For oily and acne-prone skin, niacinamide is close to the perfect active — it helps balance oil and refine pores without stripping the skin. Paired with zinc, it becomes the classic oil-control serum. Here's how to build one that oily-skin users actually repurchase.
Inside our factoryWhy niacinamide suits oily skin
Oily skin often over-produces oil partly because it's been stripped by harsh products. Niacinamide takes the opposite approach: it balances rather than strips, helping regulate the look of sebum and visibly refine pores while supporting the barrier. The result is less shine over time without the rebound oiliness that aggressive products cause.
Niacinamide + zinc: the oil-control pairing
The reason so many oil-control serums read "niacinamide + zinc" is that the two complement each other: niacinamide works on tone, pores and barrier, while zinc (often zinc PCA) supports oil control and a clearer-looking complexion. Together they're the benchmark structure for an oily/acne serum.
| Layer | Specify | Why it matters for oily skin |
|---|---|---|
| Hero | Niacinamide ~10% | Oil balance, pores, tone |
| Oil partner | Zinc (zinc PCA) 1–2% | The oil-control half of the pairing |
| Base | Lightweight, fast-absorbing, non-comedogenic | No greasy film — the #1 thing oily users review |
| Comfort | Light hyaluronic / panthenol | Hydration without weight |
| Optional | Low-dose BHA, azelaic | Extra blemish or tone support |
Oily-skin shoppers review feel above almost everything. A watery-to-light-gel serum that disappears with no residue will out-sell a more "active" formula that sits greasy. Build the base for weightlessness first.
Positioning & pairing
A niacinamide oil-control serum is the volume anchor of an oily/acne range. Pair it with an azelaic serum for marks and tone, or a non-comedogenic azelaic serum for a two-step oily-skin set. For the full active picture, see the niacinamide serum guide.
Inside our factoryBriefing it as an OEM
Tell us "weightless, no film", your niacinamide and zinc levels, and any add-ons, and we'll build a non-comedogenic base, buffer it, run stability and trial batches, and scale into your pack with samples and a fast quote.
Build a niacinamide oil-control serum
We'll propose a weightless niacinamide + zinc serum for oily, acne-prone skin and return samples with a 24-hour quote.
Request free samples →Free sample set · 24-hour quote · MOQ from 3,000 · 妆字号 + ISO 22716
Educational content for brand and product teams. Ingredient and claim information is general and varies by market regulation; finished-product claims should be confirmed against the rules of your target market. Yanse Cosmetics is a contract manufacturer (OEM/ODM) and does not sell finished consumer goods under its own brand.