Brand comparison
The Ordinary vs Naturium: Which Is Better for Men?
What you want from niacinamide is less shine and smaller-looking pores, under a serum that sits cleanly beneath your moisturizer. The Ordinary’s 10% gets you there for less; Naturium charges 2.3 times as much for 12%, and the reason to pay it is the base, not the bigger number.
By Nate Calder · Updated
Which one is yours
The Ordinary
Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%
4.5Buy this one if you want oil control and smaller-looking pores for the least money. 10% niacinamide with 1% zinc, already above the 2–5% most of the research used, so a few drops morning and night keep shine down.
$6.00
Shop on Amazon
Naturium
Niacinamide Serum 12% + Zinc 2%
4.4Buy this one if niacinamide has pilled under your moisturizer before. 12% niacinamide and 2% zinc in a base that layers cleanly under moisturizer and sunscreen, so the oil control stays on your face instead of rolling off it.
$13.59
Shop on AmazonKey differences at a glance
| The OrdinaryNiacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% | NaturiumNiacinamide Serum 12% + Zinc 2% | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | ||
| Price | $6.00 | $13.59 |
| Active | ||
| Active | Niacinamide 10%, Zinc PCA 1% | Niacinamide 12%, Zinc PCA 2% |
| Does the Extra Strength Help? | ||
| Does the Extra Strength Help? | 10% is already well above the studied 2–5% | 12% + 2% zinc — more ingredient, no additional evidence |
| Best Skin Types | ||
| Best Skin Types | oily, combination, normal | oily, combination, normal |
| Fragrance-Free | ||
| Fragrance-Free | Yes | Yes |
| Rating | ||
| Rating | 4.5 / 5 | 4.4 / 5 |
marks the better value on that row only — not an overall verdict, and not a product rating. Rows where the two are equal are left unmarked.
Where The Ordinary excels
- Enough niacinamide, at close to cost. 10% is already above the 2–5% most niacinamide research used, so you get the full effect without paying for a bigger number.
- Shine and pores, handled. Niacinamide with zinc controls oil and shrinks the look of pores, fragrance-free and fine to use under a beard.
- The simple actives, cheaper. Hyaluronic acid and retinol come from the same shelf at close to cost, actives where formulation adds little.
$6.00
Shop on AmazonWhere Naturium excels
- Layers without pilling. The base sits cleanly under moisturizer and sunscreen, the fix if pilling made you give up on niacinamide.
- Azelaic acid you'll keep using. Its Azelaic Acid Derivative Complex treats acne and the redness around it in a smooth texture rather than a gritty suspension, so you’re still applying it in week twelve. Our acne treatment picks show where it fits.
- Vitamin C without the grit. Its Vitamin C Complex uses gentler derivatives with vitamin E, a serum you can wear every morning without sting or sand.
$13.59
Shop on AmazonMore from each brand
The Ordinary
AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution
$9.50Shop on Amazon
Buffet — Multi-Technology Peptide Serum
$19.90Shop on Amazon
Retinal 0.2% Emulsion
$14.90Shop on Amazon
Naturium
Azelaic Acid Derivative Complex 10%
$19.88Shop on Amazon
Vitamin C Complex Serum
$16.79Shop on Amazon
Compare The Ordinary with
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Naturium better than The Ordinary?
Not on the actives they share. Naturium's niacinamide is 12% with 2% zinc against The Ordinary's 10% with 1%, for $13.59 against $6.00 — and the studies behind niacinamide mostly used 2–5%, so the higher number isn't buying results. Where Naturium does win is the products The Ordinary makes badly: its azelaic acid and vitamin C are far more usable.
Is a higher percentage of niacinamide better?
No, and this is the most useful thing to know about buying actives. The research behind niacinamide's benefits for oil, pore appearance and tone mostly used concentrations between 2% and 5%. Above that there's no evidence of additional benefit and a rising chance of irritation. A 12% serum isn't a stronger version of a 5% one — it's the same effect with more of an ingredient that stopped adding value several percent ago.
Which brand is better for azelaic acid?
Naturium, clearly, and it's the best reason to buy the brand. The Ordinary's azelaic acid suspension is famously gritty — it works, and plenty of people stop using it because of how it feels. Naturium's derivative complex at $19.88 trades a little potency for a texture you'll keep applying, which for an active that needs twelve weeks is the better trade.
Which is better for vitamin C?
Naturium, for most men. Vitamin C is unstable and unpleasant in cheap formulations — The Ordinary's 23% suspension feels gritty and has to be worn at night, because it oxidizes in sunlight. Naturium uses gentler derivatives with vitamin E, which is less potent on paper and far more likely to still be in your routine in three months. The most potent vitamin C is worth nothing in a drawer.
Should you buy from both brands?
That's the sensible answer. Take The Ordinary's price on the actives that are simple to formulate — niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, retinol — and Naturium's textures on the ones that are hard: azelaic acid and vitamin C. Nothing conflicts, and buying by product rather than by brand is how you avoid paying a premium for a commodity.
Which Actives Do You Actually Need?
Answer 5 quick questions — we'll tell you which steps your skin needs before you compare percentages on a label.
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