Same 10% niacinamide. The difference is the zinc.
Both serums are 30 ml bottles of 10% niacinamide. The Ordinary adds 1% zinc PCA, an oil-control ingredient, and thickens the formula with tamarind and xanthan gums. Good Molecules skips the zinc and adds glycerin and betaine, two humectants, in a shorter nine-ingredient list.
So the choice comes down to your skin. If you’re oily or breakout-prone, The Ordinary does more for you. If you want niacinamide mainly for uneven tone and texture, Good Molecules is the simpler, more hydrating pick. The Good Molecules two-pack is the same serum, worth it only once you know you like it.
Which niacinamide serum should you buy?
What 10% niacinamide does
Niacinamide (vitamin B3) does several jobs at once. It helps your skin hold onto water, evens out redness and dark spots, and cuts down on surface oil. Give it 8 to 12 weeks of daily use before you judge it.
It won't shrink your pores. Pore size is mostly genetic. What niacinamide can do is cut down the oil that stretches pores and makes them stand out, so they look smaller on less shiny skin.
Since both serums use the same 10%, the deciding factor is everything else in the bottle: zinc PCA in The Ordinary for oil, glycerin and betaine in Good Molecules for hydration.
| Oil control The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% | VS | Tone and texture Good Molecules Niacinamide Serum for Pores and Texture |
|---|---|---|
10% | Niacinamide |
10% |
Zinc PCA 1% | Second active |
None |
Pentylene glycol | Hydrators |
Glycerin, betaine, dipropylene glycol |
Tamarind seed gum, xanthan gum | Thickeners |
Light polymer, xanthan gum |
11 | Ingredients |
9 |
Oily, breakout-prone skin | Best for |
Normal, dry or combination skin |
| View | View |
The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%: built for oily skin
10% niacinamide plus zinc PCA for oily skin.
The Ordinary pairs 10% niacinamide with 1% zinc PCA. Niacinamide helps with oiliness, uneven tone and the look of pores, and zinc PCA is there for oil control. For oily and breakout-prone skin, this formula covers more of the problem than plain niacinamide.
The rest of the list is pentylene glycol, dimethyl isosorbide and two thickeners, tamarind seed gum and xanthan gum. Those gums give it a slightly thick slip. Two or three drops cover your whole face; use more and it can pill under moisturizer or sunscreen.
It has no added fragrance and comes in 30 ml and 60 ml bottles.
- 10% niacinamide plus 1% zinc PCA for oil control
- No added fragrance
- Comes in 30 ml and 60 ml bottles
- Tamarind and xanthan gums can pill if you apply too much
- Less hydrating than Good Molecules
Good Molecules: 10% niacinamide in a hydrating base
Plain 10% niacinamide with glycerin and betaine.
Good Molecules keeps it short: water, 10% niacinamide, then dipropylene glycol, glycerin and betaine. Glycerin and betaine are both humectants, so this serum adds a little hydration on top of what niacinamide does for tone, texture and the look of pores.
There’s no zinc and no tamarind gum. A light polymer and a little xanthan gum do the thickening, and the full list is nine ingredients with no added fragrance.
That makes it the better fit if your skin isn’t especially oily and you want niacinamide for uneven tone or rough texture. If oil and breakouts are your main problem, The Ordinary’s zinc gives it the edge.
- 10% niacinamide in a short, nine-ingredient formula
- Glycerin and betaine add hydration
- No added fragrance
- No zinc, so less aimed at oil control
- 10% niacinamide can still flush or tingle on reactive skin
Good Molecules two-pack: for repeat buyers
Two 30 ml bottles of the same serum.
Same formula, two 30 ml bottles. Nothing changes in the serum; you’re just buying your next bottle early.
Per bottle, the pack costs about what a single does at full price, so the reason to buy it is convenience. Keep the second bottle sealed in a cool, dark cabinet until the first runs out.
- Two 30 ml bottles, 60 ml total
- Second bottle stays sealed until you need it
- No real saving per bottle versus singles at full price
- Twice the product to finish if the serum doesn’t suit you
How to start a niacinamide serum
Pick one serum, not both. They do the same job at the same 10% strength, so layering them doubles your niacinamide without adding anything new, and makes it hard to tell which one caused a problem.
Start once a day and move to twice a day after a week if your skin is happy. Use it after cleansing and before moisturizer. If you already use a retinoid, an exfoliating acid or benzoyl peroxide, put the niacinamide in the other half of your routine (morning vs. night) while your skin adjusts.
If breakouts don't settle after two or three months of a steady routine, see a dermatologist. Prescription options go further than any over-the-counter serum.
Dab a little on your jawline once a day for three or four days. If you get redness, itching or a rash, stop. Some people get a brief flush or tingle from 10% niacinamide; if that keeps happening, a 5% serum is the easier option.
Choose The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% if your skin is oily or breakout-prone. The 1% zinc PCA adds a second oil-control ingredient that Good Molecules doesn’t have. Apply a thin layer, since its two gums can pill if you overdo it.
Choose Good Molecules Niacinamide Serum if your skin is normal, dry or combination and your main goal is tone and texture. It has the same 10% niacinamide in a short, nine-ingredient base with glycerin and betaine for hydration.
Buy the Good Molecules two-pack only once the single bottle has earned a permanent spot. It’s a stock-up, not a discount.
