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Every once in a while, a skincare ingredient shows up to the beauty block party with all the good stuff in hand. Niacinamide? It’s definitely giving “life of the party” energy. What niacinamide is good for? We’re so glad you asked. Also known as vitamin B3, this multitasking antioxidant is celebrated for its ability to improve the look of hyperpigmentation, brighten your complexion, and keep skin looking clear.
Intrigued? Let’s take a minute to explore the benefits of niacinamide so you can decide for yourself whether this skincare staple is worthy of space on your beauty shelf. (Spoiler: It is.)
Related: Common Dull Skin Causes & How to Visibly Brighten Your Complexion
Bye Bye Dark Spots Niacinamide Serum
IT’S 8 WEEKS TO MORE VISIBLY EVEN SKIN TONE!
Bye Bye Dark Spots Concealer + Serum
INSTANT MEDIUM COVERAGE + CLINICALLY FADES DARK SPOTS*
CC+ Nude Glow Lightweight Foundation + Glow Serum with SPF 40
IT’S THE FIRST 90% SKINCARE CC+ FOR AN INSTANT HEALTHY GLOW + BRIGHTER SKIN IN 4 WEEKS!*
Do It All Radiant Concealer
What Is Niacinamide?
Niacinamide is a form of vitamin B3, an essential water-soluble vitamin that promotes healthy skin. And since your body can’t produce this ingredient independently, it must come from your diet or skincare routine. Niacinamide is also an antioxidant. Antioxidants are compounds that can protect your skin from the harmful effects of free radicals and environmental stressors like UV rays, making them a go-to addition to an anti-aging skincare routine.
This superstar ingredient was considered somewhat of a background player for a while, but it’s been getting the main character treatment for a few years now. Today, you’ll find niacinamide in everything from skincare serums—such as Bye Bye Dark Spots Niacinamide Serum—to moisturizers and eye creams.
Niacinamide has even found its way into some of our go-to makeup formulations, including Bye Bye Dark Spots Concealer + Serum, an all-over or spot concealer that visibly improves discoloration over time, and CC+ Nude Glow Lightweight Foundation + Glow Serum with SPF 40, which features a 90% skincare formula complete with 2% niacinamide. For medium coverage featuring antioxidant benefits, try Do It All Radiant Concealer, a 4-in-1 crease-resistant concealer and multivitamin serum formulated with niacinamide and vitamins B5 & E that delivers 24HR hydration and 16HR wear.
The Science of Niacinamide
Although the names may sound similar, there are actually three different types of vitamin B3: niacinamide (nicotinamide), niacin (nicotinic acid), and nicotinamide riboside. Frankly, you don’t have to worry too much about the other two—niacinamide is the one you want to look for in your skincare products. It’s created by your body when you ingest large quantities of niacin, a naturally-occurring substance that can be found in foods like fish, vegetables, and various grains. The amount of niacin your body needs will depend largely on your age, gender, and other lifestyle factors.
What Does Niacinamide Do for Skin?
When it comes to getting that lit-from-within glow, you definitely want to add niacinamide into your routine. Vitamin B3 is restorative for your skin and is known for its hydrating and skin-brightening properties. And if you’re worried about having fussy and unpredictable skin, you can exhale! This powerhouse ingredient stands out for its unique ability to gently support all skin types across a wide range of skin concerns.
Here are just some of our favorite benefits of niacinamide for skin.
1. Promotes Brighter-Looking Skin
Niacinamide is an absolute legend when it comes to achieving that coveted radiant glow. Its brightening benefits are largely a result of all the many complexion-enhancing properties combined. For example, a dermatology study noted its ability to preserve skin hydration, reduce the look of redness, visibly fade dark spots, and protect skin from environmental stressors.[1]
2. Great For All Skin Types
Oily? Combination? Mature skin? Niacinamide accepts every skin type with open arms—including sensitive skin. Gentle as can be, it’s typically very well tolerated and often recommended as a smart option for those with sensitive skin or for anyone looking for a gentle but effective skin-nourishing formula.
3. Keeps Skin Looking Firm and Healthy
Keratin (the main structural protein in your skin) is crucial for keeping your skin looking firm, flawless, and healthy. Using niacinamide for skin has been shown to support the production of keratin in your skin, resulting in a tighter-looking, more youthful appearance.
4. Supports Clearer Skin
Adding niacinamide to your daily regimen may also assist with enhancing clarity, making it a must-have for anyone with oily or blemish-prone skin types. By helping to balance your skin’s oil production and inflammatory responses, niacinamide can help keep your complexion looking clearer, smoother, and more even-toned. One medical article reporting on past trials with niacinamide found that topical application was effective in significantly reducing blemishes.[2]
5. Minimizes the Look of Wrinkles and Fine Lines
The multifunctional benefits of niacinamide make this ingredient an easy pick for any anti-aging skincare routine. This ingredient promotes more youthful-looking skin and may also minimize the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles with its powerful hydrating and skin-plumping abilities.
6. Reduces the Appearance of Large Pores
Niacinamide-based formulas have a normalizing effect that can help visibly smooth your complexion and reduce the look of large pores. It does so by keeping your skin well-moisturized, healthy, and balanced.
Related: How To Make Large Pores Appear Smaller
7. Helps Reduce Dark Spots
Niacinamide is good for so many things, but if we had to shout just one thing, it might be its ability to tackle the look of discoloration. Niacinamide in skincare has the ability to help keep your skin visibly glowing, especially when paired with other glow-boosting ingredients, like hyaluronic acid. What’s more, research has found that niacinamide may help prevent age-related pigmentation such as dark spots and other signs of skin aging.[3]
8. Supports a Healthy Natural Skin Barrier
Your skin’s natural lipid barrier—AKA moisture barrier—can become weakened with age. Luckily, one amazing niacinamide skin benefit is that it can assist your skin with retaining moisture and promoting a strengthened lipid barrier, which is essential for protecting your skin from external stressors. So if you’ve ever wondered whether niacinamide is good for dry skin, the answer is a resounding “Yes!”
Related: Are You Giving Your Skin Barrier the TLC It Deserves?
9. Delivers Skin Protecting Properties
Your skin battles environmental pollutants every day that can lead to premature signs of aging, including fine lines, wrinkles, dark spots, and sagging. Niacinamide acts as a powerful antioxidant for your skin, delivering protective properties that can help shield against the skin-damaging effects of oxidative stress.
10. Helps Regulate Oil Production
Hydration isn’t just for dry skin! You can use niacinamide for oily skin and combination skin, as well. This ingredient helps boost moisture and balance your skin, which can prevent oily skin from overcompensating by producing too much oil. Even blemish-prone and oily skin needs plenty of hydration, and niacinamide is the perfect choice for any skin type.
How Long Does Niacinamide Take to Work?
How long it takes for niacinamide to work ultimately depends on the formulation and how consistent you are about slathering each day.
A reason people love our Bye Bye Dark Spots Niacinamide Serum is that it’s suitable for even the most sensitive skin and is clinically tested to deliver a more visibly even skin tone in just 8 weeks.* It contains 4% niacinamide to help visibly reduce dark spots and other forms of hyperpigmentation, plus 1% ethyl vitamin C to visibly improve skin clarity. We recommend using a high-quality niacinamide serum (we’re partial to our own!) and applying four to five drops both morning and evening.
In a 12-week study**, where participants used Bye Bye Dark Spots Concealer + Serum, clinical results showed a visible reduction in dark spots, fine lines, dark circles under eyes, and uneven skin texture. This multitasking concealer not only provides buildable medium coverage with a natural finish but it's formulated with a powerhouse trio of 2% niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, and caffeine.
After 8 weeks of daily use***, the medium-coverage Do It All Radiant Concealer visibly plumps and hydrates the skin with the power of its multivitamin serum ingredients, including niacinamide. In addition to the kind-to-skin benefits, this 4-in-1 concealer provides creaseless coverage and a radiant finish with 16HR wear.
When in doubt, choose a product you trust—and one you love to apply—so that you can reap the benefits of this incredible skincare ingredient.
How Often Should You Use Niacinamide?
If you’re wondering how often you can use niacinamide, the answer is pretty simple: every single day! In fact, we recommend applying twice daily in order to see the benefits, which include visibly improvement of discoloration, a brighter complexion, and clearer-looking skin.
The only word of caution we have about this gentle ingredient is to make sure you’re not using too much niacinamide. This can potentially occur if you’re applying more than twice per day, using too much product at a time, or using multiple products formulated with niacinamide during your routine. Using too much can potentially irritate your skin, leading to sensitivity and redness.
3 Easy Ways To Include Niacinamide In Your Skincare Routine
Now that you know all about the complexion-enhancing benefits of niacinamide, let’s talk about how to incorporate this superstar into your skincare routine. It’s important to know how and when to apply niacinamide, as well as how to choose the best products for your skin
- Apply Niacinamide Serum Day & Night: Niacinamide is perfect for either your AM or PM skincare routines. Use a serum or moisturizer formulated with niacinamide, such as Bye Bye Dark Spots Niacinamide Serum.
- Work It Into Your Makeup Routine: For the cherry on top, use makeup that doubles as skincare. For example, CC+ Nude Glow Lightweight Foundation + Glow Serum with SPF 40 features a 90% skincare formula that includes niacinamide. It lends an instant dewy glow and brighter skin in just 4 weeks.****
- Plump Wrinkles & Conceal Imperfections: Do It All Radiant Concealer is formulated with niacinamide, hyaluronic acid and vitamins B5 & E to instantly smooth skin while offering medium-coverage, color correcting abilities and 24HR hydration. This sensitive skin-friendly formula is vegan and free of fragrance and parabens making it a 4-in-1 concealer that can deliver skincare benefits for all.
Bye Bye Lines Hyaluronic Acid Serum
IT'S 2 WEEKS TO PLUMPER SKIN AND VISIBLY SMOOTHED LINES!
Confidence in a Cream Anti-Aging Hydrating Moisturizer
IT REVERSES TOP SIGNS OF AGING SKIN!
Confidence in Your Beauty Sleep Night Cream
SLEEP YOUR WAY TO YOUNGER-LOOKING SKIN WITH IT!
Bye Bye Pores Glycolic Acid Serum
IT’S 1 WEEK TO VISIBLY MINIMIZED PORES!
Bye Bye Breakout Salicylic Acid Acne Serum
IT VISIBLY REDUCES ACNE & POST-ACNE MARKS!
Does Niacinamide Work Well With Other Ingredients?
When choosing your niacinamide-infused solution, try to choose complementary ingredients that offer similar multifunctional benefits.
Can You Use Niacinamide and Hyaluronic Acid Together?
Yes, niacinamide and hyaluronic acid work well together in skincare. Hyaluronic acid hydrates by helping your skin to retain moisture, while niacinamide helps strengthen the skin barrier and reduce the appearance of dark spots and wrinkles for radiant, more even skin. Using them together boosts hydration, reduces redness, supports anti-aging goals and enhances overall skin health, making them a perfect complementary duo.
For a skin-plumping duo, we recommend layering Bye Bye Lines Hyaluronic Acid with Bye Bye Dark Spots Niacinamide Serum at the same time.
Can You Use Niacinamide and Glycolic Acid Together?
Niacinamide and glycolic acid can be used together, but timing matters. Glycolic acid, an exfoliating alpha hydroxy acid (AHA), promotes cell turnover for visibly smoother, radiant skin. Use these two skincare ingredients at separate times of the day to reap the benefits of both without risking skin irritation.
For a complexion refresher that minimizes the look of pores and visibly evens out your skin tone, apply Bye Bye Dark Spots Serum in the morning and then use Bye Bye Pores Glycolic Acid Serum in the evening.
Other Ingredients to Pair with Niacinamide
Many ingredients can be used in your routine to achieve your skin goals and get your best ever skin! Consider these ingredients when building a routine around niacinamide:
- Salicylic Acid: If your skincare goals involve tackling pimples and blemishes, then use the niacinamide serum in the morning and use Bye Bye Breakout Salicylic Acid Acne Serum at night.
- Colloidal Oatmeal: The soothing, moisturizing effects of this ingredient are combined with niacinamide in the Confidence in a Cream Anti-Aging Hydrating Moisturizer which can be used day or night for 48 hour hydration.
- SPF: This one is not specific to niacinamide, but SPF is always a non-negotiable in your daily skincare routine. Incorporate sunscreen into your morning routine to protect your skin from the sun’s harsh UV rays.
Whether you have dry, oily, sensitive, or mature skin, niacinamide can be a game-changing addition to your skincare routine. It all comes down to selecting the right product for you. Find more expert skin advice on your unique concerns and tips to build your confidence-boosting skincare routine from IT Cosmetics.
Ready to find our best hydrating products for your skin type? Check out our guide on the 7 types of moisturizers you should know.
Sources:
- Bissett, Donald L., et al. “Niacinamide: A B Vitamin That Improves Aging Facial Skin Appearance.” Dermatologic Surgery: Official Publication for American Society for Dermatologic Surgery [et Al.], vol. 31, no. 7 Pt 2, July 2005, pp. 860–65; discussion 865. PubMed, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1524-4725.2005.31732.
- Niren, Neil M. “Pharmacologic Doses of Nicotinamide in the Treatment of Inflammatory Skin Conditions: A Review.” Cutis, vol. 77, no. 1 Suppl, Jan. 2006, pp. 11–16.
- Bissett, D. L., et al. “Topical Niacinamide Reduces Yellowing, Wrinkling, Red Blotchiness, and Hyperpigmented Spots in Aging Facial Skin.” International Journal of Cosmetic Science, vol. 26, no. 5, Oct. 2004, pp. 231–38. PubMed, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-2494.2004.00228.x.
*Based on a 12-week consumer self-assessment.
**In a 12-week clinical study.
***Plumps and brightens based on expert grading after 8 weeks of daily use.
****Based on expert grading after 4 weeks of use.
Shop This Post
Bye Bye Dark Spots Niacinamide Serum
IT’S 8 WEEKS TO MORE VISIBLY EVEN SKIN TONE!
Bye Bye Dark Spots Concealer + Serum
INSTANT MEDIUM COVERAGE + CLINICALLY FADES DARK SPOTS*
CC+ Nude Glow Lightweight Foundation + Glow Serum with SPF 40
IT’S THE FIRST 90% SKINCARE CC+ FOR AN INSTANT HEALTHY GLOW + BRIGHTER SKIN IN 4 WEEKS!*
Do It All Radiant Concealer
Bye Bye Lines Hyaluronic Acid Serum
IT'S 2 WEEKS TO PLUMPER SKIN AND VISIBLY SMOOTHED LINES!
Confidence in a Cream Anti-Aging Hydrating Moisturizer
IT REVERSES TOP SIGNS OF AGING SKIN!
Confidence in Your Beauty Sleep Night Cream
SLEEP YOUR WAY TO YOUNGER-LOOKING SKIN WITH IT!
Bye Bye Pores Glycolic Acid Serum
IT’S 1 WEEK TO VISIBLY MINIMIZED PORES!
Bye Bye Breakout Salicylic Acid Acne Serum
IT VISIBLY REDUCES ACNE & POST-ACNE MARKS!
