Does Niacinamide Really Reduce Pore Size? We Tested It

Myth Busted

We put the viral pore-minimizing serum to the test to see if it lives up to the hype.

Expert Analysis · Honest Reviews · Real Results

1.🔍The Pore Promise

My nose looks like a strawberry. All those little dots.

So when everyone swore this serum made pores vanish, I had to call the bluff. No filter, no blurring primer — just chemistry.

2.🧪The Viral Serum

It’s The Ordinary‘s Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%. Under $7. The claim? Visibly reduce pore size. A big ask.

Watery, slips right on.

Tacky for 90 seconds — then gone.

Pills if you rub vitamin C over it. Pat only.

Photo: Chandra Oh / Unsplash

3.📉What’s Inside

Niacinamide (Vitamin B3) regulates oil. Zinc PCA helps with that. That’s the whole duo.

It doesn’t “shrink” pores. It dehydrates the oil plug inside, making the opening *look* smaller. A neat trick.

Photo: Poko Skincare / Unsplash

4.🤔The Reality Check

Feels like slightly sticky water. Absorbs in 10 seconds flat. No scent — just a faint, chemical bread-dough smell.

By week two, my T-zone was less of an oil slick by noon. Unexpected win. But one pimple popped up — purging is possible.

💡

One Thing: Use a *tiny* amount. More than 4 drops turns you into a sticky, pilling mess.

Photo: averie woodard / Unsplash

5.✅Did It Work?

Pores didn’t vanish. But they looked cleaner, less dilated. The blackheads on my nose? Definitely diminished. Shine was cut in half.

✅

Buy if

You’re oily or combo and want less shine/cleaner-looking pores.

⏭️

Skip if

You’re dry or sensitive — this can be irritating.

💰

Worth it?

For $7? Absolutely. It’s a workhorse, not a miracle.

Photo: Dominik Vanyi / Unsplash

6.💡Final Take

It won’t erase pores. Nothing can. But it makes them less obvious by keeping them clear — and for the price, that’s a win.

7.5/10

A cheap, effective oil regulator.

🛍️

Where to Buy: Sephora or the brand site. It’s always in stock, no need to panic-buy.