Product Comparison

Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% versus Clinique Smart™ Custom-Repair Serum .

Last updated on July 18, 2023. Published on October 26, 2020

Overview

What they are

These products are both reef safe . They have a total of 2 ingredients in common

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 harsh alcohols, common allergens, oils, parabens 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.

Facial Treatment Canadian Brand Canada
Serum American Brand United States

Facial Treatment

Facial treatments are specially designed to treat a skin concern. Acne treatments and anti-aging products are common examples of facial treatments.

Serum

Serums are highly concentrated with ingredients to provide skin with benefits. They should be used after cleansing and before moisturizing.

Price

Shop

Buy Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%

Starts at $6.00
Shop

Buy Smart™ Custom-Repair Serum

Starts at $49.70

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

Notable Ingredients

Niacinamide

Benefits

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

Concerns

Irritating

Notable Ingredients

BHA
Vitamin C (2)
Vitamin E
Exfoliators (2)
Hyaluronic Acid
Peptides (3)

Benefits

Hydrating (3)
Good For Oily Skin
Redness Reducing (3)
Skin Texture (2)
Reduces Large Pores
Anti-Aging (2)
Dark Spots (2)
Scar Healing (3)
Acne Fighting
Brightening (4)

Concerns

Drying
May Worsen Oily Skin (2)
Irritating
Rosacea
Eczema
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Ingredients Compared

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

WaterIsododecaneDimethiconeCyclopentasiloxanePolysilicone-11Butylene GlycolAscorbyl GlucosidePeg-10 DimethiconePeg-6Citrus Grandis Peel ExtractMorus Nigra Root ExtractHordeum Vulgare ExtractScutellaria Baicalensis Root ExtractCucumis Sativus Fruit ExtractHydrolyzed Rice Bran ExtractGentiana Lutea Root ExtractAlgae ExtractPlankton ExtractVitis Vinifera Fruit ExtractSigesbeckia Orientalis Extract Triticum Vulgare Germ ExtractGlycerinOryza Sativa Bran ExtractYeast ExtractAcetyl Hexapeptide-8Palmitoyl OligopeptideErgothioneineWhey ProteinPolysorbate 20Micrococcus LysateCholesterolDi-C12-18 Alkyl Dimonium ChlorideSalicylic AcidIsohexadecanePropylene Glycol DicaprateHelianthus Annuus SeedcakeCaffeineGlycine Soja ProteinTocopheryl AcetateAcetyl GlucosamineCaprylyl GlycolGlyceryl PolymethacrylateDimethoxytolyl PropylresorcinolSynthetic FluorphlogopiteGlycyrrhetinic AcidTromethaminePolysorbate 80Sodium HyaluronateSodium RnaSqualaneAminopropyl Ascorbyl PhosphateAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp CopolymerPeg-8LecithinHexylene GlycolAcrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate CopolymerSodium HydroxideTin OxideDisodium EDTAPhenoxyethanolCI 19140CI 14700CI 77891Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12Calcium ChlorideSea Whip Extract

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

Clinique Smart™ Custom-Repair Serum contains this as ingredient number 1.

2
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 Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% contains this as ingredient number 10.

Clinique Smart™ Custom-Repair Serum contains this as ingredient number 60.

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

27% are loved or liked
18% have mixed ratings
45% are disliked or very disliked
9% have no rating yet
38% are loved or liked
11% have mixed ratings
24% are disliked or very disliked
27% 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 Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% 11 ingredients

3.5 /5
from 115 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
10 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

Clinique Smart™ Custom-Repair Serum 66 ingredients

Smart™ Custom-Repair Serum hasn't been rated yet.
Rate it now

Alternatives

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

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Our Dupe Finder has found 16 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Clinique Smart™ Custom-Repair Serum.

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