Niacinamide in Skincare

Niacinamide is vitamin B3 and it is one of the few ingredients that does several useful things at once without being harsh.

It helps calm redness, supports the barrier so skin is less reactive, regulates oil and over months evens out dark marks. That combination is why it turns up in so many formulas and why it suits most skin types.

It is a steady ingredient rather than a dramatic one. Expect gradual improvement, not an overnight change.

Less than you probably think. Most of the research sits around 4 to 5 percent, and going higher mainly increases the chance of flushing and tingling.

The strengths you will find here are around 5 and 10 percent, in products like Anua Niacinamide 10% + TXA 4% Dark Spot Correcting Serum and Anua Niacinamide 5 TXA Brightening Pads.

If your skin is sensitive, start at the lower end. A well formulated 5 percent will outperform a 20 percent that makes your face go red.

Yes. The old warning that the two cancel each other out does not hold up.

It came from lab work at high heat that has nothing to do with how these products behave on your face. Plenty of formulas now contain both deliberately.

If you find the combination tingles, use vitamin C in the morning and niacinamide at night. That is a comfort call, not a chemistry one.

A serum is the usual way in, since it puts the ingredient where it does the most.

• A straightforward first serum: asap Super B Complex Serum or Medik8 Niacinamide Peptides
• Dark marks and uneven tone: Anua Niacinamide 10% + TXA 4% Dark Spot Correcting Serum
• Redness and general evening out: Beauty of Joseon Glow Serum Propolis + Niacinamide
• If you would rather it was a moisturiser: SkinCeuticals Metacell Renewal B3 or Medicube TXA Niacinamide Capsule Cream

One is enough. Niacinamide appears in a lot of formulas, so stacking three products that all contain it is where the tingling starts.

With oil, yes. With pore size, partly.

It does reduce how much oil your skin produces over time, and that is well supported. Less oil sitting in a pore means the pore is less stretched and less visibly dark, so pores look smaller.

What it cannot do is change the pore you were born with. Anything promising to shrink pores permanently is overselling it. Medicube Azelaic Acid Niacinamide Clear Toner is a reasonable daily option if oil and congestion are your main concern.

For most people it is one of the best tolerated actives there is. A minority get flushing, warmth or tingling, usually at higher strengths.

If that happens, drop to a lower strength or use it every other day and build up. Applying it to fully dry skin rather than damp skin also helps.

If your skin is already sore from a retinol or an acid, get it calm before adding anything new, even something as gentle as this.