The skincare world is packed — and we mean packed — with options and ingredients promising to do the next best thing. And while it seems there’s a new ingredient popping up almost every day to consider slathering on, it’s safe to say that there are some tried-and-true staples that are here to stay. Enter: niacinamide. This wonder ingredient offers many skincare-related benefits, from shrinking pores to helping with hyperpigmentation and plenty more in between. Sunday Riley, CEO, founder, and product formulator, shares that this ingredient has risen in popularity and will likely only continue to do so because it’s so effective and easy to use.
Meet the Experts
Sunday Riley , CEO, founder and product formulator
Dr. Dendy Engelman, MD, FACMS, FAAD is a board-certified cosmetic dermatologist and Mohs surgeon.
Dr. Adarsh Vijay Mudgil, MD is a board-certified dermatologist and founder of Mudgil Dermatology.
Ready to try this standout ingredient? Keep scrolling to learn more.
What is niacinamide?
So, what exactly is niacinamide? “Niacinamide is a form of vitamin B3 — an essential nutrient that comes from the food we eat (like milk, eggs, meat, grains, and veggies), and can be used as an ingredient topically in skincare to soothe, strengthen, and protect skin,” says Dr. Dendy Engelman, MD, FACMS, FAAD.
What does niacinamide do for your skin?
Niacinamide seems to be a jack-of-all-trades ingredient when it comes to skincare, and the even better news is that it can benefit all skin types.
It’s great for all skin types, especially for sensitive skin
‘If you’ve got dry skin like me, it’s going to help prevent your skin from being dry and from trans-epidermal water loss. It helps your moisturizer sink deeper. If you’ve got redness or irritation, it’s amazing because niacinamide is an anti-inflammatory. So you’re going to start seeing some of that redness and inflammation calm down. That’s why I love to use products with niacinamide after microneedling procedures. It’s speeding up healing and taking away redness quickly,’ explains Sunday.
‘It’s one of those ingredients that I’ve been obsessed with for a very long time. It’s anti-aging and it’s anti-inflammatory. The really cool thing about niacinamide is it increases your body’s natural production of ceramides and free fatty acids, which, by the way, decline as you age. It also increases the production of an enzyme, which helps to increase the production of ceramide. So it’s dual working here,’ adds Sunday.
It improves acne
Do you tend to have blemish-prone skin? Niacinamide to the rescue. ‘What’s great about niacinamide is it’s shown a 2% to reduce the sebum excretion rate. That means how much sebum is being pushed out into the skin per minute. Is it like a drop, or is it a bucket? Then, it also reduces the casual sebum rate, which is basically how much sebum you have on the surface of your skin if you blot it. It decreases that as well,’ says Sunday. Another bonus: It’s even been shown to shrink pores and balance oil production. ‘As we decrease sebum rate, not only do you have less oily skin, but it helps with pores because we know that sebum and all these things can get into the pores. When we increase the collagen, we’re increasing the firmness of the skin; we decrease the excess sebum levels in the skin. With less pore stretching, you’re going to actually have a smaller pore size.’
It smooths out the appearance of fine lines
Dr. Debra Jaliman, MD, also shares that clinical studies have shown niacinamide to provide other significant skin improvement effects like a reduction in the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, red blotches, and hyperpigmented spots.
It brightens your complexion
In addition to evening-out hyperpigmentation and fading dark spots, niacinamide promotes bright, luminous skin. Studies suggest the ingredient inhibits melanin production to be an effective skin brightener.
What can you tell us about the origins of B3Nice 10% Niacinamide Serum?
‘The idea for the serum originated from two main sources. Firstly, we received frequent requests for it, which I always take seriously because customer desires significantly inspire me. Secondly, the motivation was deeply personal. My oldest daughter struggles with severe acne. She was so self-conscious that she hid her face in the photos of the school dance. This prompted me to consult a dermatologist friend who suggested various treatments, but nothing seemed to work. Eventually, I returned to the drawing board and developed a product specifically for her. It was effective, leading me to believe we had a viable product worth pursuing,’ shares Sunday.
Can I use niacinamide every day?
The beauty of this powerful ingredient is that it can easily slot into your existing skincare routine, as it’s found in a wide range of products, from moisturizers to eye creams. You can feel free to reach for products containing niacinamide both morning and evening on a daily basis, says Dr. Adarsh Vijay Mudgil, MD — niacinamide doesn’t cause photosensitivity, so it can be used in the a.m. (but of course, always follow with sunscreen). It’s also great to apply year-round, although you may find it especially beneficial during cold weather when you tend to have central heat on full blast.
‘B3Nice is a thin water-based serum. It is meant to soak into anyone’s skin incredibly quickly, whether they have dry skin or oily skin. When I was working on its formula, I was going to assume that the user is going through several steps during the day and they’re not going to want excess oil on their skin,’ says Sunday.
When can I expect to see results?
Some people may notice results almost right away, but Dr. Mudgil shares it’ll likely be at least four weeks until you really start observing the benefits of this hero ingredient. With B3Nice, you’ll see the results pretty quickly.
IN 2 WEEKS:
- 100% showed a reduction in post-acne dark spots and an improvement in oiliness
IN 4 WEEKS:
- 100% saw skin was clearer and saw a reduction in redness
- 96% show improvement in wrinkles
IN 8 WEEKS:
- 100% saw a reduction in pore size
*Results obtained through third-party expert grading and consumer study
Can it be paired with other skincare ingredients?
Another super cool thing to know about niacinamide is that it works incredibly well when paired with a wide range of ingredients. “When matched with strong ingredients like retinol and hydroxy acids, it calms and soothes skin and prevents irritation,” explains Dr. Engelman. Sunday Riley 5 Stars Eye Serum combines the powers of retinoids and niacinamide into one skin-smoothing product for the entire eye area. She also adds that when paired with nourishing ceramides, peptides, and hyaluronic acid, these ingredients work synergistically to keep “skin hydrated and strengthen the skin barrier.”
Vitamin C and niacinamide (a form of vitamin B3) are brightening ingredients, but they work in different ways. Vitamin C inhibits the tyrosinase enzyme that produces melanin, while niacinamide inhibits the transfer of melanosomes from the melanin. Both calm down melanin synthesis by minimizing hyperpigmentation. When you do this, you get a brightening of your skin. ‘This is how you are going to incorporate products with niacinamide and vitamin C into your routine,’ says Sunday.
Are there any potential side effects to look out for? Is 10% enough to see the results?
As noted above, niacinamide is wonderful because it strengthens the skin barrier without typically causing sensitivity. ‘Clinical studies on niacinamide typically focus on its effectiveness at concentrations ranging from 2% to 5%, sometimes up to 10%. These studies often address issues like oily skin, acne, inflammation, hyperpigmentation, and signs of aging. While it’s possible to use niacinamide at concentrations as high as 40% or even 100%, this isn’t typically done. The primary concern is finding the “sweet spot” where the product is effective without causing irritation. Most people can tolerate up to 10% without experiencing stinging, but higher concentrations might irritate the skin. There’s little justification for exceeding this 10% threshold in skincare products. Some brands might include higher concentrations for marketing purposes, suggesting a more potent product. However, without clear benefits and considering the potential for irritation, such high concentrations don’t seem necessary. In summary, while niacinamide is a highly beneficial ingredient, there’s no compelling reason to use it in extremely high concentrations,’ explains Sunday.
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