Complete Guide on Niacinamide in Skincare
When looking through all of the ingredients in a product label, one long word may stands out to you, niacinamide. What is this ingredient? How do you know it is healthy for your skin? Is this ingredient non-toxic? What is niacinamide in skincare?
Niacinamide is a wonderful ingredient that has so many benefits for your skin! It is not talked about as much as other vitamins like retinol and vitamin C, but it is making its way into popular circles.
This complete guide to niacinamide is here to help answer all the questions that you may have on this skincare ingredient.
What is Niacinamide in Skincare?
Niacinamide is a form of niacin which is a form of vitamin B-3. It is also known as nicotinamide. Due to niacinamide being a water-soluble vitamin, a person can eat it or apply it topically.
Niacin is found in a variety of foods such as green vegetables, yeast, milk, eggs, meat, poultry, fish, nuts, and legumes. Gavin Van De Walle mentions that niacinamide, as a form of niacin, plays an important role in energy metabolism, cell health, and other benefits related to skincare.
A.A. Newton focuses on the science behind niacinamide and our skin. Niacinamide acts as a precursor to help your cells make nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+/NADH) and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADP+). About NAD states that “A precursor is a smaller building block used to create a larger molecule.”
Niacinamide helps your skin cells create more NAD+.
NAD+ helps your skin cells repair damage, propagate, and function normally. By using niacinamide as a precursor, the thought is that it helps your body make more NAD+, mentions John G Zampella, M.D. This will help your cells to proliferate and assist in protecting the skin from free radicals.
What Does Niacinamide Do for Your Skin?
1. Minimize Fine Lines and Wrinkles
When the skin ages, NADH and NADPH decrease. This raises the notion that using niacinamide can provide anti-aging benefits because it helps your skin cells create more NAD+.
Since niacinamide also acts as an antioxidant, it can counteract oxidative stress, which in turn supports collagen health. Niacinamide restores collagen production. You are replacing what your skin has lost while aging.
2. Regulates Oil
Niacinamide helps your skin regulate the amount of oil your sebaceous glands produce. It also stops your glands from producing too much oil.
3. Increases Hydration
Niacinamide helps strengthen your skin’s protective shield. With a stronger skin shield, your skin will keep moisture in and exterior irritants out. Due to this, your skin is less likely to become dehydrated and stay hydrated longer.
4. Treats Acne
If you have too much sebum (oil) on your skin, it can lead to clogged pores leading to acne. Since niacinamide regulates your sebaceous glands, it will assist your gland in making less oil which in turn leads to less acne. Niacinamide can help tame or possibly prevent acne on your skin.
5. Strong Antioxidant
Niacinamide is an antioxidant and helps restore and repair your skin. As an antioxidant, it helps improve your skin’s tone and texture.
6. Minimize Pore Appearance
Since niacinamide helps lower and control the sebum that your skin creates, in turn, it helps your pores stop from getting clogged with excess oil and dirt. With your skin having balanced sebum, your pores will improve the elasticity, tightening the skin around the pore.
7. Stimulates the Production of Ceramide
A study was done by J Dermatol on if nicotinamide, another word for niacinamide, increases ceramides. The conclusion was yes. When you use niacinamide, it stimulates the ceramide. In turn, this improves the permeability barrier of your skin.
8. Reduces Inflammation
Niacinamide reduces inflammation. It helps your skin reduce redness from acne, eczema, and other skin conditions that irritate your skin.
9. Treats Dark Spots
Not only does niacinamide help treat dark patches on your skin, but it may help lighten freckles from the sun or spots. Melissa Kanchanapoomi Levin mentions that “niacinamide helps to treat hyperpigmentation by inhibiting pigment-producing enzymes.”
10. Protects the Skin by Creating a Strong Skin Barrier
Niacinamide can prevent and reduce the damaging effects that the sun or UV rays have on your skin. It does this because it helps support, strengthen, and nourish your skin barrier and microbiome.
What Is the Best Way to Deliver Niacinamide to the Skin?
To reap the most benefits from niacinamide it is best to apply it in cream, serum, or moisturizer form. You want it to stay on your skin for a while and allow your skin time to absorb niacinamide.
How Much Niacinamide Per Day?
Since niacinamide is a gentle ingredient, you can use it twice a day, seven days a week. This means that you can add it to your morning and nighttime skincare routine.
It is also important to look at the concentration that you will be using every day. If you use it in a high concentration, it may lead to skin irritation. On the other hand, if you use a concentration that is too low, it will have little effect on your skin.
Dr. Anjali Mahto states, “Ideally, look for products that contain at least five percent niacinamide for the best results. Also, ensure that it features highly – anywhere between numbers three and five – on the ingredients list of a product.”
What are the Side Effects of Niacinamide in Skincare?
There is a small possibility of irritation and redness when using niacinamide. If your skin is not happy, consider using it less during the week, such as every other day or only a few times a week.
As always, if you wonder if it is right for you, contact your doctor or dermatologist.
Can Niacinamide be Used on all Skin Types?
One way that Niacinamide stands out from other skincare ingredients is people can use it on all skin types. It moisturizes dry skin, calms inflammation on sensitive skin, and regulates oil production on oily skin. Niacinamide is the perfect pair for all skin types.
What can You Pair it With?
Sephora mentions that Niacinamide gets along with all ingredients. Still, if you experience redness or irritation, you should switch up your skincare routine or talk to your dermatologist.
On the other hand, Karthik Kumer, MBBS mentions that using retinol serum paired with niacinamide serum may cause some chances of skin irritation.
How Long Until You See Results When Using Niacinamide?
Some research mentions that individuals will see their acne and hyperpigmentation improve in two to three months.
In one month, you will start to see changes in oil production and your skin barrier.
In most cases, when looking at products that contain this super ingredient, you will start to see the beginning results in two weeks. Most results will show in four or more weeks.
Recommend Products
Many products use niacinamide as an ingredient. These products are serums, moisturizers, sunscreens, and body lotions.
What are some of the best natural, clean products with niacinamide? Here are some for you to look at and decide if these niacinamide products are right for you.
- 100% Pure: Niacinamide Boost
- bareMinerals: Skinlongevity Long Life Herb Serum
- Paula’s Choice Skincare: Niacinamide + BHA Duo
- Paula’s Choice Skincare: 10% Niacinamide Booster
- Paula’s Choice Skincare: 20% Niacinamide Booster
- First Aid Beauty: Eye Duty Niacinamide Brightening Cream
- First Aid Beauty: Facial Radiance Niacinamide Dark Spot Serum
- Beauty Pie: Ultralight Daily SPF30 Broad-Spectrum Sunscreen
