Serum comparison

Minimalist Retinol 0.3% Face Serum vs The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%

For acne-prone skin, The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% scores higher (63% vs 100% clean). For fungal acne, The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% is the safer pick.

	Minimalist Retinol 0.3% Face Serum	The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%
Clean score	63%	100%
Pore-clogging	Mild risk	Acne-safe
Fungal acne	Not fungal-acne safe	Fungal-acne safe
Ingredients rated 3+	0	0
Recognised ingredients	4 / 11	2 / 11
Type	leave-on	leave-on

Only in Minimalist Retinol 0.3% Face Serum

Tocopherol: rated 2/5
Polysorbate 20: rated 0/5, fungal-acne trigger

Only in The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%

No extra flagged ingredients compared with the other product.

Frequently asked questions

Which is better for acne-prone skin, Minimalist Retinol 0.3% Face Serum or The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%?

For acne-prone skin, The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% scores higher (63% vs 100% clean). For fungal acne, The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% is the safer pick.

Do Minimalist Retinol 0.3% Face Serum and The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% have similar ingredients?

They have very different formulas.

Both scans use each brand's official ingredient list. See the product pages for sources and dates.

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