Niacinamide battle: The Inkey List or The Ordinary?
The Inkey List and The Ordinary are two famous brands when it comes to budget-friendly skincare products. These two both focus on only a single ingredient and keep their formulation very simple and clean.
Since having a lot in common, it is quite hard for consumers to pick one to purchase.
1. What can Niacinamide do for us?
Before comparing, let’s see what benefits that our skins can reap from using Niacinamide:
-
Niacinamide, or vitamin B3, is one of the most potent anti-inflammatory ingredients.
-
Helps to calm redness and treat blemishes, acne,…
-
Has the ability to control facial oil.
-
Proliferates ceramides - the main component of skin natural liquid membrane, which is a natural barrier of our skins.
-
Reduces dark spots and wrinkles, brightens skin tone.
So, with the key ingredient Niacinamide, let’s see which product is a better deal!
2. The Inkey List Niacinamide serum (£6.99/30ml)
Main Ingredient:
-
Niacinamide (10%)
-
Hyaluronic Acid (1%)
This serum “targets breakouts, minimizes pores and decongests confused complexions by regulating sebum production”.
Since this one usually is out of stock so quickly, so I am really curious and want to try this so bad. Thank God, it actually lives up to my expectation.
Scent & Texture:
It is fragrance-free, but I can smell a slight scent from it. Not overwhelming at all, just a little bit, and it disappears just in a second after applying.
It has a quite viscous and transparent texture and dries quickly. A big plus point is it does not cause foam or any bubbles when massaging, so it is really easy to spread all over my face.
Effectiveness:
I use it in both daytime and nighttime regimens. Using on cleansed skin and apply proper amount for face and neck.
I was really amazed. My old scars from the breakout during my recent period have faded a lot guys! And I have just used a half bottle, that’s so magical. It also evens my skin tone and calms my skin after I squeeze my acne (that’s my bad habit). For me, this serum is so worthwhile!
Rate: 4.5/5
(I have almost no complaint about this product, it goes well with my oily and acne-prone skin type)
3. The Ordinary Niacinamide + Zinc serum (£5.00/30ml)
Main Ingredient:
-
Niacinamide (10%)
-
Zinc (1%): anti-inflammation, reducing excess oil, antibacterial, preventing acne.
This serum claims to “regulate sebum production to minimize pores and reduce blemish-causing bacteria, keeping your complexion clear, calm and collected”.
This is practically a must-have product when considering which to buy from The Ordinary brand. People keep talking about it, and it is also the Best Seller of all time, and out of stock so quickly. Let’s see how it works!
Scent & Texture:
Personally, its scent is a bit stronger and more unpleasant than The Inkey List. It’s not too overwhelming for me, but actually, I do not like this scent.
Its texture is transparent and quite tacky, not as light as The Inkey List one, but not too greasy though. When first applying, it will appear small white bubbles. After a few more minutes of massaging, when it is completely absorbed, these bubbles vanish.
Sometimes when I apply this before sunscreen, it curdles and I see some white clots on my face. I am so dissatisfied about that, and it definitely does not look good, too. A huge minus point for me.
Effectiveness:
I use it twice a day, in AM and PM, after cleansing, and before moisturizer.
It does a really good job in reducing my inflammatory pimples, and also my tiny pimples. My scars and dark spots also see the good signs, they become fade out significantly after I use up one bottle. This serum helps control my excess oil, too. Therefore, I recommend this for combination to oily skin type. For dry skin, it might be a little bit dry, and you should apply some kind of heavy creams afterward.
Rate: 4/5
Worth a try! Although I hate its texture, I cannot deny what it has done for me, and I prefer its packaging over The Inkey List.
Have you tried these two yet? Let’s share your experiences below!