COSRX The Niacinamide 15 Serum for sensitive skin
Niacinamide
Acetyl Glucosamine
Zinc Pca
Trehalose
AllantoinHigh
- HighNormal Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- ExcellentSafety
A great choice for sensitive skin; a few serums fit it even better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with sensitive skin: redness, stinging, and reactions to new products. 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 redness and irritation with niacinamide and zinc pca, which help regulate sebum and reduce inflammation.
- Allantoin further soothes your sensitive skin, enhancing overall comfort and hydration.
- The safety profile is excellent, with no harsh ingredients and a focus on calming components.
How to apply
- Use your serum in the PM routine, starting 3 times a week before building up to daily use if your skin is happy.
- Apply the serum after cleansing and toning, but before putting on your moisturizer for the best results.
- Gently press 2-3 drops of the serum into your skin and wait a minute ⏱ for it to soak in.
- Since your skin is sensitive and easily irritated, apply the serum on completely dry skin to help keep it calm.
- Always do a patch test before your first use and avoid getting the serum too close to your eyes .
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 sensitive skin?
Which ingredients make this serum a good fit for sensitive skin?
This serum is a great fit for sensitive skin because it contains niacinamide and zinc pca, which help reduce inflammation and calm redness. Allantoin further soothes the skin and enhances overall comfort.
What does Niacinamide do for sensitive skin?
Niacinamide helps calm sensitive skin by strengthening the skin barrier and reducing redness and irritation. It is very well tolerated and may improve overall comfort and resilience with regular use.
What does Acetyl Glucosamine do for sensitive skin?
Acetyl glucosamine helps keep skin hydrated and smooth while fading dark spots. It is generally gentle and unlikely to irritate dry or sensitive skin types.
Journal of Cosmetic and Laser Therapy, 2019The British Journal of Dermatology, 2010
Where does this serum go in a skincare routine for sensitive skin?
This serum goes in your evening routine after your toner and before your moisturizer. Putting it in the evening keeps things simple and adds extra safety around sun exposure.
Can I use this serum with retinol, and in what order?
Yes, you can use this serum with retinol by applying the serum first to help calm and hydrate your skin before your retinol step. This product is a great fit for sensitive skin because it focuses on soothing components with an excellent safety profile and no harsh ingredients.
How often should I use this serum?
You can use this serum in the evening as part of your routine, and some treatments can also be used in the morning or twice a day. It has a very safe profile with calming ingredients that make it comfortable for regular use.
Can this serum clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for sensitive skin?
This serum is a great fit for sensitive skin and is unlikely to cause breakouts, as it features soothing ingredients like allantoin and niacinamide that help calm redness and irritation. Reviewers rarely report breakouts from this product, though a few find it too strong, so you may want to start slowly if your skin is easily upset.
Is this serum 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, 2021Topical 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% 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
How does it fit your skin?
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