Explainer
Niacinamide-Hyaluronic Acid Serums for Oily Dehydrated Skin
Six serums from SKIN1004, The Ordinary, The INKEY List and BYOMA are compared on ingredients, price and skin-type fit for skin that shines by noon and still feels tight.
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Oily, dehydrated skin needs oil control and hydration in the same routine, and the fastest way to get both is to pick a serum instead of guessing. SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Ampoule, 30ml at USD 9.50 (checked 2026-09-08), covers the hydration half of that routine but adds no niacinamide of its own, so the sections below start from the axis a shopper has to settle first: oil control from niacinamide, hydration from hyaluronic acid, or a single bottle that already blends both. Threads on Reddit that compare oily, dehydrated skin serums often layer a niacinamide serum under a hyaluronic acid serum instead of hunting for one bottle with both actives, and ingredient databases used by dermatologist-facing sites list the same two actives as the standard combination for this skin pattern.
SKIN1004 is a Korean skincare brand built around Centella Asiatica Extract sourced from Madagascar, and its Madagascar Centella Ampoule is the product most often recommended as a soothing base layer for dry or reactive skin before an active serum goes on top.
The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% & Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5
The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%, 60ml at USD 19.90 on the brand's official site (checked 2026-09-20), is a water-based serum whose INCI list runs Aqua, Niacinamide, Pentylene Glycol, Zinc PCA, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Tamarindus Indica Seed Gum, Xanthan Gum, Isoceteth-20, Ethoxydiglycol, Phenoxyethanol and Chlorphenesin, with niacinamide and zinc PCA targeting shine, texture and visible congestion. It holds no hyaluronic acid, which is why the label itself instructs using it before Natural Moisturizing Factors and HA, since it is not meant as a standalone fix for dehydration.
The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 (original formulation), 30ml at USD 6.00 on the same site (checked 2026-09-20), pairs four molecular weights of sodium hyaluronate with panthenol, glycerin and Ahnfeltia Concinna Extract to replump dry, dehydrated patches without adding niacinamide of its own.
Layered together, the two-step routine separates oil control from hydration, so the dose of each active can be adjusted independently instead of being locked into a single ratio; it fits a shopper who wants to titrate niacinamide strength on its own.
- Pros: separates oil control and hydration into two adjustable steps; the hyaluronic acid serum is priced under USD 10.
- Cons: needs two bottles and two steps in the routine; the niacinamide serum has no hyaluronic acid of its own.
SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Ampoule
SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Ampoule, 30ml at USD 9.50 on the brand's official site (checked 2026-09-08), is a watery, non-sticky ampoule that the brand positions for all skin types, especially dry and sensitive skin. Its ingredient list centers on Centella Asiatica Extract, Glycerin and Butylene Glycol, seven ingredients in total, with no fragrance and no added oil.
Many combination-oily testers describe a face that shines by midday yet still tightens across the cheeks, and this ampoule's thin, watery texture is designed to settle exactly that tightness without leaving a film behind. Because it holds no niacinamide, it serves as a hydration base layer instead of an oil-control step, so someone who wants shine control on top of it typically adds a niacinamide serum afterward.
Readers whose skin turns shiny by early afternoon but still feels tight across the cheeks fit the base this ampoule answers: pure hydration first, with no oil, silicone or fragrance to add shine, before layering an oil-control active on top.
- The centella-and-glycerin base absorbs without a tacky film, matching the shine-but-tight pattern common to combination-oily skin.
- Free of fragrance and built without oil, so it will not add shine when worn under a separate niacinamide step.
- Positioned by the brand for dry and sensitive skin, making it a low-risk first layer before adding stronger actives.
- Sold in 30ml, 55ml and 100ml sizes, so the routine can start small before committing to a larger bottle.
The INKEY List Niacinamide Serum & Hyaluronic Acid Serum
The INKEY List Niacinamide Serum, 30ml at USD 9.99 on the brand's site (checked 2026-09-20), combines 10% niacinamide with 1% hyaluronic acid in a single bottle, alongside squalane, panthenol and allantoin, and its pH sits near 6.09. The INKEY List recommends a patch test before first use.
The INKEY List Hyaluronic Acid Serum, 30ml at USD 13.00 on the same site (checked 2026-09-20), holds no niacinamide of its own and instead pairs 2% sodium hyaluronate across three molecular weights with the Matrixyl 3000 peptide complex (Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 and Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1), and it is marketed for normal, dry, combination and oily skin.
Between the two, the Niacinamide Serum is the closer single-bottle match for oily, dehydrated skin, since it puts both actives in one 30ml container instead of asking for a second purchase.
- Pros: both actives in one bottle at under USD 10; formulated with squalane and panthenol for barrier support.
- Cons: some third-party ingredient databases show minor formula variance between production batches.
- Pros: the Hyaluronic Acid Serum is sold in both 30ml and 60ml sizes.
- Cons: the Hyaluronic Acid Serum has no niacinamide, so oil control depends on adding a separate step.
BYOMA Hyaluronic Acid Serum
BYOMA Hyaluronic Acid Serum, 30ml at USD 15.99 on the brand's site (checked 2026-09-20), pairs niacinamide with sodium hyaluronate inside an oil-free, non-comedogenic base that also lists Ceramide NP, Cholesterol and Phytosphingosine.
That ceramide, cholesterol and fatty-acid trio is meant to reinforce the skin barrier while the niacinamide evens tone and the sodium hyaluronate hydrates, which suits oily skin whose dehydration comes from a compromised barrier rather than genuine oil shortage.
Skin that stays shiny at the T-zone but flakes or stings at the cheeks fits this formula's ceramide-plus-humectant approach better than a plain niacinamide-only serum.
- Pros: oil-free and non-comedogenic, and the ceramide-cholesterol-phytosphingosine trio adds barrier support that a plain niacinamide serum skips.
- Cons: the added ceramide ingredients make the formula more complex than a two-ingredient niacinamide-HA blend, which matters for very reactive skin.
| Brand | Product | Key Ingredients | Skin Type Fit | Price (checked date) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SKIN1004 | Madagascar Centella Ampoule | Centella Asiatica Extract, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol | All skin types, especially dry and sensitive skin | USD 9.50 (30ml, checked 2026-09-08) |
| The Ordinary | Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% | Niacinamide, Zinc PCA | Oily skin, visible shine, congestion | USD 19.90 (60ml, checked 2026-09-20) |
| The Ordinary | Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 | Sodium Hyaluronate (multi-weight), Panthenol | Dry, dehydrated skin | USD 6.00 (30ml, original formulation, checked 2026-09-20) |
| The INKEY List | Niacinamide Serum | Niacinamide 10%, Hyaluronic Acid 1%, Squalane | Oily, acne-prone skin | USD 9.99 (30ml, checked 2026-09-20) |
| The INKEY List | Hyaluronic Acid Serum | Sodium Hyaluronate (3 molecular weights), Matrixyl 3000 | Normal, dry, combination, oily skin | USD 13.00 (30ml, checked 2026-09-20) |
| BYOMA | Hyaluronic Acid Serum | Niacinamide, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ceramide NP | Oily skin with barrier-related dehydration | USD 15.99 (30ml, checked 2026-09-20) |