A lot of people are loving niacinamide in the skincare world right now. But what’s all the fuss about? Personally we think this ingredient is worth the hype– it’s backed by plenty of studies that show a number of benefits for your skin health making it one of the most versatile skincare ingredients.
Today we’re diving into what is niacinamide, what does niacinamide do for your skin, and discussing why we added niacinamide to our own Mineral Facial Sunscreen!
What Is Niacinamide?
Niacinamide (nicotinamide) is a B vitamin, specifically a B-3 vitamin. B vitamins, such as B-3 are what’s known as essential nutrients for the body. These types of nutrients are essential for proper body function, but cannot be produced (or enough cannot be produced) by the body itself. That’s when we have to look outward for sources of these nutrients. As a dietary supplement, vitamin B is usually obtained through foods like meat, eggs, fish, and fortified milk.
In the skincare scene, niacinamide is a useful ingredient in many different products like moisturizers and sunscreens. We’ll take a look at why below.
Isn’t Niacin The Same Thing?
Niacinamide and niacin are not the same things, though they are very similar. They are both B-3 vitamins, but niacin is a precursor to niacinamide – meaning that the body can turn niacin into niacinamide.
What Are The Benefits of Niacinamide?
Used as a skincare ingredient, niacinamide has the following benefits for the skin:
- Minimize redness, pore appearance, and blotchiness
- Reduces inflammation (beneficial for eczema and acne, specifically)
- Helps the skin regulate oil production
- Repairs and protects the skin barrier
- Protects the skin from sun damage
- Partially reverses hyperpigmentation
- Helps protect the skin from oxidation and free radicals (it’s an antioxidant!)
- Helps to minimize wrinkles and crepey lines
Can I Use Niacinamide Every Day?
It’s important, first, to remember that skin health is reliant not only on external factors – but internal ones as well. You can certainly supplement your skin from the outside, but it’s incredibly important to eat a healthy, well-balanced diet that includes B vitamins, to begin with. Drinking plenty of water is also critical to skin health.
As far as skincare products are concerned, yes – you can use products with niacinamide in them every day if you wish to. Your skin will tell you if you are overdoing it; additionally, some sensitive skin types may find that niacinamide products can cause allergic reactions. Always do a patch test before using new products over wide areas of your skin.
How Long Will It Take to See Results?
The general rule of thumb with any new skincare product that you add to your routine is this: The first few days up to a week, your skin will be getting used to the new product. Slight redness isn’t uncommon during this time – lighten up your usage if this happens.
During the next week, you will start to see gradual results. After two whole weeks, you will know if this product is working well for your skin.
What Is the Best Sunscreen With Niacinamide?
What makes niacinamide such a great addition to sunscreen? Niacinamide is great for further protecting your skin barrier, helping nourishing your skin in the wake of UV damage, making SPF & niacinamide a great team. Here at Rejuvaskin, we’re partial to our very own 100% Mineral Facial Sunscreen. However, any sunscreen that your skin reacts well to is also a win! If you’re looking for a light, non-greasy, UVA/UVB sunscreen that doesn’t use harsh chemicals, you’ll love our Mineral Sunscreen with niacinamide!