Niacinamide Serums for Acne-Prone Skin: 5 Formulas Compared

Niacinamide serums differ mostly in what’s paired with it. Here are five options for acne-prone skin, and what each is built around.

Two of these five pair niacinamide with zinc: The Ordinary and Minimalist. The other three use different ingredients. Dot & Key adds Vitamin C and E. Plum adds rice water. The Derma Co is labelled for acne marks. All five are sold on Nykaa. Review counts here reflect purchase and review volume, not fit or quality.

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• The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%: This formula pairs niacinamide with zinc and skips added botanicals. Zinc is commonly used alongside niacinamide to help control oil on blemish-prone skin. It has the highest review count in this set, at 167,892.
• Minimalist 10% Niacinamide Face Serum With Matmarine + Zinc: This formula adds zinc plus a branded marine ingredient complex called Matmarine. Matmarine doesn’t have the well-documented mechanism that niacinamide and zinc do. It has 134,772 reviews.
• Plum 10% Niacinamide Brightening Face Serum with Rice Water: This serum centers on rice water, used for its soothing, emollient qualities. It’s positioned as a brightening formula. It has 144,181 reviews.
• The Derma Co 10% Niacinamide Face Serum For Acne Marks: This serum is labelled specifically for acne marks, rather than general brightening or tone. It has 74,640 reviews.
• Dot & Key 10% Vitamin C + E Face Serum With 5% Niacinamide: This formula combines Vitamin C and Vitamin E, both antioxidants, with niacinamide. Its niacinamide concentration is 5%, lower than the 10% used in the other four serums here. It has 62,814 reviews.

If you want the background on how niacinamide, vitamin C and retinol work and how to layer them, see our guide: Niacinamide, Vitamin C, Retinol: What Each Actually Does and How to Layer Them.

Here’s who each fits:

If you want a simple formula with just niacinamide and zinc, pick The Ordinary.

If you want zinc alongside an added marine ingredient complex, pick Minimalist.

If you want a rice water base with a brightening focus, pick Plum.

If you want a serum labelled specifically for acne marks, pick The Derma Co.

If you want antioxidant support from Vitamin C and E alongside niacinamide, pick Dot & Key.

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