The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% vs Topicals Faded Brightening Clearing Serum
The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% is the lower-concern pick, scoring 16 points higher on the PlainScore rubric.
Score, factor by factor
Concern55 / 5544 / 55
How much genuine, cited concern the ingredients carry, weighted by how much of each is likely present and whether the product stays on or rinses off. Commonly feared but low-concern ingredients cost nothing.
Transparency20 / 2020 / 20
Whether the full ingredient list, and any fragrance, are actually disclosed. An undisclosed "fragrance/parfum" blend hides its allergens and costs points.
Formulation restraint25 / 2520 / 25
Needless irritant or allergen load for the product type. A clean, purposeful formula scores well without any "free-from" theater.
PlainScore100 / 10084 / 100
The three factors summed: concern out of 55, transparency out of 20, formulation restraint out of 25. Higher is lower concern.
Left column: The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%. Right: Topicals Faded Brightening Clearing Serum. The bold number wins the factor.
What carries concern in each
Only ingredients with genuine, cited concern or known allergen flags. Commonly feared but low-concern ingredients never count against a score.
The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%
Nothing on this label carries meaningful, evidence-backed concern.
Topicals Faded Brightening Clearing Serum
The two labels share 4 ingredients
Scored against the PlainScore method; every flag is evidence-graded and cited on its ingredient page. Cosmetic information for general education, not medical advice.