The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%
A cult-favourite serum that's a game-changer for oily and acne-prone skin — but the 10% concentration burns sensitive faces and divides dermatologists.
What real owners actually say
Right, here's the thing about this little £5 bottle: it's either going to be your skin's best friend or its worst enemy, and you won't know which until you try it. Users with oily and acne-prone skin are absolutely evangelical — 'everyone is in love with my skin after one week,' 'it helped my acne subside,' 'three years and my skin is glowy.' Multiple people call it a 'holy grail' and a 'game changer.' But here's the unglamorous bit nobody puts on the packaging: a significant chunk of users experienced burning sensations the second they applied it, severe redness, and even new breakouts after just a few uses. One user layered it over glycolic acid and felt their face was on fire. Another got 'severe redness and pimple' after the third application. The truth is, at 10% niacinamide, this is a strong concentration, and your skin type dictates everything. Users also frequently have no idea how to layer it — the comments are full of people asking 'can I mix this with azelaic acid?' or 'can I use it with glycolic acid?' with very little clarity. It also seems to genuinely help with rosacea for some, and at least one person found it fixed an itchy, peeling patch on their scalp they'd been struggling with. Results timelines vary wildly: some see changes in a week, others say you need 2-6 months minimum. At this price point, the gamble stings less, but it's still a gamble.
What Glow loved
- Incredibly affordable compared to competing niacinamide serums
- Genuinely effective for oily and acne-prone skin types — many long-term users swear by it
- Can help with rosacea, hyperpigmentation, and even scalp issues
- Widely available and easy to incorporate into most routines
What Glow didn't
- 10% concentration causes burning and irritation for many, especially sensitive skin types
- No clear guidance on layering — users are left guessing about dangerous combos with acids
- Results timeline is unpredictable: could be a week, could be six months
- Pilling and texture issues under other products reported anecdotally
The YouTube reviewers who actually tried it
The YouTube landscape for this product is genuinely chaotic and tells you everything about why people are confused. Dr. Ingky made an entire video called 'Avoid This Popular Serum!' and another titled 'Doctor DESTROYS The Ordinary Niacinamide 10%!' — arguing the concentration is too high for many skin types. Yet his own comment sections are flooded with defenders: 'I've been using it daily for a year with no problem,' 'it literally changed my skin,' 'three years and my skin is glowy.' The Doctorly channel lists it among their Ordinary favourites. Dermatologists seem split: some acknowledge most research only tests niacinamide at 2-5%, making 10% potentially irritating, while others quietly recommend it. Sonia Anastasia's one-month acne scar test was refreshing because she actually had real acne — commenters were relieved to see someone without glass skin reviewing an acne product for once. A common tip across videos: don't touch the dropper directly to your face (hygiene!), and always do a patch test first. Several creators mention it works best paired with a good moisturiser and sunscreen routine — it's not a standalone miracle. The Mami Here before-and-after video drew criticism for apparent filter use, which is a helpful reminder that visual 'proof' in skincare reviews should always be taken with a mountain of salt.
The caveats nobody puts on the bottle
When user voice and video reviewers contradict each other, that's usually where the truth lives. Here's the disagreement.
- USER comments call it a 'game changer' for acne, but a significant minority report burning, redness, and new breakouts — the 10% concentration is a double-edged sword depending entirely on skin type.
- VIDEO layer shows dermatologists like Dr. Ingky actively cautioning against this serum ('Avoid This Popular Serum!'), yet USER comments on those same videos flood in defending the product with years of positive results — expert opinion vs. lived experience.
- USER comments repeatedly ask how to layer and combine this product with acids and other treatments, and VIDEO creators rarely address this clearly — there's a dangerous knowledge gap around mixing niacinamide with glycolic acid, azelaic acid, and retinol.
- USER results timelines contradict each other wildly: some claim visible improvement in one week, others say 2-6 months minimum — managing expectations is impossible when the community itself disagrees.
- VIDEO layer reveals dermatologists noting most research tests niacinamide at only 2-5% concentration, yet this product contains 10% — the gap between clinical evidence and market formulation is real.
- A USER with rosacea reported improvement, while others with sensitive skin experienced burning — even within 'sensitive skin,' responses are unpredictable, making patch-testing non-negotiable.
The 10 videos that informed this verdict
Top YouTube reviews ranked by views. Tap a card to watch on YouTube — no autoplay, no creep tracking, no “you might also like.”