Having oily skin I had come to reason that I would always have oily skin and there was nothing I could do about it. I would just have to live with it and adapt to it.
In addition to having oily skin, I have enlarged pores that are hard to hide. These two things were messing up my makeup looks. My skin and makeup would look good for a couple of hours after application and then by lunchtime it was time for blotting and touch-ups.
Related read: My Favorite Beauty Products For My Oily Skin
I’d tried so many different techniques, store-bought products, and home remedies to try and correct my oily and then tried to work around it. Nothing really worked for any length of time. I eventually gave up and realized I would just have to live with it which was very disappointing and discouraging.
Then one day I came across a blog review of a serum.
(This post includes affiliate links. Should you click an affiliate link and make a purchase I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you.)
This serum was from the brand The Ordinary, which was water-based and the formula is a mixture of 10% Niacinamide and 1% Zinc PCA. After reading this blogger’s review I did some more research.
The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% Serum claims to be “great for those looking for solutions for visible shine / enlarged pores / textural irregularities.” This is what initially got me interested in the serum.
Some additional benefits of The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% Serum are
- It helps to reduce the signs of congestion and visible sebum activity
- It aids in the appearance of textural irregularities
- And it has a balancing PH of 5.50 - 6.50
I found several beauty bloggers’ reviews on the serum that claimed that it helped lessen their oil production and also helped with reducing breakouts. As I mentioned earlier the reduction of face oil is what initially got my interest but seeing the reviewers sharing before and after pictures of their skin to show how it helped reduce breakouts is what pushed me to really give it a try.
My skin isn’t producing oil as quickly as it used to so I have some days I don’t feel the need to blot or I do it a lot less than before I started using the serum.
- My pores are less visible
- I have fewer scars and dark spots on my face and when they do appear they fade really quickly
- While I still get the occasional pimple or breakout they don’t last long and shrink pretty quickly
When I first started using The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% Serum I was using it as part of my morning and nighttime skin routines. After several months I added another serum to the mix that I preferred to use at night so now I only use the Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% serum in my morning routine.
As part of my morning skincare routine, I apply the serum after I have used my facial toner and before any other treatments or moisturizer.
Since I made the switch I haven’t noticed a big difference in how my skin looks and feels outside of perhaps my skin produces slightly more oil than it did when I was using the serum two times a day.
There are times though when I do use the serum at night as a spot treatment. If I notice that a pimple may be forming or one has popped to the surface of my skin I will apply the Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% serum at night directly to that affected area. When I do that I’ve noticed that the pimple stops growing and starts to shrink sooner and quicker than when I don’t use the serum at all or only use it in the morning.
If you’d like to give the Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% serum a try you can purchase it at
Ulta, Amazon, or directly from the brand website.
As with any skincare product make sure to patch test it and also see if it will interact well with your other skincare products.
There are times though when I do use the serum at night as a spot treatment. If I notice that a pimple may be forming or one has popped to the surface of my skin I will apply the Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% serum at night directly to that affected area. When I do that I’ve noticed that the pimple stops growing and starts to shrink sooner and quicker than when I don’t use the serum at all or only use it in the morning.
If you’d like to give the Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% serum a try you can purchase it at
Ulta, Amazon, or directly from the brand website.
As with any skincare product make sure to patch test it and also see if it will interact well with your other skincare products.
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