Hailey Bieber recently shared her skincare routine and raved about niacinamide. One of the first things you probably want to know about niacinamide apart from ‘Will I look like Hailey Bieber if I use it?’ is ‘Does niacinamide cause purging?’
Well, great news.
Niacinamide is the active water-soluble form of vitamin B3 It is gentle on the skin and unlikely to cause purging. Niacinamide is used to calm skin irritation caused by purging. There is a lot to love about this hero ingredient.
Niacinamide is a skincare overachiever. It also doesn’t discriminate it works for all skin types and treats everything including dark spots, acne, fine lines and wrinkles, dark circles and hyperpigmentation.
If that wasn’t enough it is safe to use during pregnancy and cheap to manufacture so it won’t (or shouldn’t ) cost you the equivalent of a pair of lululemon yoga pants for one small bottle.
This skincare product doesn’t cause skin purging, because who has got time for the skin purging?
There are other contenders to the niacinamide over achievers crown. Azelaic acid is also great for treating melasma and age spots but it is not as good at treating dark spots caused by UV damage.
Alpha arbutin is better at treating hyperpigmentation but it has some nasty side effects and one of them is purging.
Salicyclic acid one of the beta hydroxy acids (BHA) is great for treating acne, oily skin and skin blemishes but has little to no effect on collagen production or uneven skin tone.
Benzoyl peroxide is great for acne, clogged pores and sebum production but it can irritate and dry out your skin.
Vitamin C and ascorbic acid are powerful antioxidants and brighten your skin, but they can also be irritating and cause purging.
There really is nothing like niacinamide and you can add into your skincare routine for under $10.
What is not to love about this skincare product.
So let’s have a rummage around in the science and research surrounding this wonder ingredient.
Are Niacinamide and Nicotinamide The Same Thing?
Niacinamide is also known as niacin, nicotinamdie and nicotinic acid amide it’s the water-soluble active form of vitamin B3. It wasn’t discovered until 1937 and has been used in skincar products since the 1990’s.
Humans can’t make our own vitamin B3 like so vitamin C and essential fatty acids we have to get it from our food.
Fortunately, our modern diets make that easy as it is found in yeast, meat, fish, nuts and legumes.
What Does Niacinamide Do For Your Skin?
- It has anti-inflammatory properties which is useful for treating acne, rosacea and inflamed irritated skin.
- It is known to reduce sebum. Excess sebum is a factor in both inflamed acne and non-inflamed comedone lesion. So reducing sebum production is good news for getting rid of pimples.
- Treats dryness and sensitivity that happens with rosacea.
- It increases the skins ability to make ceramides. Ceramides are important in maintaining a healthy skin barrier.
- A healthy skin barrier decreases water loss and this keeps skin hydrated.
- It speeds up cell turnover and removes dead skin cells.
- It repairs sun damage and lightens dark spots and hyperpigmentation.
- It improves fine lines and wrinkles by boosting collagen production.
- It improves skin texture and acne scars.
- It is well tolerated by most people and great if you can’t use retinol or glycolic acid.
- Preganacy safe.
This really is a hero ingredient and is becoming increasingly popular in modern skincare products.
Can I Use Niacinamide With Hyaluronic Acid?
Yes, in fact, these two are commonly used together in skincare formulations. Combining niacinamide with hyaluronic acid may be one of the best things you can do in your skincare routine.
Can Niacinamide Be used with Retinol?
Retinol is Vitamin A and stimulates cell turnover, pushing new plump skin cells to the surface and stimulating collagen production.
Retinol is great at improving sun damage and getting rid of stubborn acne and acne scars.
However, retinol is not without its problems. It is a well-known irritant and one of the most likely culprits to cause purging.
Turns out that niacinamide can counteract the negative side effects from using retinol.
Niacinamide is an anti-inflammatory and boosts ceramide production which helps keep the skin hydrated and lessens the effect of retinol purge.
Using niacinamide and retinol together could be one of the best things you can do to support your skin and reducing the retinol uglies.
Does Nicinamide Work With Azelaic Acid?
Azelaic acid is antimicrobial and helps reduce P. Acnes which is a bacteria that causes acne. It also is anti-inflammatory and an anti-oxidant. It stops skin cells from shedding to quickly and building up in the pores.
Clogged pores lead to blackheads and pimples.
Azelaic acid is also very safe, well tolerated and has few side effects.
Combing azelaic acid with niacinamide is fantastic for treating acne as they are both anti-inflammatory and both clear out clogged pores, but in different ways.
This combination is the star ingredients in this little known cult product that we love and recommend to everyone who is looking to treat acne and rosacea that is also safe for use during pregnancy.
Azclear Action Acne Treatment Cult Acne Treatment Superstar
Azclear action is formulated with niacinamide to reverse sun damage and remove pigmentation. Azelaic acid kills acne-causing bacteria and gets rid of redness. This formula also contains glycerin – which is very soothing to the skin, improves hydration and rebluids the skin’s barrier.
This product contains potent active ingredient but is very gentle on acne, rosacea and sensitive irritated skin. If you have been struggling to find a product that can reduce redness, treat acne and soothe the skin this could be your holy grail product.
Should I Use Niacinamide every day?
It is not a problem to use niacinamide every day and because the benefits of it accumulate over time it is a good idea to use it every day.
What Are The Best Niacinamide Skincare Products?
We knew you’d ask. These are 3 of the ‘best in class’.
Glow Recipe Niacinamide Dew Drops
This is niacinamide infused highlighting serum. A hybrid skincare makeup product and it actually works as both. We love it because it doesn’t contain mica glitter or pearlised particles to give you ‘faux glow’.
It is super hydrating (bonus points for the added hyaluronic acid) and amps up glow without leaving a sticky residue. It is suitable for all skin types including oily and acne-prone. You can use it in your skincare before moisturizer or as your last step in your makeup routine by gently patting it on to the highpoints of your face as a highlighter.
Paula’s Choice 10% Niacinamide Booster
Paula’s Choice has 2 niacinamide serums that are both great. Depending on what you want to target. Paulas Choice niacinamide are two of their best serums.
The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% Zinc 1%
No niacinamide recommendation would be complete without adding in the niacinamide serum that launched a thousand copies. The ordinary naicinamide10% and Zinc 1% is one of the best selling ordainary serums for goo reason.
This is the product that first triggered many a skincare nerds obsession with niacinamide. It is lightweight, sinks in like a dream and costs a few dollars. Safe to say we love everything about it!
Where Does Niacinamide Go In Your Skincare Routine?
You can use it morning or night. Put it on after cleansing and exfoliating and before moisturizer and sunscreen in the morning. Put it under moisturizer at night.
Any Precautions?
Niacinamide is so well tolerated that if you started using this ingredient and it cause a reaction it is probably coming from one of the other ingredients in the formula. Stop using it for 24 hours and see if the irritation goes away. If it does try the ordinary niacinamide 10% Zinc 1% serum.
You should always patch test a new product by apply a small amount to your inner wrist in the morning and monitor for any signs of irritation.
Note: Niacinamide can cause a slight foaming action, particularly the ordinary niacinamide 10% serum, its normal and vanishes within a minute.
Niacinamide is a hero skincare ingredient and if you are on the fence of adding this in, don’t be there are very few ingredinets that can match it for all round effectiveness, price and gentleness.
Niacinamide doesn’t cause purging – It just does great things for your skin.
