The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% Versus Tia’m Vita B3 Source

See how these products line up with your preferences

Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% versus Tia’m Vita B3 Source .

Last updated on July 18, 2023. Published on June 14, 2022

Overview

What they are

These products are both vegan, cruelty-free, fungal acne (malassezia) safe, and reef safe . They have a total of 3 ingredients in common

Cool Features

They both contain niacinamide

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, 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.

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The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%

Tia’m Vita B3 Source

Facial Treatment Canadian Brand Canada

Serum South Korean Brand

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 Vita B3 Source

Starts at $9.00

Ingredient Info

Click any item below to learn more and view relevant ingredients.

The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% 11 ingredients

Tia’m Vita B3 Source 15 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

The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% 11 ingredients

Tia’m Vita B3 Source 15 ingredients

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

Niacinamide

Hyaluronic Acid

Benefits

Good For Oily Skin

Redness Reducing (3)

Reduces Irritation (2)

Reduces Large Pores

Dark Spots (3)

Scar Healing (2)

Acne Fighting

Brightening

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Ingredients Compared

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

The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% 11 ingredients

Tia’m Vita B3 Source 15 ingredients

Water • Niacinamide • Pentylene Glycol • Zinc PCA • Dimethyl Isosorbide • Tamarindus Indica Seed Gum • Xanthan Gum • Isoceteth-20 • Ethoxydiglycol • Phenoxyethanol • Chlorphenesin

Water • Niacinamide 10% • Butylene Glycol • Arbutin 2% • Allantoin • Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate • Lindera Erythrocarpa Extract • Cornus Officinalis Fruit Extract • Geranium Thunbergii Extract • Hydroxyethylcellulose • Sodium Hyaluronate • Methylpropanediol • Laurylpyridinium Chloride • Chlorphenesin • 1,2-Hexanediol

Ingredients Side-by-side

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

Learn more about what what Com. / Irr. ratings are

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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.

Water

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.

Tia’m Vita B3 Source contains this as ingredient number 1.

Niacinamide

What it does: Smoothing

Community Rating: Loved

Niacinamide has emerged as an all-star ingredient due to its many benefits.

It is known to treat acne by reducing inflammation. It also helps fade dark-spots and strengthen the skin by promoting the growth of the ceramide barrier.

Other benefits include smoothing wrinkles and minimizing redness.

The cherry on top? Niacinamide can also help build keratin, a protein that keeps skin firm.

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.

Niacinamide can be mixed with other ingredients to boost benefits. For instance, it has shown to be effective when used with copper, folic acid, and zinc to treat acne.

Learn more about Niacinamide

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

Tia’m Vita B3 Source contains this as ingredient number 2.

Chlorphenesin

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

Tia’m Vita B3 Source contains this as ingredient number 14.

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

The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% 11 ingredients

Tia’m Vita B3 Source 15 ingredients

27% are loved or liked

18% have mixed ratings

45% are disliked or very disliked

9% have no rating yet

40% are loved or liked

27% have mixed ratings

7% 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

The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% 11 ingredients

Tia’m Vita B3 Source 15 ingredients

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Reviews

Here's what our community thinks

The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% 11 ingredients

3.5 /5

from 123 ratings

Great Value (13) Irritating (10) Doesn't Work (9) No Scent (9) Sticky (9) Broke Me Out (8)

Clover

6 months ago · Dry Skin

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...

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

The Ordinary

Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%

AshN.

1 month ago · Dry Skin

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...

(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.

The Ordinary

Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%