Two weeks ago, we set the foundation for understanding the layers of our skin so we could start to talk about how to nourish them. Last week, we started talking about Vitamin C for skin health. This week we are moving on in the alphabet and we are focusing on Vitamin B. Specifically, we are focused on Vitamin B3, also known as niacinamide, and what benefits it has when applied topically to your skin.
I’m avoiding the dietary aspect of vitamins and skin health right now because it’s another crazy rabbit hole and I’m sure there are others who manage it better than I could. But, if you want me to get into that at some point, let me know and we can go explore the connection between diet and anti-aging.
What You Should Know About Niacinamide
- Reduces hyper-pigmentation (sun damage and age spots). It reduces pigment molecule transfer between cells, so it can help lighten or prevent some spots. It takes 8 to 12 weeks to see benefits using concentrations of 5%. There haven’t been studies I could find on concentrations above 5%.
- More universally tolerated by most people. This makes it a favorite active ingredient for skin care. This is also part of the reason it shows up for hyper-pigmentation treatment. You can use it for longer without side effects associated with other treatments. (Of course you should always check with your healthcare professional regarding your own use of any products.)
- Reduces irritation and inflammation which translates into great news for people who are prone to redness, acne, blotchiness. The soothing nature of it means that your skin can get a break which in turn allows it to heal. I am not prone to acne or redness but there are clinical tests that confirm this benefit.
- Controls oily skin and though we tend to be drier when we are wiser 😉 niacinamide regulates oil production so it actually…(read on)…
- Supports your skin barrier function probably by providing building blocks for creating ceramides which help strengthen your skin.
- Absorbs easily into the skin because it’s water soluble so it can penetrate through our skin layers.
- Plays well with others…sometimes. You will see cautionary notes about NOT pairing niacinamide with vitamin C or alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) or beta hydroxy acid (BHA). They can have a chemical reaction that undermines their respective benefits instead of enhancing them. Here are ways to incorporate niacinamide into your routine, especially if you’re using vitamin C (and you definitely want to be using vitamin C!)
a. Use niacinamide and vitamin C at different times of the day. You can use one in the morning and one at night. I most often see experts say niacinamide in the day and vitamin C at night but I flip flopped them. I like my vitamin C in the morning because I use my vitamin A at night. (Oops…jumped the gun. That’s next week’s vitamin!)
b. Use them but wait in between. You can put vitamin C on first and give it 30 minutes to soak in and let your skin’s pH return to normal, then apply your niacinamide. With enough time in between, they won’t negate each other. Frankly though, who wants to wait 30 minutes? In “normal” life it would never work but in my new pandemic routine, this has become a real option!
c. Alternate them by days. You can use vitamin C one day and niacinamide the next. Vitamin C stays in your skin for 72 hours so honestly you aren’t losing much benefit by skipping a day of application.
Sounds pretty amazing, right? It’s a darling of skincare and shows up in all sorts of moisturizers.
Is It All That?
This is where you get my wishy washy – yes and no. I did DEEP dives into scientific journals and research studies looking for answers. There are high quality double-blind, randomized studies, but they are not as far reaching, broad or robust as there are for…say, vitamin C’s benefits. The short answer is, it does have benefits and it does work. Scientifically they have a pretty good guess about how it works or why it works, but they don’t seem to know for sure. If you have oily or irritated skin, there is a decent body of work that supports its effectiveness and I would definitely give it a go. Vitamin B3 might be your blessing. The fine lines, wrinkles, pigmentation claims have some evidence from high quality studies, but with limited test groups and narrow concentration formulations. I think this will change overtime as scientists search to deepen knowledge and understanding. But for now, they simply can’t point to scientific studies that identify the optimal concentration for effectiveness.
Products with Niacinamide
Simply for convenience, I’ve assembled a collection of products with niacinamide that I’ve tried and liked. You may be able to find the same products elsewhere so if you are interested in trying it, search around for the best deal. In no particular order:
- The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% – This is affordable and easy to use. Zinc and niacinamide are supposed to support and boost each other. As I mentioned above, I was unable to find any scientific research on the benefits of niacinamide over 5% and I’m not a fan of “more is more” with active ingredients. Nonetheless, I’ve used this product with no ill effect at 10%. I just want you to be aware that more isn’t always “better” or “more effective”. Sometimes it’s just…more.
- CeraVe PM Face Moisturizer – This is a nice moisturizer and one I’ve used in my routine.
- EltaMD Skincare UV Clear Broad-Spectrum SPF 46 Facial Sunscreen – I like this product line and having the niacinamide in your sunscreen is a bonus. I tend to wait a while between putting on my vitamin C (my personal routine) and sunscreen so mixing the two ingredients doesn’t bother me. It’s just something to be aware of as you are building your routine.
- Paula’s Choice 10% Niacinamide Booster – This is another formulation that I like that does not irritate my skin. They actually carry a clinical level at 20% but as I said before, I’m always cautious with active ingredients. I like to work up slowly in concentration to make sure I’m not damaging my skin. I would start lower and the move up to higher concentrations as you confirm you don’t react.
Niacinamide has been part of my skincare routine to nourish it, keep it healthy and help it stay youth-filled. I find it easy to add into my routine as long as I pay attention to pairings.
Is it part of your routine? Will you add it in or recommend it to others?
