PRODUCT REVIEW: NATURIUM NIACINAMIDE SERUM 12% PLUS ZINC 2% - BEST NIACINAMIDE SERUM OILY SKIN, BEST BRIGHTENING SERUM
Naturium | Niacinamide Serum 12% Plus Zinc 2%
This product review was originally part of my blog article titled, Niacinamide Serums to Get Your Complexion Going and Glowing Ss21 from Naturium, Strivectin, Alpyn Beauty and More. You can catch the full piece here.
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I can’t light up my complexion with a subzero cryofacial from my favorite new age spa, the Kollectiv NYC, every day. As much as I would love a daily cryofacial, I don’t actually need one. A good brightening treatment is essential for igniting and prolonging your glow — and I use one in each of my skincare routines, twice daily.
If it isn’t already, a well-formulated Niacinamide serum should be your skin’s best friend, too. Of course, Niacinamide isn’t the only powerful active that has the ability to brighten your complexion. There are numerous skin brighteners including, of course, tried-and-true Ascorbic Acid, or Vitamin C.
And while the benefits of topical Vitamin C are broad, including antioxidant defense, collagen building and skin brightening, Niacinamide has the power to do even more. Yes, even more!
Among the most important benefits of the form of Vitamin B are brightening, pore-clarifying, antioxidant defense, sebum control and smoothing a rough skin texture. As I’ve said, there’s simply nothing as effective — and as broadly beneficial for optimizing the health of your skin that a damn good Niacinamide serum.
My most recent deep dive into all-things Niacinamide was published as 2020 came to a welcome close. Titled Niacinamide Is the Game Changer You Need to Defend Against Skin Damage and Maintain Optimal Skin Health, the piece featured five of my favorite Niacinamide serums — some of which continue to be staples in my daily skincare regimen.
NIACINAMIDE IS THE GAME CHANGER YOU NEED TO DEFEND AGAINST SKIN DAMAGE AND MAINTAIN OPTIMAL SKIN HEALTH
If you aren’t employing a Niacinamide serum in your AM and PM skincare routines, you’re missing a vital opportunity to up your game and defend your skin against the aging forces of time, stress and the environment. And, a little daily pore maintenance goes a long way toward pushing your skin health forward.
Niacinamide has played a central role in my own skin health maintenance for about five years now. My journey began with what I consider to be the OG Niacinamide serum, the Paula’s Choice 10% Niacinamide Booster. With a 10% concentration of the active, it’s hands down the best anti-aging serum available in the world today. Have a tried every anti-aging serum in the world? Of course not; I don’t have to. I’ve already found it!
No joke, I go through two bottles of 10% Niacinamide Booster every month.
PRODUCT REVIEW: PAULA’S CHOICE 10% NIACINAMIDE BOOSTER – THE BEST NIACINAMIDE SERUM
What Is Niacinamide and What Does Niacinamide Do for the Skin?
There’s a comprehensive article on Niacinamide by the skin experts on the Paula’s Choice Research Team, titled simply, How Niacinamide Helps Skin. An excerpt from the article:
How Niacinamide Helps Skin
Niacinamide is a skin care ingredient worthy of your attention and your skin will love you for using it. Among a handful of other amazing skin care ingredients such as retinol and vitamin C, niacinamide is a standout because of its versatility for almost any skin care concern and skin type.
As many of you know about us, but for those who don’t, the conclusions we make about any ingredient are always based on what the published research has shown to be true—and the research about niacinamide unanimously demonstrates how special it is. New research keeps showing it’s one of the most exciting skin care ingredients around.
What is Niacinamide?
Also known as vitamin B3 and nicotinamide, niacinamide is a water-soluble vitamin that works with the natural substances in your skin to help visibly minimize enlarged pores, tighten lax pores, improve uneven skin tone, soften fine lines and wrinkles, diminish dullness, and strengthen a weakened surface.
Niacinamide also reduces the impact of environmental damage because of its ability to improve skin’s barrier (its first line of defense), plus it also plays a role in helping skin to repair signs of past damage. Left unchecked, this type of daily assault makes skin appear older, dull, and less radiant.
Why You Should Use Niacinamide
As you might have gathered, we’re very impressed with all that niacinamide can do for skin when applied via skin care products like toners, serums, and highly concentrated leave-on treatments. Niacinamide is uniquely compatible with any of the products in your skin care routine, including those that contain retinol, peptides, hyaluronic acid, AHAs, BHA, vitamin C, and all types of antioxidants.
You can use multiple niacinamide-containing products in your routine, and it will still be non-sensitizing as this ingenious B vitamin is well tolerated by all skin types. It’s even suitable for use by those with sensitive or rosacea-prone skin.
Other helpful benefits of niacinamide are that it helps renew and restore the surface of skin against moisture loss and dehydration by helping skin improve its natural production of skin-strengthening ceramides. When ceramides become depleted over time, skin is left vulnerable to all sorts of problems, from persistent patches of dry, flaky skin to increasingly becoming extra-sensitive.
If you struggle with dry skin, topical application of niacinamide has been shown to boost the hydrating ability of moisturizers so skin’s surface can better resist the moisture loss that leads to recurrent dry, tight, flaky skin. Niacinamide works brilliantly with common moisturizer ingredients like glycerin, non-fragrant plant oils, cholesterol, sodium PCA, and sodium hyaluronate.
How does niacinamide help pores? Great question, although the answer here isn’t certain. Simply put, research hasn’t come to a full understanding about how this B vitamin works its pore-reducing magic, but it does! It seems that niacinamide has a normalizing ability on the pore lining, and that this influence plays a role in keeping debris from getting backed up, which leads to clogs and rough, bumpy skin. As the clog forms and worsens, the pores stretch to compensate, and what you’ll see is enlarged pores. By helping things get back to normal, niacinamide use helps pores return to their normal size. Sun damage can cause pores to become stretched, too, leading to what some describe as "orange peel skin". Higher concentrations of niacinamide can help visibly tighten pores by shoring up skin’s supportive elements.
WATCH VIDEO REVIEW OF
THE BEST NIACINAMIDE SERUMS FOR CLOGGED PORES AND A BRIGHTER COMPLEXION
ON MY YOUTUBE CHANNEL HERE
So, halfway through 2021, I’ve discovered several new Niacinamide serums that stand out to me and that I consider solid formulations, any of which would step up your skincare game were you to incorporate one into your routine.
Let’s take deep dive into one of the best Niacinamide serums for SS21…
Naturium | Niacinamide Serum 12% Plus Zinc 2%
If you haven’t tried Naturium yet, rest assured I’m just beginning to explore the brand myself. While the name implies that the brand’s products are all natural, they are not.
So what is the brand all about?
Naturium is a clean, affordable (make that super affordable!) skincare brand with the kind of “single-note” serums that have been popularized by brands like The Ordinary and The Inkey List. Think products like The Ordinary’s superstar humectant serum Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 and the Bakuchiol Cream from The Inkey List — a superb anti-aging cream and one of the best Bakuchiol creams for face with one percent of the Retinol alternative. It costs just $9.99 at Sephora in the US.
PRODUCT REVIEW: THE INKEY LIST BAKUCHIOL CREAM – BEST ANTI-AGING FACE CREAM WITH BAKUCHIOL
I wanted to know more about the Naturium brand so of course I went googling. I found a really solid piece on the brand on the Allure website titled, 9 Naturium Skin-Care Products Our Editors Can’t Get Enough of.
Here is an excerpt:
Because the options are endless, consumers are becoming more discerning, more educated, and as a result, more determined to find products that actually work (and won’t cost them their entire rent check). It makes sense, then, why scientifically-backed, highly-effective, yet affordable brands like Naturium (available at Target) are finding huge success among skin-care newbies and devotees alike.
“Over the last couple of years, we’ve seen the interest in easy-to-digest skin-care education and results-driven products increase on social media,” Susan Yara, co-founder of Naturium, tells Allure. “What seemed to be lacking from the market was a brand that offered the education and the results, paired with elegant, well-rounded formulas and packaging at an accessible price.”
Yara should know — she’s been a popular beauty content creator for years, reviewing hundreds of skin-care products on her YouTube channel and listening closely to what her viewers were looking for to complete their skin-care regimens. “That’s what we offer with Naturium. Everyone that buys from us knows our products will work well, feel great, and fulfill our mantra that skin-care is self-care.” Naturium’s advising board-certified dermatologist Dr. Alexis Stephens supports Yara’s claim. “I like that Naturium makes highly effective, beautifully formulated products feel more accessible to everyday consumers. They use ingredients that are proven to help even skin tone, decongest pores, and encourage healthier skin in general. There’s a product that works for everyone,” Stephens tells Allure.
To kick off my Naturium journey, I thought I would try three of the brand’s most popular serums — you know, the ones we see splashed all over our Instagram feeds. So I copped the Naturium Quadruple Hyaluronic Acid Serum 5%, the Tranexamic Topical Acid 5% and, of course, the brand’s Niacinamide Serum 12% Plus Zinc 2%. You know I had to get my hands on Naturium’s Niacinamide serum most of all!
With a solid 12% concentration of my favorite antioxidant, the Niacinamide Serum 12% Plus Zinc 2% has a silky, ever-so-slightly sticky texture that’s reminiscent of the Glossier Super Pure Niacinamide + Zinc Serum. And, it makes sense since the two pair Niacinamide and Zinc, though Naturium’s is the better formula.
PRODUCT REVIEW: THE ORDINARY NIACINAMIDE 10% + ZINC 1% – BEST NIACINAMIDE SERUM FOR ACNE-PRONE SKIN
Both are solid products as far as Niacinamide serums go — and especially if your skin is oily or acne prone. What makes the two serums ideal for oily, acne prone skin is the same thing that makes The Ordinary’s Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% well suited for oilier skins. It’s the zinc!
Though anecdotal and more research is warranted, the common mineral zinc has a positive effect on acne-prone skin.
What Is Zinc PCA and What Does Zinc PCA Do for Skin?
According to the experts on the Paula’s Choice Research Team, Zinc PCA is “a synthetic skin-conditioning ingredient derived from zinc. Research has shown it has anti-aging benefits due to its ability to thwart destructive enzymes in skin that can damage its surface and lead to an aged, wrinkled appearance.”
There is also some evidence that zinc can have a beneficial effect on the occurrence of acne breakouts. I found an insightful piece on the Coveteur site titled, Zinc Up Your Beauty Routine For Clearer Skin that I found supportive of the theory. An excerpt from the article:
For an ingredient that’s been around in beauty for legit centuries, zinc has recently become somewhat of a cool kid on the skin-care block. Known best for its use in sunscreens and anti-dandruff treatments, zinc in all its various forms is now popping up in everything from trendy skin supplements to clarifying ranges and sensitive skin creams, all claiming to help clear up breakout-prone skin, reduce redness, and restore a vivacious glow to your complexion. But is it for real? Well, that depends on who you ask.
First, a quick primer on zinc: It’s an essential mineral for your health that helps boost your immune system and can help with wound healing. Our bodies don’t naturally produce it, meaning we need to eat zinc-rich foods or supplements in order to get our recommended daily amounts—8 mg for women, and 11 mg for men.
Additionally, zinc is known for being anti-inflammatory, which is where its place in skin care comes in. “Back in the early 1970s, doctor J. C. Fitzherbert first recognized an improvement in patients’ acne when treated with zinc,” says Dr. Morgan Rabach, board-certified dermatologist and co-founder of LM Medical NYC. It was used regularly on patients during that time, but eventually fell out of favor with derms, she notes, when more effective treatments were discovered.
That doesn’t necessarily mean zinc is old news—there are actually some promising studies being conducted that show there’s more to zinc than history has shown. “Zinc and acne is an interesting avenue,” says Dr. Kenneth Howe, a Manhattan dermatologist at Wexler Dermatology and assistant clinical professor at Mount Sinai. “There is quite a bit of evidence that both topical and ingestible zinc can be helpful, from studies showing it might be toxic to the bacteria that causes acne, to people with acne [possibly having] lower levels of zinc. But this is all fringe stuff—if you do a standard medical search, you don’t get much.”
Adds Dr. Ted Lain, board-certified dermatologist and chief medical officer at Sanova Dermatology, “The exact method of how zinc helps with acne is poorly understood. However, if zinc does help with acne, it may be related to its effect on sebum production, as an antibacterial agent, and/or as an anti-inflammatory. Zinc is well-known to help a few other inflammatory conditions, like seborrheic dermatitis.”
The vegan, fragrance-free and cleanly formulated Niacinamide Serum 12% Plus Zinc 2% is a relatively simple formulation with just 16 ingredients in all. Aside from the Niacinamide and Zinc PCA, there are two effective humectants, Glycerin and Sodium Hyaluronate, at solid levels — enough to deliver the water-binding benefits your skin needs throughout the day.
I love the Niacinamide Serum 12% Plus Zinc 2% for all skin types on a hot summer day. And, of course, with its super lightweight texture and inclusion of Zinc PCA, it’s a terrific option for both oily skin and acne-prone skin.
SHOP THE BLOG: Purchase the Naturium Niacinamide Serum 12% Plus Zinc 2% for $16 here.
WATCH VIDEO REVIEW
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ON MY YOUTUBE CHANNEL HERE
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The Ingredient List of the Alpyn Beauty Wild Nettle & Niacinamide Firming Serum:
so|h, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil emo 0 0, Glycerin 
sii|h 0 0, Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer, Niacinamide cci|sb|aacne|h, Urtica Dioica (Nettle) Extract so, Nephelium Lappaceum Leaf Extract, Squalane sii|emo 0 1, Sodium Phytate chel, Sodium Hyaluronate sii|h 0 0, Superoxide Dismutase aox, Lactic Acid exf|h|buff, Sodium Levulinate, Potassium Sorbate pres, Lysolecithin emu, Sclerotium Gum vc, Xanthan Gum vc, Curcuma Longa (Turmeric) Root Oil perf, Pullulan, Diheptyl Succinate emo, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate aox|sb, Tocopherol (Mixed) aox 0-3 0-3, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil emo 0 0-2, Arctostaphylos Uva Ursi (Bearberry) Extract aox|sb, Taraxacum Officinale (Wild Dandelion) Extract, Vaccinium Membranaceum (Huckleberry) Extract, Prunus Virginiana (Chokecherry) Extract, Salix Alba (White Willow) Extract so, Borago Officinalis (Borage) Flower Extract emo, Salvia Officinalis (Sage) Leaf Extract surf, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract so|aox 0 0, Arnica Montana (Arnica) Flower Extract 
perf, Calendula Officinalis (Calendula) Flower Extract so|aox|perf, Lactobacillus/Punica Granatum Fruit Ferment Extract exf, Maltodextrin, Silica vc, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate amic|presThe Ingredient List of the Naturium Niacinamide Serum 12% Plus Zinc 2%:
cci|sb|aacne|h, Propanediol solv|h, Glycerin sii|h 0 0, Zinc Pca aacne|h, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-11 vc, Sodium Hyaluronate sii|h 0 0, Tocopheryl Acetate aox 0 0, Caprylyl Glycol h|emo, Dimethicone emo 0 1, Hexylene Glycol solv|emu|perf|surf 0-1 0-2, Xanthan Gum vc, Glyceryl Polyacrylate, Potassium Sorbate pres, Citric Acid buff, Phenoxyethanol presThe Ingredient List of the Algenist Algae Niacinamide Moisture Veil:
sii|h 0 0, Isododecane emo|solv|perf, Dimethicone emo 0 1, Isostearyl Isostearate emo 1 4, Niacinamide cci|sb|aacne|h, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate emo, Polyglyceryl-6 Polyhydroxystearate emu, Polyglyceryl-6 Polyricinoleate emu, Magnesium Sulfate vc, Sodium Chloride vc, Parachlorella Beijerinckii Exopolysaccharides, Phloretin aox, Fucus Spiralis Extract emo, Tetraselmis Chui Extract emo, Spiraea Ulmaria Extract so, Hydrolyzed Algin, Sorbitan Oleate Decylglucoside Crosspolymer emu|surf, Disteardimonium Hectorite vc, Polyglycerin-6 h, Xanthan Gum vc, Triethyl Citrate perf, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Extract, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Extract perf, Bergamot/Grapefruit/Orange/Tangerine Fruit Ferment Extract aox, Mica col, Citrus Limon (Lemon) Fruit Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin pres, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Phenoxyethanol pres, Titanium Dioxide (Ci 77891) col 0 0The Ingredient List of the StriVectin Super-B Barrier Strengthening Oil with Vitamin B3 and Prebiotics:
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Shea Butter Ethyl Esters, Isopropyl Palmitate, Squalane, Myristyl Nicotinate, Passiflora Edulis Seed Oil, Plankton Extract, Bacillus Ferment, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Limnanthes Alba (Meadowfoam) Seed Oil, Avena Sativa (Oat) Kernel Oil, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Extract, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Extract, Rosmarinus officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract, Quercus Suber Bark Extract, Oak Root Extract, Panthenyl Triacetate, Glyceryl Caprylate, Glycerin, Naringenin, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Fragrance/Parfum, Tocopherol, Citric Acid, Hydroxycitronellal.
The Ingredient List of the Synergie Skin Vitamin B 13% Essential Niacinamide Serum:
cci|sb|aacne|h, Glycerin sii|h 0 0, Panthenol (Vitamin B5) so|h 0 0, Caprylyl Glycol h|emo, Glycerin sii|h 0 0, Sodium PCA sii|h 0 0, Pelargonium Capitatum (Rose Geranium) Leaf Extract, Polysorbate 80 emu|surf 0 0, Phospholipids sii|emo, Aroma (Natural), Hydroxyethylcellulose vc, Alcohol (Grain Derived) amic|solv|vc, Caramel (Natural Colour) col, Citronellol perf, Geraniol perf, Linalool perf
