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The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% Review


I've been using this niacinamide serum for 6 weeks ++ and here is the review! (Okay tak ada la excited sangat, ok lek lek) (Padahal I yang excited)







Product Name: Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% 
Product Brand: The Ordinary
Product Type: Serum
Size: 30 mL
Price: Depends on the seller, the cheapest I jumpa is RM39 (preorder - need to wait 3-4weeks baru sampai)
Where to get? I normally ordered form igshops, just search the hashtag #theordinarymalaysia




About the product
Niacinamide (Vitamin B3) is indicated to reduce the appearance of skin blemishes and congestion. A high 10% concentration of this vitamin is supported in the formula by zinc salt of pyrrolidone carboxylic acid to balance visible aspects of sebum activity.






How I use this serum?
Okay first, about my skin. For your reference, I have dry skin. I nak cari product yang boleh kurangkan dullness, kulit kusam, nak glowing, reduce my pores and balance my oil sebab taknak kering sangat. 

Dulu I pakai 2 kali sehari, pagi and malam. My morning routine:
1. Cleanse
2. Essence - Missha FTE
3. Serum - The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%
4. Moisturizer
5. Sunscreen

My night routine:
1. Double cleanse
2. Essence - Missha FTE
3. Serum - The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%
4. Moisturizer


I'll just drop dekat tangan and apply dengan jari macam biasa. Jangan apply banyak sangat as it will pill up. Pilling tu, dia jadi warna putih putih bila apply banyak sangat, lagi lagi bila apply other skincare, dia jadi macam berkeladak / berkumpul (?) I dont know the right word....

See, nampak tak putih putih tu, kalau apply banyak sangat.


The packaging:
It is in a 30 mL transparent streamlined packaging with a large dropper bottle. Looks like glass, tapi sebenarnya plastic je I think. Jatuh banyak kali pun tak pernah pecah lagi. (Yes, I pesen selalu terjatuhkan barang tapi alhamdulillah masih selamat)



The colour/consistency/texture:
It's colourless, and the texture is quite thick, slightly melekit macam gel. Bila pakai, dia melekit sikit tapi absorbs quite fast so okay lah. Jangan apply banyak sangat, sebab it will pill up with other skincare



Ingredients
Aqua (Water), Niacinamide, Pentylene Glycol, Zinc PCA, Tamarindus Indica Seed Gum, Xanthan Gum, Isoceteth-20, Ethoxydiglycol, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin.

Ingredient Analysis

Niacinamide is one of my FAV ingredient. It's a skin-restoring ingredient that can visibly improve the appearance of enlarged pores, fine lines, and dull skin. Like hello, I really want to reduce the appearance of my pores, and my dull skin. Nak glowing pleaseee.

Niacinamide can also brighten the skin tone and lighten age spots or other signs of hyperpigmentation, treat acne, strengthen skin’s barrier and increase skin’s moisture level. 

Of course ada research. Kalau pakai niacinamide dua kali sehari, pagi dan malam selama 8 minggu, boleh improve hyperpigmantion and improve skin tone. Read it here








My experience with The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%

The main reason why I bought this serum is because it's niacinamide, so my aim is for glowing/brightening, reduce blemishes and reduce the appearance of my pores. Tapi pores memang tak boleh kecilkan tau, cuma nak bagi dia "nampak" berkurang je. Hopefully.

Again, for your reference
Skin type: Dry
Skin concern: Brightening, closed comedones, blemishes, pores

At first, I was a bit nervous sebab this niacinamide review ada mixed reviews tau, ada yang sukaaaa gila. Ada yang meh, biasa biasa je. And, ada juga yang breakout teruk lepas pakai niacinamide ni. And most review from oily/combination skin, which they claim, kulit diorang makin kurang oiliness. I have dry skin, macam mana kalau I pakai, kulit jadi lagi kering?

Tapi apa lah guna berteka teki. Marilah kita beli and try sendiri. Selagi tak try, macam mana nak tahu sesuai dengan kulit ke tak, kan? So if you ask me, MACAM MANA NAK TAHU PRODUK TU SESUAI DENGAN KITA KE TAK NI SIS?! Sila la beli and try sendiri. Or try sample kalau ada. Or mintak kawan sikit, kalau dia ada.

Okay, first time I pakai, I pakai malam. Sebab ye lah barang sampai siang, malam tu terus lah excited pakai. First impression, it smells like air paip tapi lagi kuat. Bukan busuk. Just like bau natural zinc I think. Bau besi gitu. I don't know, hidung I je kot. Quite sticky, melekit, and pakai sikit je, bagi je absorb.

Lepas dah absorb, nak tidur tu, I can feel my skin is really smooth. Bila pegang rasa lembut je. Tak ada tight feeling ke pedih ke merah ke apa. Rasa best. So I tidur je lah macam biasa. 

Bangun tidur, I rasa kulit I macam oily, not in a bad way. Sebab I have dry skin, so bila rasa oily ni, rasa manusia. Bukan la berminyak samoai pegang tu rasa minyak. NO. It's just, I feel my skin is normal???? Yep, normal. Tak rasa dry. Rasa yey I'm a human. So I guess, betul lah dia regulate sebum production. I have dry skin, so makin kuranglah dryness. People with oily skin, akan makin kurang oiliness. Sebab sebum (tempat proses minyak dekat kulit) dah makin normal.

In terms of reducing the appearance of pores, I normally do the weekly routine to reduce SF on my nose and bersihkan pores. You can read it here: MY WEEKLY SKINCARE ROUTINE FOR PORES

I use BHA to dissolve semua benda yang tersumbat dalam pores yang menyebabkan pores kita stretch jadi besar sebab kotoran kat dalam tu. Lepas dah bersihkan, I pakai niacinamide serum ni untuk control pores. Hence, pores rasa makin nampak small??? Ok my experience, I did not notice any major improvement. Maybe baru 6 weeks? Minor, yes. Pores makin bersih. Tapi size nampak makin kecil tu, I'm not so sure.

In terms of closed comedones (whitehead), I'm not sure is it because I've been using AHA's or this niacinamide, but I don't think it's because of niacinamide, sooooo, can't really tell.

In terms of reducing blemishes, I did noticed some slight improvement. Blemishes nampak makin kurang. Tapi tu je lah. Still tak ada major improvement. Kalau acne and acne scars, I'm not so sure sebab that's not my major concern.

And, in terms of brightening/glowing, sama jugak, only minor improvement. Again, maybe kena tunggu lagi lama untuk nampak hasil dia. But I am still happy with this serum.

I also read somewhere, niacinamide is also worth trying kalau nak kurangkan dark circles. I tried to apply in under my eyes and I can see some minor improvement which I am quite happy. (But Im not sure if it's because my eye cream ke apa ke....)

I've used it more than half, rasanya tahan kot lagi sebulan ni. Hopefully.

The only thing I don't like about this serum is that dia macam ada product terkumpul dekat tepi botol ni. Kena selalu bersihkan and I rasa macam membazir product pulak laaaaa.


Seee, nampak tak????


I also apply this dekat my husband. He has oily skin. And this serum can controls his oiliness. Dah tak teruk sangat. Or maybe sebab dah buat the basic skincare routine + hydration, that is why dah kurang oily? In terms of blemishes and congested skin, again, very minimal tapi ada improvement. ADA! Tapi baru 6 weeks kan. Can't wait to see more positive improvement.

Common questions.

Boleh ke pakai Niacinamide and Vitamin C in the same routine?
- At first masa awal awal I baca about Niacinamide & Vitamin C, I rasa memang tak boleh pakai in the same routine. Sebab katanya, Vitamin C and Niacinicamide boleh cancel out each other or neutralizes the effectiveness
- Lepastu I baca lagi, only pure vitamin C yang L-Ascorbic Acid (LAA) je tak boleh pakai in the same routine with niacinamide sebab reaction dia boleh buat flushing (muka merah/irritation) lagi lagi kulit sensitive.
- However, when I asked around twitter, ramai yang kata, diorang pakai LAA with Niacinamide, okay je. In fact, tak ada masalah pun. (20% LAA, 10% Niacinamide)
- My opinion, you can use Niacinamide and Vitamin C in the same routine. Dia tak cancel out each other, and dia punya reaction yang jadi flushing, buat kulit jadi merah merah tu, ONLY in certain conditions (high temperature, bukan temperature kat rumah kita yang environment biasa biasa je)
- Kalau nak tahu irritate ke tak, try sendiri.
- My experience? Tak ada apa apa benda pelik yang berlaku. Maybe because I use 5% LAA je, so tak ada irritation.
- Kalau was was dan ragu ragu, pakai lah asing asing, pagi & malam. Semuanya depends dekat kulit masing masing.

Dekat website The Ordinary, dia dah mention,
"If topical Vitamin C is used as part of skincare, it should be applied at alternate times with this formula (ideally Vitamin C in the PM and this formula in the AM). Otherwise, Niacinamide can affect integrity of pure-form Vitamin C (L-Ascorbic Acid)." So kalau risau Niacinamide will effect Vitamin C, pakai Niacinamide waktu pagi, Vitamin C waktu malam.


Boleh ke pakai Niacinamide dengan acids (AHA/BHA) in the same routine?
- For me, boleh je. Untuk acid & niacinamide react yang boleh menyebabkan kulit irritate, dia kena guna strong acid. Acid (AHA/BHA) yang kita guna normally tu, pH dia tak rendah sangat.
- Jadi, kalau ada masalah pores, pakai lah BHA and Niacinamide. Kalau nak glowing, pakai Niacinamide and Vitamin C. I use both, macam I mention dekat atas tu.


Overall
I really love this as it regulates my sebum so kulit makin balanced, and I will continue to use this for my pores, blemishes and hopefully, the glowliness. YES.

Who will like this?
People who wants to balance their skin (either really dry/oily), nak kurangkan pores and kurangkan blemishes and acne/breakouts. 

Who will not like this?
Some people maybe tak sesuai pakai niacinamide or zinc sebab depends on your skin, ada yang tak sesuai and it may cause breakout. Ramai juga yang I baca, niacinamide tak sesuai with them. Please patch test first. Also, people yang aim nak kurangkan acne scars yang gelap / dah lama, I think it will take a veryyy long time (more than 6 months??), sebab I didn't see any major improvement on me. Again, it depends on your skin. 

Repurchase?
Yeah, obviously. I dah repurchase dah pun hehehe

That's all, thanks for reading!

(Disclaimer: This is not a paid/sponsored review. I bought all the products using my own money. Every skin is different. What works for me, might not work for you. This is just my personal experience)