11 Best Niacinamide Serums Of 2025, Per Dermatologists And Our Testing

Like the nutrients you consume, the ingredients you apply topically on the face matter. Alongside hyaluronic acid and retinol, a skincare ingredient we always search for is niacinamide.

Sure, there’s no such thing as perfect skin but incorporating a niacinamide-infused product into your skincare routine is a dermatologist-approved ingredient that makes your skin come pretty close to it.

“Niacinamide is sort of a do-it-all type of ingredient, which makes it a great addition to most skincare products,” Adarsh Vijay Mudgil, MD, a dual board-certified dermatologist and founder of NYC’s Mudgil Dermatology PC, told Post Wanted.

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In a nutshell, it helps reduce redness and balance the skin, which makes my face feel rejuvenated and even-toned.

Found in a beauty counter-sweep of body butters and toners — along with dry skin products in general — the ingredient is equal parts skin-boosting and redness-reducing.

“With the pandemic, everyone started looking for skincare routines online and the result was this thirst for a ‘new ingredient,'” Kavita Mariwalla, MD, a dual board-certified dermatologist and Mohs surgeon with 12 years of experience, told The Post. “Niacinamide has been around for a long time but I think the consumer just wasn’t paying attention to it before.”

To help you make your next best purchase, find the best niacinamide serums I’ve been reviewing for the past four years, along with some other favorites among the Post Wanted team. Rest assured, niacinamide serums are consistently used in my skincare routine — and one of the most effective ingredients for your skin.

More, a few expert-backed FAQs simply explain how to best apply niacinamide serums, what benefits you can confer with the superstar B ingredient, when to use niacinamide serum and more.

Best Overall: Alpyn Beauty Wild Nettle & Niacinamide Firming Serum

If I could write a love letter to Alpyn Beauty, we would. Not only is the brand one of my favorites (especially for eye creams), but its Wild Nettle & Niacinamide Serum is one I reach for to smooth the skin’s surface and boost its plumpness.

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The Alpyn Beauty Wild Nettle & Niacinamide Firming Serum simply feels fresh on the skin. It’s efficacious on sensitive skin, especially, and helps your skin feel visibly smooth. Bonus points for its plant-based, consciously derived formulation.

“This product combines a plant-based retinol with vitamin C and niacinamide,” Mudgil explains. “It’s a lightweight, elegant product.” For more, check our my full brand review of Alpyn Beauty.

Best Drugstore: The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%

Known for its no-frills, ingredients-and-that’s-it approach, The Ordinary has phenomenal budget serums that do the job of improving your skin in whatever benefit you’re seeking. For an accessible price point, it’s a no-frills (yet effective) product I love to layer atop my skin for much-needed suppleness, following my cleanser.

“I’m a big fan of the brand The Ordinary and was eager to try its Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% serum,” Holly Coley, commerce updates editor, shared after testing the product. “The active ingredient is already in my favorite SPF, but I was curious if using an actual serum would bring any improvements. I found this product had a silky texture and absorbed quickly, though not as quickly as some of my other water-based products. If I applied too much, it slightly foamed.”

The upside is that it didn’t leave a film or residue or cause her next layer of products to pill. “It had no icky fragrance — a characteristic in some skincare I absolutely hate,” Coley added. “I didn’t see a huge difference, but I do love how affordable the serum is and the simple ingredient list.”

“The combination of zinc with niacinamide makes this a true skin-calming agent.” Dr. Mariwalla chimes in. “It’s great for people with redness or skin sensitivity who are also looking to make their pores smaller, but can’t tolerate a retinoid.”

Plus, Mudgil recommends this product for helping to reduce the face’s oiliness.

Best for Acne: TIRTIR Niacinamide 20% Serum

The TIRTIR Niacinamide 20% Serum is a godsend for acne-prone skin. Even if you don’t experience regular blemishes, it works wonders for the occasional red spots and pesky pimples that rear their ugly heads. It’s also the best Korean niacinamide serum I’ve tested.

For one, this serum contains retinol which is excellent at helping to absorb excess oil. It leaves my skin refreshed, well-balanced and even brighter than before. A catalyst for doing so is the 2% Alpha Arbutin and Glutathione in its ingredient list, the dynamic duo that inhibits melanin production, helps fade blemishes and enhance that radiance we all love and crave.

This Korean beauty brand has been one of my favorites for awhile and is fairly priced. Seriously, for only $25, it measures up to some high-end serums I’ve been dispensing onto my skin.

Best for Dark Spots: Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Dew Drops

After trying Glow Recipe’s Niacinamide Dew Drops, I’m not at all surprised this TikTok favorite made the cut as far as niacinamide serums go. It’s a lovely product for helping treat dark spots as watermelon, the star of the show, contain vitamins A and C to help visibly brighten the skin.

“Glow Recipe has some ardent fans and I like this formulation as a great hydrator but also a skin brightener,” Mariwalla adds. “It has a wonderful fragrance which a lot of people love.” What’s more, Mudgil gives his stamp of approval to this formula because it contains hyaluronic acid for a “powerful punch.”

The Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Dew Drops is a fairly priced serum that comes encased in beautiful packaging — though its formulation is just as much of a beaut. It’s the best niacinamide serum for brightening and feels like jelly (though isn’t sticky), making it a top choice for those with dry skin.

Best for Redness: ANUA Niacinamide 10 + TXA 4 Serum

Glass skin, unlocked. The working power of the ANUA Niacinamide 10 + TXA 4 Serum is unparalleled for redness. When trying to reverse the look of an unwanted flush, ceramides are great to look for. Niacinamide aside, this serum contains ceramides — as well as hyaluronic acid — to help cancel out redness and nourish the skin at the same time.

I love how this serum feels on the skin. It’s fast-absorbing, doesn’t feel greasy and is wholly elegant once dispensed onto my skin. It’s fairly priced as well and helps achieve that “glass skin” look that Korean beauty brands are best known for. That said, I’d rank it as the best Korean niacinamide serum money can buy.

I feel replenished each time I reach for this serum. Pretty pink bottle aside, it’s excellent for a myriad of concerns: redness, brightening, dull skin and excess sebum.

Best for Dry Skin: Good Molecules Niacinamide Serum

“I’m no skincare expert, and this was my first experience using a niacinamide serum,” Miska Salemann, commerce writer/reporter, shared. “I have somewhat problematic, acne-prone skin and truly had no clue what to expect with adding another product. But, I wanted to give niacinamide a shot as I’ve heard it works wonders for dry skin and is suitable for most skin types.”

She said that the formula is “very easy to use” as it suggests twice-a-day application and only requires a few drops before moisturizing. It takes about 30 seconds to absorb into the skin, too.

“The texture feels just a touch thicker than water, but it’s not gooey and completely clear, which buys a few points in my book,” Salemann added. “I could hardly remember it was on after a few minutes. It also did not affect how my makeup went on — more points. In terms of instant effects, I did notice my skin looking smoother and some minimization of the pores around my nose and forehead. The improvement in texture was most noticeable, but I also saw a bit more brightness in my skin tone after the first week.”

Additionally, it’s budget-friendly, has that invisible finish and is deeply hydrating. The ultimate trifecta, basically.

Best for Oily Skin: Glossier Futuredew Oil-Serum Hybrid

OK, I reviewed the lion’s share of Glossier, and I must say — the Futuredew Facial Oil-Serum Hybrid is one of my favorites. It applies beautifully to my skin, is cruelty free and vegan (so especially apt for my sensitive skin and all the sensitive skin girlies out there) and is ultra-hydrating. What more can you ask for?

It’s packed with nourishing oils and powerful extracts, what the brand considers “your shortcut to a moisturized, dewy, glowing look that lasts.” Yes, this is true, and it’s also travel-friendly to stash into your bag when you need it.

Only two pumps is your ticket to more nourished skin. Each time I apply this product, specifically, I feel a difference — and, it’s less than $30.

Best for Fast Results: Acure Radically Rejuvenating Niacinamide Serum

As a “great product at a great price point,” Mudgil approves of this product as your countertop niacinamide serum. Plus, the addition of hemp seed oil offers light hydration, too.

The Acure Radically Rejuvenating Niacinamide Serum is gentle on the skin and comes in a travel-sized bottle that ensures you’ll get your fix of the skin-boosting B vitamin. Plus, it’s lightweight and blendable, perfect to then top with your favorite moisturizer.

Because of its antioxidant-packed ingredient list (hello, hemp seed oil, zinc and vitamins), it’s lightweight, layers well and yields quick results. It’s fully vegan, delivers great hydration and can even double as a makeup primer, which is something I like to do.

After trying some of Acure’s products, I recommend using this after the brand’s Brightening Cleansing Gel ($10) and before the Day & Night Creams ($28).

Best Firming: Paula’s Choice Clinical Niacinamide 20% Treatment

Paula’s Choice isn’t just known for its top-of-the-line toners. The brand’s Clinical Niacinamide Treatment has a whopping 20% niacinamide count, which is approved by both of our dermatologists. Not only that, but it’s one of my favorites to use at night as it’s (1) more potent and (2) feels nourishing before catching those ZZZs.

“This is a highly concentrated niacinamide product which also contains vitamin C,” Mudgil highlights. “This combo is good for evening out skin tone, texture and pore size.”

Plus, Mariwalla says the serum itself is “pretty silky feeling.” Just half of the dropper will be enough to coat the face and the neck daily, she advises.

Best for Pores: Sunday Riley B3 Nice 10% Niacinamide Serum

Sunday Riley’s brand-new B3 Nice 10% Niacinamide Serum is the real deal, namely because it helps target redness, large pores and dark spots. What’s more, it’s cruelty free and is supercharged with trans-resveratrol to help soothe the skin and target the above problem areas.

Not only is the brand one of my all-time favorites for eye creams but this serum feels extremely high-end and helps balance my complexion well. I love how it easily absorbs as well and helps cancel out redness and blur pores. The results are near-instantaneous.

Best for Texture: Naturium Niacinamide Serum 12% Plus Zinc 2%

The Naturium Niacinamide Serum 12% Plus Zinc 2% is widely considered one of the best serums for improving skin texture due to its potent combination of niacinamide and zinc. This serum is one of the best I tried for hydration, and it helped diminish the appearance of pores and smooth out rough patches of my skin.

This serum delivers a high concentration of niacinamide as well, which helps to brighten the complexion and even out skin tone, giving the skin a smoother and more refined appearance. It also aids in repairing the skin barrier, which is crucial for maintaining soft and healthy skin texture.

The addition of zinc enhances the formula’s ability to improve skin texture by balancing oil production and reducing inflammation, too. Zinc is known for its anti-inflammatory properties, which help to calm irritated or acne-prone skin. When skin is inflamed, it can lead to an uneven texture, with bumps and rough patches. That said, zinc helps prevent these breakouts and reduces redness, and I’ve noticed my skin having better texture and reduced redness. For less than $20, it’s a rockstar product.

How we tested

In reviewing the best niacinamide serums for three years, here are the following testing criteria I kept in mind for each formulation:

• Efficacy: Did this serum make my skin clearer? More glowy? Above all else, these factors were taken into account
• Value: Of course, different niacinamide serums are valued at different price points. Some are silkier than others and some absorb more quickly. All things considered, I looked for the biggest bang for my buck.
• Gentleness: I have sensitive skin, so any “too potent” serum is a big no-no. This is an important trait that will best serve any skin type, in all honesty, but even more so for sensitive skin.

FAQs on Niacinamide Serums

What is niacinamide?

Niacinamide — easily a skincare ingredient you’ve heard of in commercials and all over the web: one that’s good for you, one that dermatologists recommend. But, what is it, exactly?

“In a nutshell, niacinamide is a form of vitamin B3,” Mariwalla explains. “In serums and creams, it can be a stand-alone ingredient.”

Because niacinamide is a B vitamin, niacinamide serum uses come down to personal preference. It’s a multi-purpose ingredient that’ll help provide a litany of benefits to the skin and is recommended for every skin type.

What are the benefits of using niacinamide?

The golden question of these nutrient-filled jellied serums. Niacinamide serum benefits are multi-layered (just like the formulation).

“It kind of does it all: reduces redness and inflammation in the skin, helps those who are acne/rosacea-prone and can even help with pore size and hyperpigmentation,” Mudgil notes.

Mariwalla echoes Mudgil, also adding that niacinamide helps to brighten the skin, decreases oiliness and can help in skin barrier repair for irritated skin.

How to use niacinamide serum

According to Mariwalla, niacinamide can be applied daily and right after your cleanser and before your moisturizer and SPF. Since niacinamide takes root in creams as well, you can use a niacinamide serum and a niacinamide cream in your AM or PM routine.

Why Trust Post Wanted by the New York Post

This article was written by Victoria Giardina, New York Post Commerce Journalist & Content Strategist, who has spent countless hours researching, testing hundreds of products and comparing the latest makeup, skincare, hair and beauty items and trends to determine what’s truly worth your hard-earned cash. She evaluates formulas, textures, ingredients and more, in addition to consulting medical and industry experts. Some of Victoria’s latest conquests include testing the best vitamin C serums on the market, and a rinse-and-repeat review of the best shampoos of 2025. Victoria, who received a beauty industry essentials certification from the Fashion Institute of Technology, has been creating shopping guides for the New York Post since 2021 and previously held positions at Insider Reviews and CNN Underscored.