What to know about niacinamide and its health benefits for skin

Check out skin care ingredient labels, a scientific-sounding recipe list can be intimidating. An increasingly popular ingredient is niacinamide (pronounced nahy-uh-sin-uh-mayhd), a naturally derived form of vitamin B3. Niacinamide has many skin benefits (which we’ll unpack below), is a dermatologist-approved ingredient, and is safe for almost anyone to try.

If you’re considering adding niacinamide to your skincare routine, here’s what you should know about the anti-aging ingredient.

What is Niacinamide and what does it do?

“Nicotinamide, also known as niacinamide, is the physiologically active form of niacin, or water-soluble vitamin B3,” says Dr. Adeline Kikam, board-certified dermatologist and founder of Brown Skin Derm. Skin care ingredients can help with a variety of skin concerns, especially for those with oily and/or aging skin. “[Niacinamide has] Significant dermatological benefits including regulating excess sebum production (helps control oil), reducing acne and reducing the appearance of pores,” Kikam shares.

Niacinamide isn’t just a beauty buzzword—it’s a skincare staple for a reason: “Niacinamide is becoming more popular because it’s a multifunctional ingredient that can provide a great alternative on its own to help address skin care concerns, such as discoloration and redness, while being gentle on the skin,” explains Dr. Marisa Garcic. “It’s also effective when paired with other ingredients because it can help strengthen the skin barrier by increasing ceramide production, which makes other ingredients more tolerated as well.” Because it complements other skin care ingredients like hyaluronic acid, So you’ll often see niacinamide paired with it in the same formula. According to Garshick, niacinamide also works well with active ingredients like retinol or exfoliants, “which can be added to help improve tolerance or efficacy.”

From improving hyperpigmentation to supporting the skin barrier, niacinamide has many benefits for the skin. “Niacinamide boosts collagen production, improves skin texture, including smoothness, fine lines and wrinkles, and helps brighten and lighten hyperpigmentation by regulating melanosome transfer,” says Kikam. Plus, one of its biggest claims is its ability to minimize pore size by helping to regulate excess sebum production and prevent them from appearing large and crowded.

Overall, it’s a good ingredient for a range of skin concerns, and it’s even safe for those with sensitive skin. “[Niacinamide has] The soothing and anti-inflammatory properties make it ideal for those with acne-prone or rosacea-prone skin,” Garshick points out. Kikam agrees, adding: “All skin types can benefit from niacinamide, especially Oily and acne-prone skin as well as rosacea and uneven skin tone. ”

There are many ways to incorporate niacinamide into your skin care regimen. It’s found in cleansers, moisturizers, serums, eye creams, sunscreens, body products, and more. “One of the most effective ways to incorporate the benefits of niacinamide is in your nighttime skincare routine, as our skin and body work to repair and replenish itself while we sleep,” shares Apto Skincare Esthetician Despina Freimanis.

Plus, dermatologists say there’s little to worry about adding niacinamide to your skin care. “Niacinamide can be used with many other skin care ingredients because it’s gentle on the skin and often improves tolerance,” says Garshick. The only caveat is layering with vitamin C, which may reduce the efficacy of the product. However, Kikam says an easy fix is ​​to cycle through the skin with both ingredients, or wait a few minutes between uses. “Vitamin C works best at lower skin pH and is traditionally unstable, while niacinamide works best at higher/neutral pH,” says Kikam. “Because of this, it’s best to space the two applications a few minutes apart.”

Whether you’re looking for a new facial serum or moisturizer, the experts have their favorite niacinamide products for you.