What is Niacinamide?
Niacinamide is a form of Vitamin B3.
It is a super powerful active ingredient with numerous benefits for all different skin types. Let’s dive in and explore all the ways Niacinamide can help your skin when added to your routine.
1. It’s anti-inflammatory
Niacinamide is very soothing to the skin and along with improving your skin’s barrier function, it’s also an antioxidant, helping to protect your skin from irritation caused by your environment.
Because Niacinamide helps build your skin’s resistance, reducing sensitivity, it is also great at calming conditions such as eczema and rosacea.
2. It fights acne
Niacinamide is very effective in regulating the moisture levels of your skin. This means it restores hydration AND slows down over-active production of sebum, which helps to reduce breakouts!
Other products such as salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide are still effective for this purpose, but Niacinamide is much gentler on your skin, reducing additional irritation. It’s a win-win!
3. It normalises hyperpigmentation
Niacinamide actually inhibits the transfer of melanosome to keratinocyte (the cause of hyperpigmentation).
It can also help to lighten pigmentation caused by acne and sun damage.
4. It helps to reduce the effects of UV exposure
Niacinamide also maintains the surveillance function of Langerhan cells during UV exposure.
Langerhan cells are located in the supra basal layers of the epidermis, and are very easily influenced by UVA and UVB radiation. This can cause the depletion of the epidermis, or the induction of cell necrosis or apoptosis.
Because Niacinamide maintains the surveillance function of Langerhan cells, it assists in reducing the formation of tumours caused by UV exposure.
However, Niacinamide doesn’t play nice with all products…
Research shows that when high pH products such as Niacinamide are mixed with low pH products like Vitamin C, irritation occurs and the effectiveness of both products is consequently reduced. It is best not to mix Niacinamide with Vitamin C, acids or Vitamin A (aka Retinol) in your routine, so try to separate them between morning and evening.
Add Niacinamide into your routine with SHS!
Try our REM Serum, which contains Niacinamide 5%.
If you want to see if Niacinamide is right for you and/or how to add it to your skincare regime, book an online consultation with one of our specialist registered nurses for professional advice on how to be your best skin!
Keep reading about Niacinamide here and here.
