Dupe report / Niacinamide serums
Paula's Choice 10% Niacinamide Booster dupes, ranked by ingredient list
The closest Paula's Choice 10% Niacinamide Booster dupe is The INKEY List Niacinamide Serum: $13.00 for 1 oz vs $53.00 for 0.67 oz. It has the same 10% niacinamide, no zinc, and shares 10 of the booster's ingredients, the most of any serum here. For the lowest price, Good Molecules Niacinamide Serum is $5.97 for 1 oz. None has the booster's vitamin C.
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Buy on Amazon $13.00Closest formula
The INKEY List Niacinamide Serum $13.00 Amazon, Nov 3, 2026
10% niacinamide, no zinc, with allantoin, panthenol and phospholipids like the booster. 1 oz, $13.00/oz.
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Buy on Amazon $5.97Lowest price
Good Molecules Niacinamide Serum $5.97 Amazon, Nov 3, 2026
10% niacinamide, no zinc, light and fast-sinking. 1 oz, $5.97/oz.
Quick answers
- Is The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% a dupe?
- Same 10% niacinamide, but it adds 1% zinc and is much thicker, so it can pill. It shares only 4 of the booster's 25 ingredients. The Ordinary aims it at blemish-prone skin; it is not a close copy.
- Does the booster have vitamin C?
- Yes. Paula's Choice says it has 2% ascorbyl glucoside, a gentle form of vitamin C. None of the cheaper serums here has it, so pair one with a vitamin C serum if you want both.
- What is the cheapest swap?
- Good Molecules Niacinamide Serum: $5.97 for 1 oz ($5.97/oz), about 92% less per ounce than Paula's Choice ($79.10/oz). It is 10% niacinamide in a light, simple serum.
- Does the booster have zinc?
- No. If you want 10% niacinamide without zinc, like the original, pick The INKEY List or Good Molecules.
01 / The ranking
The 5 Paula's Choice niacinamide dupes, ranked
How we rank: serums with the same 10% niacinamide come first. Then we count how many of the booster's 25 listed ingredients each one shares. If two tie, the cheaper one per ounce ranks higher.
How Paula's Choice 10% Niacinamide Booster feels: A thin, watery liquid that sinks in almost at once. It leaves no tacky film and does not pill under moisturizer.
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1. The INKEY List Niacinamide Serum
Niacinamide 10% · zinc none · shares 10 of 25 · $13.00 for 1 oz ($13.00/oz)
How it feels: A light serum that leaves skin feeling smooth and hydrated, not tight.
Best for the closest formula. Same 10% niacinamide and, like Paula's Choice, no zinc. It shares more of the booster's ingredients than any other serum here, including phospholipids, allantoin and panthenol, and adds hyaluronic acid and squalane.
Trade-off: No vitamin C or licorice. It costs about the same as the other 1 oz serums here, not the cheapest.
Buy on Amazon $13.00 -
2. Cos De BAHA Niacinamide 10% Serum
Niacinamide 10% · zinc 1% · shares 6 of 25 · $12.99 for 1 oz ($12.99/oz)
How it feels: A slightly thick serum that absorbs well but can stay a little sticky, so give it a minute before the next layer. No scent.
Best for licorice and the soothing extras. Same 10% niacinamide, plus four of the original's soothing extras: hyaluronic acid, allantoin, licorice (dipotassium glycyrrhizate) and panthenol. It is the only one here with licorice. Its base is aloe instead of water.
Trade-off: It adds 1% zinc, has no vitamin C, and is thicker and a bit sticky, not watery like the booster.
Buy on Amazon $12.99 -
3. Good Molecules Niacinamide Serum
Niacinamide 10% · zinc none · shares 5 of 25 · $5.97 for 1 oz ($5.97/oz)
How it feels: Very light and quick to sink in. It is not tacky or greasy, has no scent, and layers well with a dewy look.
Best for the lowest price with the same light feel. Same 10% niacinamide, no zinc, and a light, fast-sinking texture closest to the booster's. It costs a fraction of the price per ounce.
Trade-off: It is a simple formula: none of the booster's vitamin C, licorice, allantoin or panthenol.
Buy on Amazon $5.97 -
4. The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%
Niacinamide 10% · zinc 1% · shares 4 of 25 · $6.00 for 1 oz ($6.00/oz)
How it feels: A thick, clear serum that dries a little tacky. It can pill under some moisturizers and sunscreens, so use 2 to 3 drops and let it dry first.
Best for blemish-prone, oily skin. Same 10% niacinamide plus 1% zinc; The Ordinary sells it for blemish-prone skin. It is the one most dupe lists name.
Trade-off: Much thicker than the booster and can pill. It shares little else with Paula's Choice: no vitamin C, licorice, allantoin or panthenol.
Buy on Amazon $6.00 -
5. Naturium Niacinamide Serum 12% Plus Zinc 2%
Niacinamide 12% · zinc 2% · shares 7 of 25 · $13.59 for 1 oz ($13.59/oz)
How it feels: Lightweight and fast to absorb, with no residue or scent. It layers under moisturizer and makeup.
Best for a stronger dose. 12% niacinamide and 2% zinc, more of both than the others, plus hyaluronic acid. It feels light, like the booster.
Trade-off: Not a like-for-like swap: the higher dose can make sensitive skin flush or tingle, and it has none of the booster's vitamin C or licorice.
Buy on Amazon $13.59
02 / Side by side
Strength, extras and price per ounce
Percentages are what each brand states. "Yes" means the ingredient is on the printed list.
| Product | Niacinamide | Zinc | Vitamin C | Licorice | Allantoin | Panthenol | Hyaluronic acid | Price | Per oz | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paula's Choice 10% Niacinamide Booster | 10% | none | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | $53.00 for 0.67 oz | $79.10/oz | View on Amazon |
| The INKEY List Niacinamide SerumClosest match | 10% | none | no | no | yes | yes | yes | $13.00 for 1 oz | $13.00/oz | View on Amazon |
| Cos De BAHA Niacinamide 10% Serum | 10% | 1% | no | yes | yes | yes | yes | $12.99 for 1 oz | $12.99/oz | View on Amazon |
| Good Molecules Niacinamide Serum | 10% | none | no | no | no | no | no | $5.97 for 1 oz | $5.97/oz | View on Amazon |
| The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% | 10% | 1% | no | no | no | no | no | $6.00 for 1 oz | $6.00/oz | View on Amazon |
| Naturium Niacinamide Serum 12% Plus Zinc 2% | 12% | 2% | no | no | no | no | yes | $13.59 for 1 oz | $13.59/oz | View on Amazon |
Amazon prices checked Nov 3, 2026.
03 / The original
What is in the Paula's Choice 10% Niacinamide Booster
- The main active: 10% niacinamide (vitamin B3), second on the list after water.
- Vitamin C: 2% ascorbyl glucoside, a gentle, stable form, 4th on the list.
- Soothing and hydrating extras: acetyl glucosamine, phospholipids, hyaluronic acid, allantoin, licorice, panthenol and beta-glucan.
- No zinc and no fragrance. It is a thin liquid you can use alone or mix into moisturizer.
04 / Full lists
Every ingredient list, as printed
Highlighted ingredients are also on the Paula's Choice list.
Paula's Choice 10% Niacinamide Booster (25 ingredients)
Aqua, Niacinamide, Acetyl Glucosamine, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Butylene Glycol, Phospholipids, Sodium Hyaluronate, Allantoin, Boerhavia Diffusa Root Extract, Glycerin, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Ubiquinone, Epigallocatechin Gallate, Beta-Glucan, Panthenol, Carnosine, Genistein, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Hydroxide, Xanthan Gum, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol
Read from dermstore.com
The INKEY List Niacinamide Serum (24 ingredients)
Water (Aqua/Eau), Niacinamide, Glycerin, Propanediol, Butylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Phospholipids, Squalane, Xanthan Gum, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil, Allantoin, Sodium Phytate, Polysorbate 60, Panthenol, Glycolipids, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Sorbitan Isostearate, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Sterols, Citric Acid, Hyaluronic Acid, Disodium Phosphate, Sodium Phosphate
Read from dermfnd.org
Cos De BAHA Niacinamide 10% Serum (15 ingredients)
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Propanediol, Niacinamide, Betaine, Glycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Zinc PCA, Sodium Hyaluronate, Allantoin, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Panthenol, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Sambucus Nigra Flower Extract, Momordica Charantia Fruit Extract, Leontopodium Alpinum Extract
Read from vitacost.com
Good Molecules Niacinamide Serum (9 ingredients)
Water, Niacinamide, Dipropylene Glycol, Glycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Betaine, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/VP Copolymer, Xanthan Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin
Read from whatsinmyjar.com
The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% (11 ingredients)
Aqua (Water), Niacinamide, Pentylene Glycol, Zinc PCA, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Tamarindus Indica Seed Gum, Xanthan Gum, Isoceteth-20, Ethoxydiglycol, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin
Read from theordinary.com
Naturium Niacinamide Serum 12% Plus Zinc 2% (16 ingredients)
Aqua/Water, Niacinamide, Propanediol, Glycerine, Zinc PCA, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-11, Dimethicone, Sodium Hyaluronate, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Xanthan Gum, Potassium Sorbate, Glyceryl Polyacrylate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Hexylene Glycol, Citric Acid
Read from boots.com
05 / Questions
Frequently asked
- What is the best dupe for Paula's Choice 10% Niacinamide Booster?
- The INKEY List Niacinamide Serum. It has the same 10% niacinamide, no zinc like the original, and shares 10 of the booster's 25 ingredients, more than any other serum here, including phospholipids, allantoin and panthenol. It costs $13.00 for 1 oz, about 84% less per ounce. If you want licorice too, Cos De BAHA Niacinamide 10% Serum has it.
- Can I mix a niacinamide serum into my moisturizer like the booster?
- Paula's Choice says to use 2 to 3 drops alone or mixed into moisturizer. The thin serums here (Good Molecules, INKEY, Naturium) mix in most easily. The Ordinary is thick and can pill when mixed.
06 / Sources
Where the facts come from
- Ingredient lists: Paula's Choice via Dermstore (its own page loads the list by script), The Ordinary from its store, Cos De BAHA from Vitacost, The INKEY List from DermFND, Good Molecules from WhatsInMyJar, Naturium from Boots. Read 2026-10-25.
- Stated strengths are each brand's own: Paula's Choice states 10% niacinamide and 2% ascorbyl glucoside (a vitamin C form) on its product page.
- Amazon prices, sellers and photos: Amazon product data (Creators API), read the date shown.
- How each one feels, from reviews: Paula's Choice: 10% Niacinamide Booster; Skincarma NYC: Paula's Choice 10% Niacinamide Booster review; Picky: Cos De BAHA niacinamide serum reviews; Little Wonderland: Cos De BAHA Niacinamide 10 Serum; Beauty Bay: The INKEY List Niacinamide Serum reviews; DermFND: The INKEY List Niacinamide Serum; StyleVanity: Good Molecules Niacinamide Serum review; WhatsInMyJar: Good Molecules Niacinamide Serum; My Dad the Chemist: The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% review; Live That Glow: The Ordinary Niacinamide and Zinc review; DermFND: Naturium Niacinamide Serum 12% Plus Zinc 2%; Influenster: Naturium Niacinamide Serum reviews.