The Ordinary · Serum

Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% 8 / 10

Name: Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%
Brand: The Ordinary

Reviewed by Michael C.

Product image from Dis-Chem. Image rights belong to their owners.

An effective budget oil-control and pore serum, though the isoceteth-forward vehicle can pill or feel sticky under other products for some users.

Efficacy7.5

Value for money9.0

Texture7.0

SA climate fit8.5

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No hype, just evidence — this review is independently researched from publicly available information, ingredient analysis and editorial testing.

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Where to buy in South Africa

Dis-Chem — R120 (checked 5 days ago)

Prices are read automatically from each retailer's own product page and change often. Pack sizes can differ between listings; check the retailer before you buy.

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Built around Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% — every other step is the highest-scoring, skin-type-matched product in our review set, not a fabricated or paid recommendation.

Estimated routine costR1184

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Knowledge Hub

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The full breakdown

An effective budget oil-control and pore serum, though the isoceteth-forward vehicle can pill or feel sticky under other products for some users.

Ingredient breakdown

Niacinamide 10%
Moderate evidence
Commonly used to help improve skin barrier hydration, reduce visible redness and support a more even skin tone; efficacy is most often demonstrated in multi-ingredient formulations rather than in isolation.
Zinc PCA
Moderate evidence
Commonly used to help regulate sebum production, particularly on the scalp and oily skin. A prospective cohort clinical study found a Zinc PCA-containing scalp gel, combined with salicylic acid and piroctone olamine, improved symptoms of moderate-to-severe seborrheic dermatitis, a condition linked to sebum secretion and skin microbiota dysbiosis.

Best suited to

Oily, Acne-prone

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