Side-by-side comparison

Byoma Brightening Serum vs The Inkey List Niacinamide Serum

Both serums contain Niacinamide, but each adds something the other doesn't. Here's where they overlap and where they split.

1Shared hero active
Byoma
Brightening Serum
SerumBudgetMorning or evening
Dark SpotsDullnesssensitive

Tranexamic acid + niacinamide + ceramide serum at an unusually low price point for this combination. Genuinely effective for post-inflammatory pigmentation and melasma-prone skin — and gentler than vitamin C for many people.

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The Inkey List
Niacinamide Serum
SerumBudgetMorning or evening
OilinessCongestionDark Spots

A 10% niacinamide serum with added hyaluronic acid for oil control and blemish support. A clean, affordable single-active option; broadly comparable to other 10% niacinamide serums with a slightly more hydrating base.

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The verdict

Which should you choose?

Both contain Niacinamide. Byoma Brightening Serum adds Tranexamic Acid. Pick the one whose extra matches what you're treating. Byoma Brightening Serum is the better fit for dullness and sensitive skin; The Inkey List Niacinamide Serum for oiliness and congestion. Both sit in the Budget price tier.

The overlap

What they share

This hero active appears in both formulas:

Niacinamide
The formulation

Ingredient stacks, side by side

Byoma Brightening Serum — top of the list

  • Water~50–80%
  • Propanediol~5–25%
  • Glycerin~3–10%
  • Niacinamide~2–6%
  • Tranexamic Acid~1.5–4%
  • Pentylene Glycol~1–2%
  • Butylene Glycol~1–2%

The Inkey List Niacinamide Serum — top of the list

  • Aqua~50–80%
  • Niacinamide~5–25%
  • Glycerin~3–10%
  • Sodium Hyaluron…~2–6%
  • Pentylene Glycol~1.5–4%

● marks ingredients that appear near the top of both lists. Percentages are positional estimates from INCI order, not disclosed doses.

At a glance

The specs

Byoma Brightening SerumThe Inkey List Niacinamide Serum
CategorySerumSerum
Price tierBudgetBudget
Best forDark Spots, Dullness, sensitiveOiliness, Congestion, Dark Spots
Usage notesMorning or eveningMorning or evening
Shared hero activesNiacinamide
Questions

Common questions

Is the Byoma Brightening Serum or The Inkey List Niacinamide Serum better?
It depends on what you're treating. Both contain Niacinamide; Byoma Brightening Serum adds Tranexamic Acid.
What's the difference between the Byoma Brightening Serum and The Inkey List Niacinamide Serum?
Byoma Brightening Serum's hero actives are Tranexamic Acid and Niacinamide. The Inkey List Niacinamide Serum's are Niacinamide and Hyaluronic Acid.
Are the Byoma Brightening Serum and The Inkey List Niacinamide Serum dupes for each other?
Partly. They share Niacinamide, but Byoma Brightening Serum's Tranexamic Acid isn't in the other, so they aren't full substitutes.
Can I use the Byoma Brightening Serum and The Inkey List Niacinamide Serum together?
Usually, yes. Apply the thinner texture first, then the thicker one, and patch-test when introducing anything new.
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1 shared hero active

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