That viral Glow Lab serum promised me glass skin in a week. I called bullshit — then bought it anyway.
Here’s the thing: most niacinamide serums pill into little rubbery dust balls under makeup. This one doesn’t. That alone made it worth the $18.
10% niacinamide + 1% zinc. $17.99 for 30ml at Ulta. The claim that got me: “visible pore refinement in 7 days.” Bold for a drugstore price tag.
10% Pure Niacinamide
Targets oil production without stripping — no tight face feeling
Zinc PCA
Calms active breakouts faster than spot treatments I’ve tried
Glycerin Base
Not water-thin like The Ordinary — it’s actually hydrating
Photo: Valerie Elash / Unsplash
The formula is clean — no fragrance, no alcohol, no essential oils. But the real surprise? It’s buffered with panthenol, so the 10% doesn’t sting like competitors.
- Niacinamide 10%: Regulates sebum + strengthens moisture barrier
- Zinc PCA: Antimicrobial — kills the bacteria that cause cystic acne
- Panthenol (B5): Prevents irritation from high niacinamide concentrations
- Glycerin: Makes it spreadable — you only need 2 drops
Texture is weirdly gel-like. Slides on like a thin moisturizer, absorbs in 12 seconds flat. No sticky residue — I waited 30 seconds before SPF and zero pilling.
Week two: my T-zone stopped looking like a glazed donut by noon. Week three: the pores around my nose didn’t disappear (lol), but they looked smaller, like someone tightened the elastic.
My blackheads didn’t vanish. But my breakouts healed in 2 days instead of 5. And my makeup sat smoother — no more foundation separating on my nose by 3pm.
It won’t give you glass skin in 7 days. But it’s the best budget niacinamide for oily skin — period. Just don’t quit your retinol for it.