Index / La Roche-Posay / Pure Niacinamide 10 Serum
La Roche-Posay

Pure Niacinamide 10 Serum.

La Roche-Posay Pure Niacinamide 10 Serum
Serums

About this product

A niacinamide serum containing 10% niacinamide and phenylethyl resorcinol, designed to brighten skin tone and reduce hyperpigmentation and dark spots.

Full ingredients

Guru Score

71%

Mixed

4 experts · Moderate agreement
4Gurus
2Yay
1Mixed
1Nay

What they liked

  • Visibly reduces discoloration and dark spots
  • Skin feels softer and brighter
  • Two complementary actives for hyperpigmentation

What they flagged

  • Strong fragrance that lingers and can cause headaches
  • Pills under sunscreen
  • Messy dropper, lotion-like consistency

What the gurus are saying

The fragrance is a dealbreaker for some: dermatologists have described it as 'headache inducing' and 'very heavy,' which reviewers note can cause pilling when layered under sunscreen. Others find the visible brightening benefits worth tolerating, the 10% niacinamide paired with phenylethyl resorcinol reduces hyperpigmentation and dark spots, leaving skin more even-toned, though the higher concentration may irritate those sensitive to niacinamide.
Synthesized from 4 expert reviews · most recent take January 2025

What the gurus are saying.

Every take we've logged from this product's reviews across YouTube. Click any row to watch the moment they said it.

All takes Yay takes Nay takes Mixed takes Hide sponsored
~Yay
"The one niacinamide that I recommend to everyone which has given us really really good results is the La Roche Posay niacinamide B3"
All 4 takes from Nipun Kapur
Members Live 14/10/2023 | Skin care live discussion
"The La Roche-Posay niacinamide is amazing."
Best Niacinamide Serum for Beginners | Best serum for open pores & blackheads sebaceous filaments
"This is one of my favorite niacinamide serums and if you've been following me for any length of time you've seen me use it. I'm literally on bottle number three. But because of these summer months I actually like to use it when the weather is a little more cooler because this is a bit thick, thick but beautiful. Every time I use it I wake up in the morning my skin is softer, brighter, nicer. The impact is niacinamide serum I have not seen it with any niacinamide serum and trust me I have used a lot of them, so this niacinamide serum is my favorite. But I recommend it only for dry skin throughout the year. If you live in a country which has got cooler temperatures you will absolutely absolutely love this one."
30 Day Pigmentation Challenge: How to Fade Dark Spots & Pigmentation at Home | Nipun Kapur
"The one niacinamide that I recommend to everyone which has given us really really good results is the La Roche Posay niacinamide B3"
Anti-Aging Skincare Routine For Extra Sensitive Skin - Retinol Free | Nipun Kapur
"It is a product I love extremely. It is a bit pricey, quite a bit pricey, but it is amazing. This is going to brighten your skin to the Gods in the most effective manner. It is thick and creamy and hydrating and the best niacinamide 10 for your sensitive skin. If you can afford it, I will highly highly recommend the product, especially if you have sensitive or dry skin. It gives you the most."
~Yay
"This is a La Roche-Posay Pure 10% Niacinamide Serum. This anti-aging niacinamide serum clarifies skin tone, visibly reduces discoloration, post-acne marks also called post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, and post-inflammatory erythema, and even stubborn dark spots to reveal a brighter, more even complexion. The key ingredients here are 10% niacinamide which helps brighten skin tone, reduce the appearance of discoloration, and strengthen the skin's barrier. Another ingredient here is hyaluronic acid, it provides moisture and hydration ensuring the skin looks supple and smooth. And of course the famous La Roche-Posay thermal spring water which will soothe and calm the skin, helping to minimize sensitivity and irritation."
~Nay
"You really only need max 5% niacinamide, 10% is kind of overboard and if anything can be more irritating. The fragrance in their serums is so strong."
All 3 takes from Dr Dray
*NEW* Skincare At Target | April 2024
"You really only need max 5% niacinamide, 10% is kind of overboard and if anything can be more irritating. The fragrance in their serums is so strong."
SKINCARE FAVES & FAILS *MARCH 2023* @DrDrayzday
"I approached the La Roche-Posay Niacinamide 10 Serum with an open mind. I've had gripes with products like this before, since most of the research on niacinamide showing benefit uses two to five percent, and higher percentages aren't necessarily better and can be more irritating. It also has resorcinol, another antioxidant that can help with hyperpigmentation, so it's a serum with some good ingredients for sunspots, age spots and hyperpigmentation, plus niacinamide for oily, acne-prone skin. But the fragrance on this serum is so headache inducing I could not tolerate it whatsoever. I don't like fragrance in skincare because it's a common allergen, it can be irritating, and this isn't even a pleasant scent, it's a very cheap perfume smell. I think the low molecular weight alcohol in the formula is what's driving that strong, long-lasting fragrance. If you use too much of it, you'll also get pilling when you layer sunscreen over it, which compromises your sun protection."
*NEW* LA ROCHE POSAY NIACINAMIDE 10 SERUM REVIEW 🤔 @DrDrayzday
"This has ten percent niacinamide, which is on the high side, plus phenylethyl resorcinol, so you have two ingredients each with a different mechanism of action for addressing hyperpigmentation, along with glycerin and hyaluronic acid for hydration. I think there is a good chance you will see some benefit here in terms of improving sunspots, the appearance of pores, maybe help with blemishes and redness, provided you tolerate the product as a whole. What I dislike about this is the fragrance is very, very heavy and headache inducing and off putting, and it lingers, and I think the alcohol denatured in it is making it behave more like a perfume, which is part of why the fragrance lasts so long. If you already find niacinamide irritating, this is at a higher percentage so that could be an issue, and the dropper is a bit messy since the product is almost more of a lotion consistency. It is forty dollars for one ounce. Do I think this is a good or bad product? I do not like these dichotomies."
~Mixed
"I'm disappointed again by the niacinamide, but it's a more interesting formulation, so it's a good four out of 10, yeah I'm going to give it a five out of 10. I do like the concentration of niacinamide, but again it loses marks with the hybrid nature of the serum slash cream, the denatured alcohol and the perfume. I'm not sure adding titanium dioxide adds much to it if you're going to wear an SPF, which they recommend. I think it's an unfortunate addition to it in my opinion."
All 3 takes from Dr. Somji Skin
La Roche-Posay Complete Skincare Product Guide | Dr. Somji & Dr. Solomon Review
"I'm disappointed again by the niacinamide, but it's a more interesting formulation, so it's a good four out of 10, yeah I'm going to give it a five out of 10. I do like the concentration of niacinamide, but again it loses marks with the hybrid nature of the serum slash cream, the denatured alcohol and the perfume. I'm not sure adding titanium dioxide adds much to it if you're going to wear an SPF, which they recommend. I think it's an unfortunate addition to it in my opinion."
Step-by-Step Guide to Choosing the Best Serum for Your Skin!
"Niacinamide is vitamin B3 which really helps the protective layer on the skin, the skin barrier, that lipid barrier that prevents moisture from releasing away in the skin and making your skin very dry, so niacinamide is an essential serum that you can use. The La Roche-Posay Pure Niacinamide 10 Serum is formulated like this. If you were using your hyaluronic acid and you had some dry skin, you want to use this serum and you'd use it in exactly the same way: five drops on the area, touch together, distribute evenly across the face and moisturize. The key is you don't want to just use one serum. You can combine those two serums with different ingredients to get more of a result. Niacinamide can help with things like pigmentation, so if you've got mild pigmentation and some dryness within the skin, you're going to choose hyaluronic acid and niacinamide."
How PURE is the La Roche-Posay Pure Niacinamide 10 Serum | Dr. Somji & Dr. Solomon Review
"I'm disappointed again by the formula, but it's a more interesting formulation so [...] it's a good four out of 10, I'm going to give it a five out of 10. I do like the concentration of niacinamide, but again it loses marks with the hybrid nature of the serum slash cream, the denatured alcohol, and the perfume. I'm not sure adding titanium dioxide adds much to it if you're going to wear an SPF, which they recommend. I think it's an unfortunate addition to it in my opinion."

What the evidence says.

Independent of what the gurus think, this is what the published research supports about the main active ingredients here.

Niacinamide

Niacinamide has evidence behind it for redness, uneven tone and supporting the skin barrier, and it is usually well tolerated even by skin that reacts to most things.

Source: DermNet

Sunscreen filters

Sun protection is the best evidenced way to slow visible ageing, and the filters are what does the work. Mineral and chemical filters both protect when a product is applied thickly enough and often enough, which is where most people fall short rather than on the choice of filter.

Source: DermNet

Humectants and emollients

Ingredients like these draw water into the surface layers and slow how fast it leaves. The evidence is for comfort, softness and hydration rather than for changing the structure of the skin.

Source: DermNet

Frequently asked.

What is La Roche-Posay Pure Niacinamide 10 Serum?

A niacinamide serum containing 10% niacinamide and phenylethyl resorcinol, designed to brighten skin tone and reduce hyperpigmentation and dark spots.

Is La Roche-Posay Pure Niacinamide 10 Serum worth it?

The gurus mostly approve it, but with enough reservations to keep it in the middle at a Guru Score of 71%.

What is La Roche-Posay Pure Niacinamide 10 Serum's Guru Score?

La Roche-Posay Pure Niacinamide 10 Serum holds a Guru Score of 71%. That is our read on how warmly the experts talk about it, based on the verdicts of 4 expert reviewers we have collected.

Who is La Roche-Posay Pure Niacinamide 10 Serum best for?

La Roche-Posay Pure Niacinamide 10 Serum is generally suited to oily skin, combination skin and acne-prone skin.

Same formula, worth a look.

Products built around the same core actives as this one, with what the experts make of each.

See how they stack up →

Similar products worth a look.

Other products the same gurus have weighed in on, plus more from this brand and category.

Compare side by side →

Share this score

Add this badge to your blog or website. It links back to this page and updates itself when the experts change their minds. Free, no sign-up.

Then paste it into your site's HTML or embed block.

This week's top beauty news, in your inbox.

A weekly read of the takes worth catching up on: the raves, the splits, the ones the gurus won't shut up about. Free, no spam, unsubscribe whenever.

Subscribe to the digest