The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% Versus The Ordinary Retinol 0.5% in Squalane
Updated on March 04, 2025
Overview
What they are
These products are both vegan, cruelty-free, and reef safe serums. They have a total of 0 ingredients in common
Suited For
They're both likely to be good for fighting acne, anti aging, dry skin, brightening skin, oily skin, reducing pores, scar healing and dark spots
Free From
They both do not contain any harsh alcohols, common allergens, fragrances, parabens, silicones or sulfates
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Ingredient Info
The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% 11 ingredients
The Ordinary Retinol 0.5% in Squalane 8 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
The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% 11 ingredients
The Ordinary Retinol 0.5% in Squalane 8 ingredients
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Ingredient Ratings
Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these products.
When to use
The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% 11 ingredients
The Ordinary Retinol 0.5% in Squalane 8 ingredients
Reviews
Here's what our community thinks
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 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
I've repurchased this so many times and tried different niacinamide serums but this one is my fav. It improves my hormonal acne so much and controls sebum production. Also, when I had the worst fungal acne flare-up ever, this and the lactic acid 5% SAVED ME. It burned a lot but now I don't have any bumps whatsoever. It won't work immediately so consistency is key. (I have combo-oily skin)
The Ordinary Retinol 0.5% in Squalane 8 ingredients
It’s a great value but it’s definitely like rubbing pure oil on your face, squalane breaks me out apparently.
I don’t like the feeling of oil on my face, it’s just too much for me.
Like the texture
I've tried a lot of retinols and liked the texture of this one the most
