Versus

Geek & Gorgeous Liquid Hydration Versus The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%

Toner
Serum
Hungarian Brand Hungary
Canadian Brand Canada

Updated on March 04, 2025

Overview

What they are

These products are both vegan, cruelty-free, fungal acne (malassezia) safe, and reef safe . They have a total of 2 ingredients in common

Suited For

They're both likely to be good for anti aging, brightening skin, sensitive skin, oily skin, reducing pores, scar healing and dark spots

Free From

They both do not contain any harsh alcohols, common allergens, fragrances, oils, parabens, silicones or sulfates

We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that needs an update? Let us know.

Ingredient Info

Click any item below to learn more and see relevant ingredients

What's inside (and what isn't)

What's inside (and what isn't)

At a glance

Click on any of the items below to learn more

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

Skin Conditioning, Solvent

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. If you see this, drink a glass of water. Stay hydrated!

Learn more about Water
Preservative

Phenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent 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.

When to use

299 Routines
50% use in am
50% use in pm
93% use every day
When to use See routines that use it ->
15,876 Routines
48% use in am
52% use in pm
94% use every day
When to use See routines that use it ->

Reviews

Here's what our community thinks

Geek & Gorgeous Liquid Hydration 19 ingredients

4.1 /5
from 8 ratings
Light (5) Works Well (4) Great Value (4)
hydrationplease's avatar

hydrationplease

7 months ago
Review

This is my holy grail toner. I've literally used 9 bottles so far, and am currently using another one.

The first time I ever used it, I thought it was just nice but not necessarily more special than other toners I had tried. However, after a week of using it, I noticed visible improvements. My skin was looking noticeably more hydrated, more even, more healthy. Turns out my skin just loves this Show more

#great value
#hydrating
#light
#absorbs well
amandaneal's avatar

Amanda Neal

3 months ago
Review

My favorite toner! The lactic acid and urea keep fungal acne at bay and it pairs well with other products. It’s hydrating and works great for my sensitive skin. It is gentle enough to use even if my skin is irritated, unlike other toners I have.

#hydrating
#light
#works well

The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% 11 ingredients

3.2 /5
from 237 ratings
Great Value (53) Irritating (48) Broke Me Out (47)
Clover's avatar

Clover

1 year ago
Review

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 Show more

AshN.'s avatar

AshN.

1 year ago
Review

(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 Show more

#great value
#broke me out
#irritating
#no scent