COSRX The Niacinamide 15 Serum for mature skin
Niacinamide
Acetyl Glucosamine
Zinc Pca
Trehalose
AllantoinHigh
- HighNormal Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- ExcellentSafety
One of the best serums for mature skin.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with mature skin: fine lines, wrinkles, and loss of firmness. For scores and recommendations based on your full skin profile, including your 12D face scan results and any goals or preferences you have, please use the Lovi app.
Page built Nov 8, 2026How the Fit score works
Lovi Assistant explains
- Highly suitable for your normal skin, this serum effectively addresses wrinkles and fine lines with niacinamide and acetyl glucosamine, which support collagen production and skin barrier function.
- The inclusion of zinc PCA offers excellent treatment for acne lesions and blemishes by reducing inflammation and regulating oil production, further enhancing your skin's overall health.
- The safety profile is excellent, with no risks of irritation due to the absence of harsh ingredients and the presence of soothing components like niacinamide and allantoin.
How to apply
- Use this serum in your PM routine. Start by applying it 3 times a week, and work up to daily use if your skin likes it.
- Apply this serum after your toner and before your moisturizer.
- Gently press 2-3 drops of the serum into your skin and let it absorb for a minute.
- You can apply the serum on dry skin for the best results against fine lines.
- Always do a patch test before your first use and avoid the sensitive eye area.
People Say
★4.5Overall rating based on 3.1k+ reviewsThis serum is widely praised by users with oily and acne-prone skin for its ability to significantly control sebum and refine pore texture, often delivering a smoother, "glass skin" finish. The high 15% concentration is effective for many, but frequently causes irritation, stinging, or barrier damage for those with sensitive or dry skin types. This summary is based on a very large amount of data and should be definitely taken into account.
Highlights
Controls excess oil Mostly Mentioned
- “less oily T-zone”
- “regulated sebum production”
- “kept oil at bay”
- “balanced my skin”
- “matte but glowing”
Lightweight absorption Often Mentioned
- “absorbs instantly”
- “non-sticky finish”
- “lightweight consistency”
- “layers well”
- “watery and fresh”
Reduces pore visibility Often Mentioned
- “pores look smaller”
- “tightened my pores”
- “pores less visible”
- “refined pore texture”
- “shrunk enlarged pores”
Smoothes skin texture Often Mentioned
- “skin feels softer”
- “bumpy texture gone”
- “smooths rough skin”
- “glass skin effect”
- “improved skin surface”
Fades acne marks Sometimes Noted
- “lightened dark spots”
- “faded post-acne marks”
- “helped with hyperpigmentation”
- “scars are lighter”
- “evened skin tone”
Causes irritation Sometimes Noted
- “stinging sensation”
- “face turned red”
- “burning on application”
- “itchy skin”
- “sensitized my face”
Too strong Sometimes Noted
- “15% is too harsh”
- “damaged skin barrier”
- “too potent for me”
- “over-exfoliated feeling”
- “strong chemical reaction”
Drying effect Rarely Noted
- “dried out my skin”
- “caused flaky patches”
- “skin felt tight”
- “not moisturizing enough”
- “sucked moisture out”
Induces breakouts Rarely Noted
- “caused whiteheads”
- “broke me out”
- “tiny bumps appeared”
- “worsened my acne”
- “clogged my pores”
Sources: lovi.care, ulta.com, iherb.com, sokoglam.com, yesstyle.com, skinsort.com, and more
Questions and answers
What makes COSRX The Niacinamide 15 Serum a great fit for mature skin?
This serum is a great fit because it helps smooth out wrinkles and fine lines while supporting your skin barrier with niacinamide and acetyl glucosamine. It is also unlikely to cause irritation and helps keep your skin calm thanks to soothing components like allantoin.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021Scientific Reports, 2024
Which ingredients make this serum a good fit for mature skin?
This serum is a great fit for mature skin largely due to niacinamide and acetyl glucosamine, which help smooth wrinkles and fine lines by supporting collagen production and skin barrier function. It is very unlikely to cause irritation and is well tolerated thanks to soothing components like niacinamide and allantoin.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021Scientific Reports, 2024
What does Niacinamide do for mature skin?
Niacinamide helps mature skin by smoothing out fine lines and wrinkles, reducing dark spots, and improving overall skin elasticity. It is also very well tolerated and supports a strong skin barrier to keep skin looking healthy.
What does Acetyl Glucosamine do for mature skin?
Acetyl Glucosamine helps keep mature skin looking smooth and bright while improving hydration and firmness. It may also help reduce dark spots and signs of aging on the face and neck.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 2010Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2007
Where does it go in a skincare routine for mature skin?
This serum goes in the evening routine after cleansing and before moisturizing, following a safe and simple approach for mature skin. Using it at night helps avoid sun sensitivity while niacinamide and acetyl glucosamine smooth fine lines.
Can I use this serum with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this serum with retinol by applying the serum first to help calm the skin and keep it comfortable. This serum is a great fit for mature skin because it addresses fine lines while maintaining a very safe profile with little to no risk of irritation.
How often should I use it?
This serum is a great fit for your mature skin and is used in the evening routine. Niacinamide and acetyl glucosamine help smooth fine lines, while soothing ingredients make irritation unlikely.
Can this serum clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for mature skin?
This serum is a great fit for mature skin and is unlikely to cause breakouts, as its ingredients help regulate oil production and soothe the skin. While some reviewers report feeling that the product is too strong or causes mild irritation, its safety profile is otherwise very good.
Is it fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.
What the research says
Topical post-laser application of human adipocyte-derived mesenchymal stem cell media combined with niacinamide significantly improved wrinkle index, melanin index, patient satisfaction, and investigator esthetic improvement scores compared to vehicle cream in patients with aging skin.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021Treatment with a combination of niacinamide and hyaluronic acid improved skin aging signs and demonstrated a senomorphic effect by decreasing SASP and autocrine signaling genes in women.
Scientific Reports, 2024Topical treatment of nicotinamide, alone or in combination with other active ingredients, reduces the progression of skin aging and hyperpigmentation in clinical trials while being well tolerated.
Antioxidants, 2021Topical nicotinamide plus an antibacterial adhesive agent and zinc-pyrrolidone carboxylic acid combined with adapalene significantly reduced noninflammatory acne lesions by the second week of therapy compared to placebo with adapalene in patients with moderate acne vulgaris.
The Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, 2020Topical nicotinamide prevented solar-simulated UV-induced immunosuppression in healthy volunteers, and men experienced immunosuppression at solar-simulated UV doses three times lower than those required for women.
The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2008Topical 5% niacinamide applied twice daily for 12 weeks reduced fine lines and wrinkles, hyperpigmented spots, red blotchiness, and skin sallowness, and improved skin elasticity compared to vehicle control in 50 female white subjects with facial photoaging.
Dermatologic Surgery, 2005Topical 2% niacinamide significantly decreased sebum excretion rate in Japanese individuals and casual sebum levels in Caucasian individuals compared to placebo or baseline.
Journal of Cosmetic and Laser Therapy, 2006Topical 2% N-acetyl glucosamine reduced facial hyperpigmentation in an 8-week split-face clinical test, with an even greater effect observed when combined with 4% niacinamide.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2007N-acetyl-glucosamine-loaded nanostructured lipid carriers successfully delivered the hydrophilic agent through the skin and reduced melanin distribution in healthy volunteers.
Advanced Pharmaceutical Bulletin, 2016Topical cosmetic products containing hyaluronic acid, N-acetyl glucosamine, and gamma-amino butyric acid improved skin hydration by 24.28% to 33.60%, elasticity by 11.98%, and skin lightening by 5.26% over 2 months in 20 female participants.
Journal of Cosmetic and Laser Therapy, 2019Zinc PCA inhibits UVA-induced matrix metalloproteinase-1 production through suppressed AP-1 activation and enhances type I collagen synthesis by increasing SVCT2 mRNA expression in cultured normal human dermal fibroblasts.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2012Sodium trehalose sulfate decreased transepidermal water loss and increased stratum corneum water content in participants with low stratum corneum water content when applied for 4 weeks compared to placebo.
Skin Research and Technology, 2024Topical chloramphenicol-betamethasone combined with sodium hyaluronate/trehalose/carbomer gel compared to chloramphenicol-betamethasone alone reduced most subjective symptoms at 1 week but increased blurred vision at 4 weeks following strabismus surgery in 31 patients, with no significant differences in conjunctival inflammation between treatments.
Journal of Ocular Pharmacology and Therapeutics, 2019Topical treatment with Thealoz Duo significantly improved dry eye disease symptoms, tear break-up time, and restored tear lipid layer functionality by reducing inflammatory response proteins in moderate to severe dry eye patients over 56 days.
Journal of Clinical Medicine, 2025Topical gel containing chitosan, 0.2% chlorhexidine, allantoin and dexpanthenol did not improve postoperative comfort regarding swelling and pain, but improved the wound's aesthetic appearance following impacted lower third molar extraction compared to no gel.
Medicina Oral, Patologia Oral Y Cirugia Bucal, 2016A topical gel containing chitosan, chlorhexidine, allantoin, and dexpanthenol significantly reduced postoperative pain, trismus, swelling, and analgesic consumption, while improving wound healing after third molar surgery compared to a placebo.
Medicina Oral, Patologia Oral Y Cirugia Bucal, 2020An overnight patch containing Allium cepa extract and allantoin safely promotes scar healing after dermatologic surgery, resulting in significantly greater reductions in observer- and patient-assessed POSAS scores compared to no treatment.
Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, 2018
Ingredients
Water, Pentylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Butylene Glycol, Acetyl Glucosamine, 1,2-Hexanediol, Zinc Pca, Trehalose, Hydrolyzed Sclerotium Gum, Pullulan, Allantoin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Phytate, Tocopherol, Xanthan Gum, Citric Acid
Behind this fit score
Lovi calculates every fit score from the full ingredient list with brand-independent rules our dermatologists and cosmetic chemists build and review, and personalizes every pick with AI trained on the real results of millions of users. Lovi trains its fit score models on a proprietary dataset built from more than 10,000 expert-labeled products and more than 100,000 simulated examples, following an internally consistent methodology presented at Cosmoprof, AMWC, and Skin of Color Update.
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Co-founder, Medical Director
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer
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Co-founder, CEO and CTO
PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex
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Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
Medical Board
Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine
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Medical Board
Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
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Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member
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Medical Board, Medical Advisor
Dermatology MD
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Elina Nazarenko, MD
Medical Board
Dermatology and diagnostic consultant
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Victoria Derkova, MS
Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist
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