Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of Garnier Light Complete Vitamin C Serum versus The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% .
Last updated on July 18, 2023. Published on May 14, 2022
Overview
What they are
These products are both vegan, cruelty-free, and reef safe . They have a total of 4 ingredients in common
Cool Features
They both contain niacinamide
Suited For
They're both likely to be good for fighting acne, brightening skin, oily skin, reducing pores, scar healing and dark spots
Free From
They both do not contain any oils, parabens, silicones or sulfates
We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that need an update? Let us know.
Serum
Serums are highly concentrated with ingredients to provide skin with benefits. They should be used after cleansing and before moisturizing.
Facial Treatment
Facial treatments are specially designed to treat a skin concern. Acne treatments and anti-aging products are common examples of facial treatments.
Ingredient Info
Garnier Light Complete Vitamin C Serum 35 ingredients
The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% 11 ingredients
Contains Alcohol
Ingredients in this product that are types of alcohol:
Silicon Free
This product is free of silicons 🎉
Contains Fragrance
Ingredients in this product that are forms of fragrance:
Sulfate Free
This product is free of sulfates 🎉
Paraben Free
This product is free of parabens 🎉
Oil Free
This product is free of oils 🎉
Not Malassezia Safe
Ingredients in this product that are not malassezia safe:
Reef Safe
This product is free of ingredients that damage reefs 🎉
Contains EU Allergens
Ingredients in this product that are EU allergens:
Vegan
This product is vegan 🎉
Cruelty Free
This product is cruelty-free 🎉
Alcohol Free
This product is free of harsh alcohols 🎉
Silicon Free
This product is free of silicons 🎉
Fragrance Free
This product is free of fragrances 🎉
Sulfate Free
This product is free of sulfates 🎉
Paraben Free
This product is free of parabens 🎉
Oil Free
This product is free of oils 🎉
Malassezia Safe
This product is free of malassezia feeding ingredients 🎉
Reef Safe
This product is free of ingredients that damage reefs 🎉
EU Allergen Free
This product is free of EU allergens 🎉
Vegan
This product is vegan 🎉
Cruelty Free
This product is cruelty-free 🎉
At a glance
Click on any of the items below to learn more
Garnier Light Complete Vitamin C Serum 35 ingredients
The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% 11 ingredients
Notable Ingredients
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
Benefits
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 3 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 4 ingredients that may have this attribute:
Concerns
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 4 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 4 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 4 ingredients that may have this attribute:
Notable Ingredients
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
Benefits
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
Concerns
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
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Join SkinSortIngredients Compared
Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.
Garnier Light Complete Vitamin C Serum 35 ingredients
The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% 11 ingredients
Water • Glycerin • Alcohol • Dipropylene Glycol • Butylene Glycol • Peg-7 • Niacinamide • Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid • Bis-Peg-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane • 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid • Isononyl Isononanoate • BHA • Linalool • Geraniol • Parfum • Salicylic Acid • Sodium Citrate • Sodium Hyaluronate • Phenoxyethanol • Phenylethyl Resorcinol • Adenosine • Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate • Tocopheryl Acetate • Disodium EDTA • Limonene • Hydrogenated Lecithin • Citric Acid • Citrus Limon Fruit Extract • Citrus Junos Fruit Extract • Xanthan Gum • Maltodextrin • Acetyl Trifluoromethylphenyl Valylglycine • Oxothiazolidinecarboxylic Acid • Benzyl Salicylate • Benzyl Alcohol
Ingredients Side-by-side
Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.
Learn more about what what Com. / Irr. ratings are
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Water. It's the most common cosmetic ingredient of all. You'll usually see it at the top of ingredient lists, meaning that it makes up the largest part of the product.
So why is it so popular? Water most often acts as a solvent - this means that it helps dissolve other ingredients into the formulation.
You'll also recognize water as that liquid we all need to stay alive. Talk about multi-purpose! If you see this, drink a glass of water. Stay hydrated!
Learn more about WaterGarnier Light Complete Vitamin C Serum contains this as ingredient number 1.
The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% contains this as ingredient number 1.
Niacinamide has emerged as an all-star ingredient due to its many benefits.
It is known to treat acne by reducing inflammation. It also helps fade dark-spots and strengthen the skin by promoting the growth of the ceramide barrier.
Other benefits include smoothing wrinkles and minimizing redness.
The cherry on top? Niacinamide can also help build keratin, a protein that keeps skin firm.
When incorporating niacinamide into your routine, look out for concentration amounts. Typically, 5% niacinamide provides benefits such as fading dark spots. However, if you have sensitive skin, it is better to begin with a smaller concentration.
Niacinamide can be mixed with other ingredients to boost benefits. For instance, it has shown to be effective when used with copper, folic acid, and zinc to treat acne.
Learn more about NiacinamideGarnier Light Complete Vitamin C Serum contains this as ingredient number 7.
The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% contains this as ingredient number 2.
Phenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent germ and microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Garnier Light Complete Vitamin C Serum contains this as ingredient number 19.
The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% contains this as ingredient number 10.
Xanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan GumGarnier Light Complete Vitamin C Serum contains this as ingredient number 30.
The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% contains this as ingredient number 7.
Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.
Garnier Light Complete Vitamin C Serum 35 ingredients
The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% 11 ingredients
Usage
Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.
When to use
Garnier Light Complete Vitamin C Serum 35 ingredients
The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% 11 ingredients
Reviews
Here's what our community thinks
Garnier Light Complete Vitamin C Serum 35 ingredients
broke out my oily acne-prone face. the cream version is better when getting rid of dark spots; i suggest never to use vit c with fresh acne.
broke out my oily acne-prone face. the cream version is better when getting rid of dark spots; i suggest never to use vit c with fresh acne.
[Oily skin] This product breaks me out so bad even though I do not have acne-prone skin. It only takes around a few days for me to stop using it.
[Oily skin] This product breaks me out so bad even though I do not have acne-prone skin. It only takes around a few days for me to stop using it.
i have found it’s rlly cleared my skin
i have found it’s rlly cleared my skin
The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% 11 ingredients
Gotta give credit where credit is due
WOW… lot of people ganging up on this incredibly affordable/popular serum. I understand the criticisms, but personally I don’t believe the intensity is warranted. For so many people this was the...
Gotta give credit where credit is due
WOW… lot of people ganging up on this incredibly affordable/popular serum. I understand the criticisms, but personally I don’t believe the intensity is warranted. For so many people this was the start of their skincare journey; it certainly was mine! And because I had never used ingredients like niacinamide or zinc on my face before, of course I noticed an incredible improvement in regards to my acne and skin tone evenness. This is a good serum to start with. No, you don’t need 10% strength (2%-5% works well) and for some that 10% can be irritating. However most people can handle 10% just fine so it’s not something many need worry about. The formulation isn’t elegant and sometimes it gets frothy or pills when you try to rub this in— BUT this is $6! You can’t really beat The Ordinary’s prices, and for some people $6 is all they can afford to spend on skincare so this is a good affordable option.
If you already have effective products with niacinamide in your routine, you do not need to add this in because it won’t really do anything for you. But if you’re just washing your face with something like dish soap then of course this will make an incredible difference. You’ll probably move on from it eventually, but it’s an effective place to start. Wishing everyone the best on their skincare journey. <3
(Tried Jan 2021) This was actually the product that made me realize that my skin does not mix with Niacinamide (especially at high concentrations because I can usually tolerate it at %4/less or when it isn't a primary ingredient). I...
(Tried Jan 2021) This was actually the product that made me realize that my skin does not mix with Niacinamide (especially at high concentrations because I can usually tolerate it at %4/less or when it isn't a primary ingredient). I tested it on my wrist and a small patch on my cheek to check, and I had hives in both areas. I wouldn't want to give this a poor rating solely on the account of my allergic reaction as I'm sure it works for many others.
This irritated my skin really badly stinging, redness, burning, etc this is probably due to the unnecessarily high concentration of niacinamide. Many studies show you only really need between 2-5% of niacinamide to be effective...
This irritated my skin really badly stinging, redness, burning, etc this is probably due to the unnecessarily high concentration of niacinamide. Many studies show you only really need between 2-5% of niacinamide to be effective definitely not worth the risk if you have sensitive skin there's much better alternatives out there. It's good value for money but I still wouldn't recommend it.
Alternatives
Our Dupe Finder has found 50 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Garnier Light Complete Vitamin C Serum.
See 50 alternativesOur Dupe Finder has found 9 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%.
See 9 alternatives