This is the start of a series giving you the low-down on the key active ingredients popular in skincare today.
Let’s start with niacinamide.
Also known as 3-Pyridine Carboxamide, niacinamide is a form of Vitamin B3.
There is no definitive clinical evidence for its efficacy as a topical ingredient in skincare. But there is evidence to suggest an association between niacinamide and skin brightening, fading pigmentation, sebum control, helping target erythema (redness), fine lines, and anti-aging.
What is not so well known, however, is that you need to have a certain percentage concentration of niacinamide in order to potentially see each of these effects. As a general guide:
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2% niacinamide can help brighten skin and keep sebum in check, but not much else. We love using the COSRX Galactomyces 95 Tone Balancing Essence (Style Korean)(Althea)(Beautynet Korean)(Jolse) for this purpose - it’s very gentle but packs a punch, containing galactomyces (fermented sake filtrate) and sodium hyaluronate.
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4% niacinamide is needed to see any associations with countering inflammation, redness and breakouts.
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Higher concentrations (5%-10%) are associated with fading dark spots, pigmentation, and post inflammatory hyperpigmentation.
These higher concentrations are also associated with anti-aging. We like using The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%, because it has worked wonders for our skin in fading post inflammatory hyperpigmentation and age spots. However, we only apply it directly onto the offending areas, not all over the face, to minimise the risk of irritation.
There’s not much evidence that concentrations higher than 10% do anything other than increasing potential side effects…maybe this is a case of everything in moderation! Note we are only discussing non-prescription actives here.
By the way…some of the skincare we recommend are available on iHerb, which we use to buy a lot of our organic skincare. You can use our code AEJ0519 at checkout to get 5% off.
Side Effects
Niacinamide can help tackle erythema (redness), but it can conversely be a CAUSE of flushing and irritation! Some tips to help avoid this:
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start with lower concentrations (2%) and work your way up slowly.
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try not to mix niacinamide with Vitamin C and its derivatives, AHA/BHAs and other direct acids.
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This one is crucial: check the ingredients list of your existing skincare products for which ones contain niacinamide, to make sure you aren’t inadvertently mixing niacinamide with acids! See our post on skincare ingredients not to mix for more info on this.
In the coming weeks, we’ll also be breaking down other popular skincare ingredients. These include:
- Alpha arbutin
- Propolis
- Madecassoside
- Squalane
- Ceramide
- Ginseng
Acids
- Lactic acid
- Azelaic acid
- Mandelic acid
- Glycolic acid
- Salicyclic acid
Other ‘acids’
- Vitamin C
- Ferulic acid
- Hyaluronic acid
Lipids
- Marula oil
- Tamanu oil
- Rosehip seed oil
- Squalane
- Sea buckthorn oil
- Argan oil
- Avocado oil
Extracts
- Galactomyces
- Green tea extract
- Snail ferment extract
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P.S…this is probably obvious, but the information presented doesn’t constitute medical advice - always check with your own doctor!
