The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% vs Vaseline Original Petroleum Jelly
96 facts in comparison
Based on 469 Reddit opinions. Petroleum JellyVaseline Original Petroleum Jelly leads by 8 points.
469 opinions
Petroleum Jelly leads by 8pts
VS
65%
C+
Based on
167 Redditors
The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%
~$4.62
82 opinions
tldr; Reddit has mixed feelings about The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%, praising its effectiveness for dark spots but noting it can cause breakouts for many users.
Check pricesVS
Reddit's Pick
73%
B-
Based on
1,009 Redditors
Winner
Vaseline Original Petroleum Jelly
~$5.48
387 opinions
tldr; Reddit highly recommends Vaseline for its exceptional healing, moisturizing, and occlusive properties, often favored by dermatologists and praised for its affordability.
Check prices✓EFF
⭐ING
✋SKI
❤️GEN
💨FRA
64
Points
76
Points
Score by Category
Effectiveness
65%73%
Ingredients
—67%
Skin Feel
0%50%
Gentleness
40%88%
Fragrance
50%—
Why is Original Petroleum Jelly better than + Zinc 1%?
- Higher Reddit score (73% vs 65%)
- Better effectiveness (73% vs 65%)
- Better gentleness (88% vs 40%)
- Dermatologist rec'd for healing after minor
- ⏱ Heals skin fast and effectively
- Works as an effective, affordable occlusive
Based on 1,176 Reddit opinions
Slight Edge
Reddit prefers the Petroleum JellyVaseline Original Petroleum Jelly
Winning by 8 points (73% vs 65%)
Better effectiveness
Better gentleness
Dermatologist rec'd for healing after minor
High confidence (1,176 mentions)
💬Reddit Sentiment
Based on 1,176 Reddit mentionsOverall Rating
Zinc 1%
6.5/10
167 mentions
Petroleum Jelly
7.3/10
1,009 mentions
EFFECTIVENESS
Zinc 1%6.5/10
Petroleum Jelly7.3/10
GENTLENESS
Zinc 1%4.0/10
Petroleum Jelly8.8/10
SKIN FEEL
Zinc 1%0.0/10
Petroleum Jelly5.0/10
VALUE
Zinc 1%10.0/10
Petroleum Jelly10.0/10
FRAGRANCE
Zinc 1%5.0/10
Petroleum JellyN/A
INGREDIENTS
Zinc 1%N/A
Petroleum Jelly6.7/10
⚔️
Head to Head
| Topic | Zinc 1% | Petroleum Jelly |
|---|---|---|
Effectiveness | 65% | 73% |
Gentleness | 40% | 88% |
Skin Feel | 0% | 50% |
Value | 100% | 100% |
Fragrance | 50% | N/A |
Ingredients | N/A | 67% |
Category Wins
Zinc 1%: 1|Petroleum Jelly: 4
Head to Head
Zinc 1%: 1|Petroleum Jelly: 4
EffectivenessPetroleum Jelly
Zinc 1%65%
Petroleum Jelly73%
GentlenessPetroleum Jelly
Zinc 1%40%
Petroleum Jelly88%
Skin FeelPetroleum Jelly
Zinc 1%0%
Petroleum Jelly50%
Value
Zinc 1%100%
Petroleum Jelly100%
FragranceZinc 1%
Zinc 1%50%
Petroleum JellyN/A
IngredientsPetroleum Jelly
Zinc 1%N/A
Petroleum Jelly67%
Zinc 1%
65%
73%
Petroleum Jelly
Zinc 1%65%
Petroleum Jelly73%
Petroleum Jelly wins by 8 points
Key Specs
| Spec | The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% | Vaseline Original Petroleum Jelly |
|---|---|---|
| Niacinamide Concentration | 10% | — |
| Zinc Concentration | 1% | — |
| Ph Range | 5.50 - 6.50 | — |
| Formula Type | Water-based serum | — |
| Skin Type Suitability | Oily and blemish-prone skin | — |
Key Highlights
The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%
🌙 Helps with dark spots.
🎯 Can help w/ visible pores & hyperpigmentation.
⚠ Some people are sensitive to niacinamide.
⚠ users experience breakouts from this specific
Vaseline Original Petroleum JellyWinner
🏆 Dermatologist rec'd for healing after minor
⏱️ Heals skin fast and effectively
💰 Works as an effective, affordable occlusive
🎯 Leaves skin feeling amazing overnight
💧 Excellent for extremely dry skin when layered
Topic Battles
Zinc 1%: 1|Tied: 0|Petroleum Jelly: 4
✓Effectiveness
Petroleum Jelly winsZinc 1%
65%
Petroleum Jelly
73%
⭐Ingredients
Petroleum Jelly winsZinc 1%
—
Petroleum Jelly
67%
✋Skin Feel
Petroleum Jelly winsZinc 1%
0%
Petroleum Jelly
50%
❤️Gentleness
Petroleum Jelly winsZinc 1%
40%
Petroleum Jelly
88%
💨Fragrance
Zinc 1% winsZinc 1%
50%
Petroleum Jelly
—
Based on Reddit sentiment across 5 categories
📈Where They Rank
💬What Redditors Actually Say
What Redditors Say
Best praise vs top criticism for Vaseline Original Petroleum Jelly
Best Praise
+49 pts“My dermatologist won’t let me put anything on my face after any minor surgery by Vaseline. Not even aquapore- just Vaseline. My skin healed so fast. Supposedly to remove stitches it take 4-7bdays, but my skin healed up so fast they have to remove the stitches in 3 days tops. Any wound, dryness - this is all that doctors recommend. My mom also swears that putting light Vaseline on your face and rinsing it before you get out of the shower and applying make up after, your make up will be vibrant and last longer. She was an actress in the 70s and this is how the production make up artist does her make up.”
r/SkincareAddiction
ViewTop Criticism
+11 pts“I guess whoever who hasn't tried it yet, give it a go . But I've since learned during the winter trying to combat dry air, that dabbing a a little Vaseline a bit around my face, causes my face to break out like crazy the next day. Oh the night of, it is shiny and moist and lovely. But the next day, big ol bright red zits”
r/SkincareAddiction
View3 more quotes available below
What Redditors Say
Best praise vs top criticism for The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%
Best Praise
+11 pts“If sunscreen blocked heat, I would cover myself from head to toe every day in the summer.”
r/SkincareAddiction
ViewTop Criticism
+3 pts“When I tried the Ordinary niacinamide it broke me out so bad and then overall products with niacinamide did the same. It took some time for me to realise that it was in fact the niacinamide since it has been hyped so much… you could try cutting it out for a week to see if you’ll have any improvements !! I wish you the best of luck”
r/SkincareAddiction
View3 more quotes available below
Sentiment Over Time
Zinc 1%
Petroleum Jelly
📈Historical Price Data
The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%
Vaseline Original Petroleum Jelly
The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%
All-time low: $4.62(2026-04)
$1 below 90-day avg
Vaseline Original Petroleum Jelly
All-time low: $2.29(2022-05)
Which is Better?
Vaseline Original Petroleum Jelly Wins
73%
Jelly
vs
65%
1%
Vaseline Original Petroleum Jelly leads by 8 points based on 1,176 Reddit opinions.
Why Petroleum JellyWinner
- 🏆 Dermatologist rec'd for healing after minor
- ⏱️ Heals skin fast and effectively
- 💰 Works as an effective, affordable occlusive
- More discussed (1,009 vs 167)
Why Zinc 1%
- 🌙 Helps with dark spots.
- 🎯 Can help w/ visible pores & hyperpigmentation.
❤️The Love/Hate Breakdown
Sentiment Breakdown
28%Positive
Positive
28%Neutral
62%Negative
10%Based on 1,009 Reddit opinions
Sentiment Breakdown
30%Positive
Positive
30%Neutral
51%Negative
19%Based on 167 Reddit opinions
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is better, Vaseline Original Petroleum Jelly or The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%?
Based on 1,176 Reddit comments, Vaseline Original Petroleum Jelly is the preferred choice with 73% positive sentiment vs The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%'s 65%. Vaseline Original Petroleum Jelly leads by 8 percentage points.
Should I buy Vaseline Original Petroleum Jelly or The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%?
If you want the safer choice based on community sentiment, Vaseline Original Petroleum Jelly has stronger approval ratings (73% vs 65%). However, The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% may still be better depending on your specific needs, budget, or use case.
What do Redditors love about Vaseline Original Petroleum Jelly?
Reddit users highlight: Dermatologist rec'd for healing after minor. Heals skin fast and effectively. Works as an effective, affordable occlusive. With 1,009 mentions and 73% approval, it's a well-regarded choice in the community.
What do Redditors say about The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%?
Reddit users highlight: Helps with dark spots.. Can help w/ visible pores & hyperpigmentation.. Some people are sensitive to niacinamide.. With 167 mentions and 65% approval, it remains a popular alternative.
How many Reddit reviews were analyzed?
This comparison analyzed 1,176 Reddit comments: 1,009 about Vaseline Original Petroleum Jelly and 167 about The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%. Data was sourced from Skincare products community discussions.
How accurate are these ratings?
Our sentiment analysis is approximately 80-85% accurate compared to manual review. Well-discussed products with many mentions tend to have more reliable scores than niche items with fewer data points.
Why trust Reddit over professional reviews?
Reddit users bought products with their own money and have no incentive to mislead. You're seeing hundreds of real opinions across different use cases, not just one reviewer's take. This crowdsourced approach surfaces both common praise and recurring complaints.
469 Reddit opinions analyzed · Last updated 6/11/2026