The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% — Facial Serum

What is it and what's it for?

It's a concentrated serum applied before moisturizer — niacinamide helps control excess shine and refine the look of pores with consistent use, unlike a moisturizer that just adds water without treating anything specific.

Real-world use cases

• In your daily routine: You apply it after cleanser and before moisturizer, at night at first (to see how your skin reacts) and then morning and night if it agrees with you.
• Professional use: An esthetician recommends it as a first active-treatment step for clients with combination-to-oily skin who are just starting to add actives to their routine.

How to avoid buying the wrong one

• It can cause mild tingling the first few times you use it — that's normal with high niacinamide concentrations, it doesn't mean it's hurting your skin.
• It's not recommended to layer it directly with pure vitamin C in the same application — if you use both, alternate one in the morning and the other at night.
• It doesn't replace moisturizer or sunscreen — it's a treatment added before those steps, not instead of them.