I bought The ordinarys 10% nicinamide serum a while ago with the hopes of improving my skin texture and blemishes, but somehow it made it worse and my skin is really dry and irritated?
If anyone has or had the same problem as me, what am I doing wring? Should I use another product? Which products work for acne blemishes and texture?
Hi! I've been using this product for the longest time and it works really well for me. Mostly for minimizing pores and calming down blemishes (not acne). I did not see improvement in skin texture or color except for the pores though.
But indeed, it can be quite drying when used without moisturizer and/or if used too often. I use it once a day in the evening. When I used it twice it was irritating and that can be due to quite a high percentage of niacinamide. Apparently ''the sweet spot'' for niacinamide is much less than 10%, more like around 2-4% in order to get the most out of it without irritation. So, especially if you have sensitive skin, try using it only once a day and always follow it with a moisturizer.
Regarding other products, try looking into chemical exfoliants and retinol if you haven't yet: nice products to start with in my opinion: Paula's Choice 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant and La Roche-Posay Effaclar Adapalene Gel 0.1% Topical Retinoid Acne Treatment.
Also CeraVe has a very nice acne treatment, perfect for sensitive skin I think, which actually has both exfoliant and niacinamide already in it: CeraVe Blemish Control Gel Moisturiser with 2% Salicylic Acid & Niacinamide for Blemish-Prone Skin.
Hope this helps :)