WTF is... niacinamide anyway?
Niacinamide, a tiny bottle of wonder. This vitamin B3 derivative will work pretty hard for you.
So… WTF is it?
It’s a water-soluble form of vitamin B-3 and is an ‘active’ skincare ingredient.
How do you pronounce it?
nye-a-sin-ah-myde
What’s the point of it? I mean, what does it actually do?
It can:
Reduce hyperpigmentation
Reduce fine lines
Stimulate collagen production
Regulate oil production
Act as an anti-inflammatory
Help rebuild your skin barrier and will support its ongoing health
How does it work?
Buckle up…
Niacinamide stimulates the production of ceramides, which are a type of lipid. Ceramides are critical for a healthy skin barrier.
A healthy skin barrier:
Prevents water loss from the skin, so the skin retains more moisture
Act as a barrier to environmental factors (weather, pollution, etc).
Niacinamide inhibits sebocytes - the lipids that cause sebum - helping to regulate and balance skin oiliness for those with acne-prone skin.
(Yes, this thing is a lipid tornado)
Cytokines regulate the body’s responses to inflammation. They can become imbalanced by a host of factors (allergies, illness, environment, etc). Niacinamide can restore balance to cytokines, reducing redness and irritation of the skin.
If you’re taking a retinoid, niacinamide will complement the active effects of the retinoid whilst inhibiting some of Vitamin A’s potential inflammatory/irritating effects.
It penetrates the skin deeply and there’s clinical evidence that it reduces fine lines and evens out hyperpigmentation. And FOR ONCE, there’s a detailed study of multiple clinical trials.1
Fuck me. Is there anything it can’t do?
There are some claims that niacinamide can reduce pore size.
Yet again: nothing can reduce the physical size of pores.
And why would someone want it?
I mean… it’s quite the over-achiever. It has a raft of skincare benefits for many skin concerns and conditions.
How much is it?
As with all actives, it’s available at tiny and enormous prices.
Does it hurt?
It shouldn’t. If it does, your skincare routine is probably too harsh, either in method (you may be rubbing too hard) or product(s).
Have I had it?
I used it inconsistently in the past - it’s one of the actives in a Hada Labo lotion that I often use in winter - but I recently started using it consistently as part of my retinoid routine.
Would I have it?
I plan to carry on using it for the foreseeable.
Should you have it?
There is a school of thought that if you’re getting enough vitamin b3 (niacin) in your diet then you shouldn't need to apply niacinamide topically.
However, niacinamide is extremely well-tolerated by the skin, penetrates deeply and can be bought extremely cheaply. So, IMO, it’s worth a try.
Anything else I think you should know?
Read this in conjunction with the WTF Is Vitamin C article…
Disclaimer: ‘WTF is…’ guides are intended to be a 3-5 minute introduction to a topic. They are, by their nature, not exhaustive.
If you have a concern that I’ve irresponsibly included/omitted information, don’t hesitate to get in touch to let me know and I’ll take a look.
Reminder that any cosmetic work undertaken should be in accordance with The 6 rules of cosmetic work. Here they are, in case you missed them the first time…
This study also demonstrates that there is limited evidence of the anti-ageing benefits of topical products containing soy and even fewer to those containing green tea 👀