The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% Versus bareMinerals SKIN RESCUE Pure Smooth Serum with 5% Niacinamide and Chebula
This oil-control serum is formulated around Niacinamide and Zinc PCA to balance excess oil and refine the look of pores.
This smoothing serum is formulated around Niacinamide to refine skin texture and strengthen the skin barrier.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantPropanediol
SolventNiacinamide
SmoothingPentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate
EmollientDimethicone
Emollient1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningSqualene
EmollientTerminalia Chebula Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningIsochrysis Galbana Extract
Skin ConditioningNannochloropsis Gaditana Extract
AntioxidantPhaeodactylum Tricornutum Extract
HumectantAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingTromethamine
BufferingSuccinoglycan
Skin ConditioningSodium Benzotriazolyl Butylphenol Sulfonate
UV AbsorberMica
Cosmetic ColorantHydroxyapatite
AbrasiveEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningLecithin
EmollientPhosphatidylcholine
EmulsifyingTocopherol
AntioxidantSodium Benzoate
MaskingCitric Acid
BufferingPhytic Acid
ChelatingIsopropyl Alcohol
SolventPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeBeta-Sitosterol
Emulsion StabilisingTitanium Dioxide
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Propanediol, Niacinamide, Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate, Dimethicone, 1,2-Hexanediol, Pentylene Glycol, Squalene, Terminalia Chebula Fruit Extract, Isochrysis Galbana Extract, Nannochloropsis Gaditana Extract, Phaeodactylum Tricornutum Extract, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Tromethamine, Succinoglycan, Sodium Benzotriazolyl Butylphenol Sulfonate, Mica, Hydroxyapatite, Ethylhexylglycerin, Lecithin, Phosphatidylcholine, Tocopherol, Sodium Benzoate, Citric Acid, Phytic Acid, Isopropyl Alcohol, Potassium Sorbate, Beta-Sitosterol, Titanium Dioxide
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Niacinamide is a multitasking form of vitamin B3 that strengthens the skin barrier, reduces pores and dark spots, regulates oil, and improves signs of aging.
And the best part? It's gentle and well-tolerated by most skin types, including sensitive and reactive skin.
You might have heard of "niacin flush", or the reddening of skin that causes itchiness. Niacinamide has not been found to cause this.
In very rare cases, some individuals may not be able to tolerate niacinamide at all or experience an allergic reaction to it.
If you are experiencing flaking, irritation, and dryness with this ingredient, be sure to double check all your products as this ingredient can be found in all categories of skincare.
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.
When you apply niacinamide to your skin, your body converts it into nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD). NAD is an essential coenzyme that is already found in your cells as "fuel" and powers countless biological processes.
In your skin, NAD helps repair cell damage, produce new healthy cells, support collagen production, strengthen the skin barrier, and fight environmental stressors (like UV and pollution).
Our natural NAD levels start to decline with age, leading to slower skin repair, visible aging, and a weaker skin barrier. By providing your skin niacinamide, you're recharging your skin's NAD levels. This leads to stronger, healthier, and younger looking skin.
Another name for vitamin B3 is nicotinamide. This vitamin is water-soluble and our bodies don't store it. We obtain Vitamin B3 from either food or skincare. Meat, fish, wheat, yeast, and leafy greens contain vitamin B3.
The type of niacinamide used in skincare is synthetically created.
Learn more about NiacinamidePentylene Glycol (1,2-pentanediol) is a multitasking little diol with three main roles in a formula:
Research on alkanediols (the family pentylene glycol belongs to) show they work by disrupting microbial cell membranes. This disruption helps the primary preservative system in a product work more effectively at lower doses.
On the safety side, the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has concluded this ingredient to be safe as used in current cosmetic practices + concentrations.
Typical use levels in a formula run about 1-5%.
Learn more about Pentylene GlycolWater. 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. Remember to stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water