Price: £4.90
Volume:: 20g
What is it?: A Niacinamide Powder (Nicotinic Acid).
What does Niacinamide (Vitamin B3) do?: Helps balance Sebum secretion and also helps boost the skin’s barrier (keep it functionating well).
Vegan? Cruelty Free?: Yes
Who is it good for?: Those with visible shine, enlarged pores and an irregular skin texture.
Why did the Ordinary make this?: To allow you to create a ”DIY experience” So one can personalise their use of the product based on one’s preference (i.e. you can use a high % amount in one use or use very little).
- The ordinary also state that this, unlike the Niacinamide 10% + Zinc, this can be used with other actives such as peptides (wont conflict). So that you can work on your pores and also use whatever other active you want to work on the skin, without cancelling each other out.
Ingredients: Niacinamide (Less than 100ppm residual Nicotinic Acid).
Directions: The Full Directions are on the Deciem Website HERE
In summary – you’re meant to mix a quarter scoop of powder (using the provided scoop) and mix the powder with a ‘water-based’ product such as a toner, serum or cream (but not something with a pH under 5.0 or above 7.0). You mix onto the palm of the hand and then apply onto the face either AM or PM. There are products that the ordinary state can be mixed with the powder such as their Hyaluronic acid serum, their moisturising cream, their Buffet serum, Argireline or Matrixyl serum.
NOTE: The Ordinary state that if a quarter spoon is used (about 0.05g of Niacinamide), then if 4 drops of the water-based product is added, the mixture should then contain 10-15% Niacinamide (10% Niacinamide can be seen in their Niacinamide serum, the Good Molecules Niacinamide Serum, the B-Bomb from Geek and Gorgeous). This powder is very potent if a quarter spoon DILUTED gives you what you can get in concentrated Niacinamide serums/boosters (i.e. 10-15%).
My Thoughts: This is incredibly finnicky to do. Also, many people use their skincare differently in terms of what a ”serving size” is for one person and another i.e. 4 drops for me is very little when I use a serum, so do I need to use more powder and serum? Do I need to double my serving size? It gets confusing. And who is going to keep measuring accurately every time?
Packaging: A Glass Jaw with a Metal Screw Top Lid. You get a small plastic scoop as well. Once lifting the lid, you get a seal (to keep things out and to keep the powder dry).
How I’ve tried the product: So I used this with my Hada Labo Lotion. I used a quarter scoop and then 4 drops as the instructions stated. It’s fine, this didn’t sting or burn, it became a liquid-type solution and I could apply onto the skin after mixing into the palm of my hand. It sat fine on top of my toner and fine under my moisturiser.
BUT I didn’t want to do it again when I could easily reach for my B-Bomb Serum for instance, and apply a few drops onto the face without mixing anything. I think if one doesn’t care about getting an accurate % of product, then it’s probably much easier to use because you’re not measuring it – but then safety(%) issues can occur….
As you can see in this picture – the product is literally a powder
Video Swatch: You can see what the powder looks like once water is added
Can you see that this dissolves in water very quick, but there is some fine particles which makes the liquid not transparent, but more translucent. It doesn’t make the texture of this product grainy (doesn’t scratch the skin) but it’s not a very elegant texture – I find that I have to use a thicker toner to mix this with or a cream to get that smoother texture.
Also, the powder doesn’t make the water-based product its being mixed into sticky or tacky.
Picture of what the product looks like after water is added:
This really reminds me in terms of texture of the Daymellow Hyaluronic Acid Powder (I swatch and provide my first impressions of that in the video down below). HOWEVER I will say that the ordinary powder is a lot more grainier than the daymellow powder (that is a lot smoother/softer and dissolves much more nicely in the water).
What I like:
- Because this is anhydrous (without water) in a powder format – it means that this product remains as potent from the first scoop to the last scoop. (This reminds me of the Hyaluronic Acid Powder from DayMellow HERE).
- Simple i.e. only Niacinamide is in here
- Fragrance free
- Essential oil free
What I don’t like:
- Can potentially put way too high % of Niacinamide on the face (and 0.5-5% Niacinamide seems to be just as effective on the skin) but this powder can go from 0-100% real quick i.e. if you don’t apply or measure correctly i.e. I could accidentally get 75% Niacinamide on the face (is this safe?).
- I personally don’t want to have to check the pH of my products and if they will mix well with this powder during my routine.
- What if I add a product to the powder which doesn’t render it as potent as another product I mix the powder into?
- Eyeballing things is difficult with a tiny scoop and with a tiny measurement (i.e. quarter scoop)
- More time-consuming than just using a serum in a dropper (already measured out).
- The texture isn’t my favourite either (I have to use a thicker toner or a cream if I want a smoother texture).
Conclusion: Overall, I appreciate the sentiment that the Ordinary wanted to make a customisable product – I really like the idea that you can use a product to your discretion, make it to the standards that you want and apply it how you like. I really like that. BUT this is too finnicky for me. I don’t want to have to be a scientist when I’m applying my skincare, especially when I don’t have the time to measure out scoops and mix to the ratio that I want things, I don’t have time. And I think it’s a slippery slope with customising your actives (I.e. some safety issues may arise). Also, the texture of this isn’t extremely elegant when mixed in with a water-based product, yes it’s not sticky or tacky – so that’s good.
I think with things like hyaluronic acid etc, it may be a bit more easier to adjust and use how you like, but when it comes to Niacinamide or Vitamin C etc, I would rather the product / bottle comes ready mixed and readily available for me to use.
Will I continue to use?: I used this 3 times, and I’m sure with continued use, one would see an improvement in the regulation of one’s sebum etc BUT I can get similar results in a safer way (or more reliable way) using a serum. This is just too finnicky for me. I don’t want to end up using very high % of Niacinamide on my face and risk irritation (with continued use). I don’t trust myself to measure accurately every single time.
Dupe?: The Good Molecules Niacinamide Brightening Toner HERE (Review HERE) and it also has a vitamin C derivative to help brighten the skin. I would also recommend the Niacinamide from the Inkey list (Review HERE) – I really like the consistency of it and it also has 10% Niacinamide. Or the Geek and Gorgeous Niacinamide Serum HERE (Review HERE).
My Skin Type: I am acne prone and have slightly dehydrated combo skin. My skin is usually tight where the cheeks and eye area is and the outer parts of my face. My T zone is oily. My skin isn’t a fan of thick/heavy formulas so I opt for lightweight formulas to prevent it from clogging up. My skin doesn’t like essential oils either and I try to avoid fragrance when I can.
Disclaimer: I am a skincare enthusiast and not a skin expert. I am not qualified to give out dermatological advice. This type of advice should only be given by a medical practitioner. Upon trying / using any of the reviewed products on the blog, please follow the manufacturer’s instructions and warnings and please seek medical advice if needed.
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My Skincare Regime 