In the skincare world, niacinamide is like the girl next door - everyone loves her and she gets on with most. This ingredient is so fabulous because it works with pretty much all skin types and has a whole host of benefits, without many major side effects (win-win).
Quick bit of science - niacinamide is a form of vitamin B3 and it is water soluble. Your body cannot synthesise it, so it has to be ingested (from food or supplements) or applied topically.
The chemical formula is: C6H6N2O.
WHAT SKIN ISSUES CAN IT HELP WITH?
Redness & sensitivity
Skin texture & tone
Inflammatory skin conditions - such as eczema, rosacea & acne
Oily and dry skin
Hyperpigmentation
HOW DOES IT WORK & WHAT DOES IT DO?
Niacinamide is able to help with so many skin issues because it works wonders in supporting skin barrier function - something that everyone should pay attention to for overall good skin health.
It does this by supporting cellular processes - niacinamide is a precursor to 2 chemical co-factors; NADH & NADPH which are involved in various chemical reactions. It is thought that the more precursor you have, the more of the co-factor you'll have.
NADH increases the amount of glycosaminoglycans (aka GAGs), which deal with the support & maintenance of collagen & elastin, both structural proteins in the skin
NADPH increases the amount of ceramides that we have, which help form the protective lipid barrier
It helps with hyperpigmentation in a pretty cool and unique way - it blocks the transfer of the pigment melanin from melanocytes to other cells. This makes it a great addition to other treatments that target the reduction of melanin production, such as hydroquinone.
CONCENTRATIONS & HOW TO USE
Niacinamide is really not fussy and can be paired with most products in your skincare regime, after cleansing/ toning but before your moisturiser & SPF if you are using it as a serum - but I personally love when it is formulated into my moisturiser.
It is not light sensitive (and generally pretty stable) so can be used in the AM and PM and why it is such a great addition to SPFs.
Concentration wise, you will usually find it at around 2-10%.
PRODUCT RECOMMENDATIONS:
Dr Sam's Flawless Brightly - formulated with other actives so can be a bit intense for more sensitive skin types - you may have to use on top of a moisturiser
Dr Sam's Flawless Moisturiser - works perfectly with Flawless Brightly
Paula's Choice Niacinamide 10% Booster
The Ordinary's Niacinamide 10% and Zinc 1% - very budget friendly
PURITO Galacto Niacin 97 Power Essence - very gentle formula that is a K-Beauty favourite
Small side note - I would check your vitamin B levels if your skin is dry and flaky and take an oral supplement if you need to. Vitamin B deficiencies can wreck havoc on your skin as they play such an important part in cell renewal - lack of this group of vitamins can lead to increased skin sensitivity, acne and dryness.
Et voilà! I hope you enjoyed - let me know your thoughts in the comments and if you try any of the products <3
Lots of love,
Madeleine xoxo