The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% Review

I have to say--my skin was awfully terrible for years. At some point, I've neglected my skin and merely completed my regimen to only a facial wash. When I had the luxury of time at night, I'd tone my face, apply moisturiser then end it with a dabble of eye cream for wrinkles. 

It wasn't until I came to realise my skin is not as it used to be--it's ageing, rougher, drier, and more prone to acne, blackheads, whiteheads (you name it!), that I decided I need to work on my skincare religiously and adhere to it no matter what. 

With a few tips from my sister, and of course, the beautiful people on Instagram #skincarecommunity, I discovered a new product that I'd eventually include in my repertoire, The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%. 

View this post on Instagram

Hey everyone! How’s Monday treating you? I’ve been MIA lately due to work and busy mom life. But it’s getting better sooooo I thought I’d share an update with everyone. . . As you know, I finally got a hold of @deciem #theordinary niacinamide 10% + zinc 1% about 5 weeks ago. I tried it the first night I got it and still using today, day and night. Although it feels sticky, I didn’t experience any bad effect immediately after using it. After a few weeks, I’m seeing that the blemishes I had on my right cheek were lightening. The pores in my nose/cheek area were also minimised. . . Sharing photos of before and after to spot the difference. . Tbh, I think this product deserves all the raves its getting because it definitely works. It’s become integrated into my day and night regimen so I don’t think I’ll ever skip it again. And of course with its price point, it’s staying in my closet. . . #skincarecommunity #igskincare #hkskincare #beautygang00 #abcommunity #niacinamide

A post shared by Anne CS (@aworldofanything) on Aug 19, 2019 at 2:01am PDT

What exactly is it? 

As described by The Ordinary, Niacinamide (Vitamin B3) is indicated to reduce the appearance of skin blemishes and congestion. It is free of alcohol, silicon, and oil. Generally, niacinamide can help build proteins in the skin and lock in moisture at the same time. 

How did I use it? 

Based on the directions, I applied the serum in the morning and at night. Everyday for more than a year now, I've never failed to use it day and night. As directed, too, I apply it before heavy creams. 

What are the benefits of using The Ordinary Niacinamide? 

1. It helped regulate oil.  The striking benefit I noticed after using it for a continued time is my skin became less oily. I used to really get oily especially mid-day and I'd normally blot or re-apply powder and still a no-go. But with this, it changed a lot. 

2. In about 2 months, I noticed changes in my skin and blemishes started to lighten. 

3. My blackheads became a little friendly and less visible. It made my pores appear smaller. 

4. It also reduced the visibility of my fine lines. 

Here's a before and after photo of how my skin improved with the use of niacinamide. Looking at these, using this product made a huge improvement in my skin. Not that I'm claiming I've gone 100% zero-free acne and oil, but somehow, the spots are less noticeable, pores are smaller, and fine lines are kept at bay. 

2018 Oct

Started in Jul 2019, this was Dec 2019

Have you tried this product before? Let me know if you have the same experience.