCA or Pyrrolidone Carboxylic, which is basically Zinc Salt. It is great for acne-prone skin, because it kills acne causing bacteria, controls sebum and reduces acne. And that is not it. Zinc PCA is an anti-oxidant and prevents aging and makes sure that your skin remains smooth and hydrating.
Zinc PCA reduces redness in our skin and most serums have it because it basically holds the water in our skin making it hydrating and smooth.
Ingredient Callouts:
- Oil Free
- Alcohol Free
- Silicone Free
- Nut free
- Gluten free
- Vegan
What Zinc does for Skin and Hair ?
If you have had lethargy, hair loss, and bad skin. One of the reason could be zinc deficiency in the body. The best source of zinc is oysters, red meat, and poultry. But, it is also available in cashews, dairy in moderation. Because zinc is directly responsible for cell growth and cell repair. It is responsible for collagen production and is prescribed for acne, inflammation and to get healthy skin.
Zinc also strengths the hair follicle by regenerating the hair tissues. Keratin is not just a name in the shampoo. It is a protein that makes up the hair shaft and is also found in our skin and nails. Zinc is required by our body to produce keratin, and even a slight deficiency in our body can lead to breakage, dryness and hair fall.
Niacinamide serum for acne scars
The ordinary has made a specific peel, AHA 30% BHA 2% peeling solution for acne-prone skin that targets acne scars/ acne spots. It is a chemical peel and should be used only once a week for only 10 minutes. It peels your outer layer of the skin due to the presence of AHA, and should never be used on open pores/ broken/irritated skin.
On the other hand, Niacinamide is a serum, a water-based serum free from alcohol, and its targets are textural irregularity, and loss of shine/glow on the skin. It is very mild and can be applied everyday. However, care should be taken not to use it with Vitamin C.
So, if you are suffering from acne, I would advise you to go ahead with AHA-BHA peeling solution. But, if you can’t handle acids and have sensitive skin. Then start with niacimide, which might be slow to work on those targeted blemished, but slow and steady it is. It will improve the skin eventually.
How to use Niacinamide serum from the ordinary
Niacinamide can be used with Hyalaraunic acid as former acts like a humectant and latter is a humectant. Both are great to produce hydration to the skin and while niacinamide reduces the sebum production, hyalaraunic acid makes the skin appear younger. These both can be used together and many skin care products use it together. But, my recommendation is to avoid them because one is vitamin and the other is sugar, and if your skin is not introduced to them then it might cause irritation. So, go slowly, that’s the key!
Ok, So what about retinols ? Retinols are vitamin A and before you run into the kitchen and eat those carrots like a rabbit. Make sure to read the full blog to know about the full advantages of retinol. It gives the skin a youthful appearance and is a great tool against acne and acne-causing bacteria. But retinols tend to cause reactions, especially if you are not introduced to those. Also, Niacinamide and retinols has different PH, and might react badly to acne-prone sensitive skin type. So, my advice is to go with gentle products and don’t experiment with these serums too much. Because, you don’t want to trigger those sleeping pimples!
Aicha’s Experience
This is the second product that I bought from the ordinary, as I read a lot of good reviews about it, especially from girls, who have acne or acne-prone skin. My experience with ordinary ascorbic powder was not over the moon, so I had little expectations with this.
To tell you the truth, I didn’t actually use it after purchasing as it has active niacinamide and I was using vitamin C powder mixed with a cream. However, after a series of pimples, I gave vitamin C a break and after they went away. I switched to niacinamide. I used it in the night as a bed time routine.
The consistency is runny like water as the product is water soluble and is very light on the skin. After the first time application, I knew that I had to use very little product, everyday. It is great to be used all year round due to thin water consistency.
However, I was waiting for the subtle shine on my skin, the Korean glass skin for which this product is very famous for. But, I didn’t get any results until 2 weeks. By the end of 2nd week, I saw little bit of improvement in my skin texture and saw subtle glow on my face. YAY!
The pore appearance was minimized and it was definitely smoother when I applied the sunblock. And, although the ordinary doesn’t state that Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% serum to combat acne spots, but, i saw a difference in overall skin discolouration which involves reduction of acne spots.
Niacinamide serum the ordinary Price
The price is affordable and it can easily last for 3-4 month. It is worth the money and is easy skincare solution at your home
Aicha’s Verdict of Niacinamide serum from the Ordinary
So in my opinion, Niacinamide serum from the ordinary is definitely the first step in the right direction to achieve Korean subtle glow on your skin. The most satisfying thing for me was that it didn’t give me any pimples, ever. Even, for problematic acne-prone skin types, glass skin is no longer a dream .
I would give it a 10/10 on due to its lightweightness, effectiveness, and benefits for acne prone /blemished skin.
thanks for info