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Product Comparison

Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of The Ordinary Argireline Solution 10% versus The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% .

Last updated on July 18, 2023. Published on October 05, 2020

Overview

What they are

These products are both vegan, cruelty-free, fungal acne (malassezia) safe, and reef safe . They have a total of 5 ingredients in common

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 need an update? Let us know.

Serum Canadian Brand Canada
Facial Treatment Canadian Brand Canada

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.

Price

Shop

Buy Argireline Solution 10%

Starts at $9.40
Shop

Buy Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%

Starts at $6.00

Ingredient Info

Click any item below to learn more and view relevant ingredients.
alcohol-free
silicon-free
fragrance-free
sulfate-free
paraben-free
oil-free
fungal-acne safe
reef-safe
eu-allergen-free
vegan
cruelty-free
alcohol-free
silicon-free
fragrance-free
sulfate-free
paraben-free
oil-free
fungal-acne safe
reef-safe
eu-allergen-free
vegan
cruelty-free

At a glance

Click on any of the items below to learn more

Concerns

Drying
Acne Trigger
Irritating
Rosacea

Notable Ingredients

Niacinamide

Benefits

Good For Oily Skin
Redness Reducing
Reduces Large Pores
Dark Spots
Scar Healing
Acne Fighting (2)
Brightening

Concerns

Irritating
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Ingredients Side-by-side

Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.

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Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

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

1
What it does: Skin Conditioning, Solvent
Community Rating: Loved

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 Water

The Ordinary Argireline Solution 10% contains this as ingredient number 1.

The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% contains this as ingredient number 1.

2
What it does: Emulsifying
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Isoceteth-20 comes from Isocetyl Alcohol. It is an emulsifier. Emulsifiers help stabilize a product. It does this by preventing certain ingredients from separating.

The Ordinary Argireline Solution 10% contains this as ingredient number 7.

The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% contains this as ingredient number 8.

3
What it does: Solvent
Community Rating: Disliked

Dimethyl Isosorbide is a solvent and helps deliver actives into your skin. It is created from sorbitol.

As a solvent, dimethyl isosorbide helps dissolve other ingredients. This helps ensure even distribution of an ingredient. It may also be used to decrease the thickness of a product.

Studies show dimethyl isosorbide is able to penetrate skin to deliver other ingredients into the skin, making them more effective.

Learn more about Dimethyl Isosorbide

The Ordinary Argireline Solution 10% contains this as ingredient number 8.

The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% contains this as ingredient number 5.

4
What it does: Preservative
Community Rating: Very Disliked

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.

The Ordinary Argireline Solution 10% contains this as ingredient number 10.

The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% contains this as ingredient number 10.

5
What it does: Antimicrobial, Preservative
Community Rating: Disliked

Chlorphenesin is a synthetic preservative. It helps protect a product against bacteria in order to extend shelf life. In most cases, Chlorphenesin is paired with other preservatives such as phenoxyethanol and caprylyl glycol.

Chlorphenesin is a biocide. This means it is able to help fight the microorganisms on our skin. It is also able to fight odor-releasing bacteria.

Chlorphenesin is soluble in both water and glycerin.

Studies show Chlorphenesin is easily absorbed by our skin. You should speak with a skincare professional if you have concerns about using Chlorphenesin.

Learn more about Chlorphenesin

The Ordinary Argireline Solution 10% contains this as ingredient number 11.

The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% contains this as ingredient number 11.

Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.

36% are loved or liked
0% have mixed ratings
55% are disliked or very disliked
9% have no rating yet
27% are loved or liked
18% have mixed ratings
45% are disliked or very disliked
9% have no rating yet

Usage

Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.

When to use

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Reviews

Here's what our community thinks

The Ordinary Argireline Solution 10% 11 ingredients

4.3 /5
from 6 reviews
vivkig's Avatar'
Mar 19, 2024

Substantial wrinkle in my hooded eyelid reduced drastically, and very quickly

Substantial wrinkle in my hooded eyelid reduced drastically, and very quickly

Great Value
Works Well
karenbond_128's Avatar'
Feb 24, 2023

I could not live without this.
I have used this for a few years . I am 55 and my skin has not aged . I hardly have any wrinkles and I refuse to have fillers or Botox. This is a great product!

I could not live without this.
I have used this for a few years . I am 55 and my skin has not aged . I hardly have any wrinkles and I refuse to have fillers or Botox. This is a great product!

CustardBunny's Avatar'
Feb 15, 2024

im not gonna buy it again bc i feel like it doesnt do anythin for me.. but it feels good and doesnt do bad! its a great serum

im not gonna buy it again bc i feel like it doesnt do anythin for me.. but it feels good and doesnt do bad! its a great serum

The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% 11 ingredients

3.5 /5
from 123 reviews
Clover's Avatar'
Nov 14, 2023

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

Like review
14 likes
AshN.'s Avatar'
Mar 19, 2024

(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.

Great Value
Broke Me Out
Irritating
No Scent
Butter's Avatar'
Dec 3, 2023

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.

Great Value
Irritating
Sticky
No Scent

Alternatives

Our Dupe Finder has found 17 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to The Ordinary Argireline Solution 10%.

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Our Dupe Finder has found 9 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%.

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