Are you struggling with open pores? Or do you want a clear and brighter skin tone? The answer to your every other skin concern is Niacinamide serum. But do you know everything about Niacinamide serum?
Niacinamide serum is a perfect skincare serum to include in your skincare routine. Recently, niacinamide serum has gained attention due to its versatility and ability to treat multiple skin concerns. And with popularity, many people are inquiring about this serum. Like what is niacinamide serum? When to use niacinamide, morning or night? And how to incorporate niacinamide into your skincare routine?
Worry not, we are here with this ultimate guide on everything you need to know to use niacinamide serum to help you.
In this guide, we will cover everything you need to know about niacinamide serum, including how to use it, when to use it, why to use it, etc. So stay with us till the end.
Niacinamide Serum- An Introduction
Niacinamide, also known as nicotinamide, is a vitamin B3 derivative. It is an essential vitamin for our body to function properly. And it is also a mind-blowing skincare ingredient to add to your skincare regimen.
Niacinamide is a water-soluble vitamin that is widely used to treat multiple skin diseases. It works with the natural substance of your skin and functions to improve enlarged pores, acne, uneven skin tone, etc. It also has great anti-aging benefits.
In comparison to other skincare ingredients like retinol, vitamin C, AHA, and BHA, it is more gentle and less irritable. It can also be easily layered with other skin serums without any concern. Don’t worry, we will discuss it later on in detail.
Benefits Of Niacinamide Serum
So are you wondering- do I need niacinamide serum? Or is niacinamide worth the hype? Well, niacinamide is worth every investment. It is one of the best serums. No, we are not just saying. It literally can help you to treat your every other skincare concern. Let us each one of them below:
Niacinamide Serum Benefits For Skin
Strengthening Skin Barrier
Niacinamide serum is a wonderful serum to add to your skincare routine for everyone. From teenagers to mature skin, you definitely shouldn’t miss out on this serum.
One of the primary benefits of niacinamide serum is to strengthen the skin barrier at the cellular level. It also protects it from external aggressors like environmental pollution and irritants. It also locks moisture in our skin to repair the skin’s lipid barrier to maintain the water-oil balance.
Hyperpigmentation and Dark Spots
Niacinamide also plays a crucial role in fading dark spots and hyperpigmentation faster. It suppresses the production of melanin; thereby, reducing the appearance of dark spots. It works on different kinds of hyperpigmentation, like sun spots, age spots, skin trauma, etc.
Hyperpigmentation is hard to crack. It takes lots of patience and dedication to lighten dark spots and restore our confidence. With a proper skincare routine, you can win on this skin concern and gain a beautiful and even skin tone. If you want to check a skincare routine to fade dark spots and hyperpigmentation faster, we recommend you check out this blog- Best Skincare Routine For Dark Spots And Hyperpigmentation.
Enlarged Pores
Another great benefit of Niacinamide serum is for enlarged pores. Niacinamide interferes with sebum production and can reduce the pore size effectively.
In recent research, a group of people used 2% of topical Niacinamide. Over four weeks, there was a significant reduction noticed in sebum production and large pores. Do you want to know even more- How To Treat Open Pores On the Face?
Acne
Niacinamide is also popularly used as an anti-acne treatment by dermatologists. As already discussed above, niacinamide can control the oil and sebum production of the skin and hence can control frequent breakouts.
Similarly, topical niacinamide with 4% of concentration has anti-inflammatory properties that make it ideal for rosacea and acne. A study found that, after 8 weeks of regular usage, 82% of subjects found a significant reduction in inflammatory acne.
Dull Skin
Niacinamide serum is a versatile and potent ingredient that can help you revive dull skin and achieve a brighter skin tone.
Niacinamide improves the circulation of oxygen and nutrients to the skin cells and provides a healthy and young complexion. It also has a natural exfoliation process that helps in removing dead skin cells revealing fresh and vibrant skin. It also can inhibit the transfer of melanin to the skin surface reducing the appearance of dark spots and hyperpigmentation.
Calming Effects
Niacinamide also has remarkable soothing effects on your skin. It is one of the best ingredients for sensitive and irritated skin. It works great on rosacea and eczema.
Reduce Wrinkles And Fine Lines
Niacinamide also works great on mature and aged skin. It works on the skin to improve skin appearance and reduce wrinkles and fine lines.
In a study on “Niacinamide: A B vitamin that improves sagging facial skin appearance“, 50 female subjects with clinical signs of facial photoaging were applied 5% of niacinamide in their face. After 12 weeks, their skin showed significant improvement in fine lines, wrinkles, hyperpigmentation spots, yellowing, and red blotches. It was also found that skin elasticity was restored.
You can pair retinol with niacinamide for optimal anti-aging treatment. By doing so you can put your skin on the fast track for better results. Niacinamide serum can help the skin to come down while retinol works. It is better to layer niacinamide serum underneath the retinol serum for better results.
Here you can check more about retinol serum and how to use it safely- How To Use Retinol Serum For Beginners?
Niacinamide Serum For Different Skin Types
This serum offers different skincare benefits to different skin types:
Niacinamide For Normal Skin
The serum enhances the overall health of normal skin by regulating oil and sebum production. It also helps in repairing skin in natural barriers to protect it against the environment and other irritants.
Niacinamide For Dry Skin
Niacinamide serum acts as a hydration serum for dry skin. It can help strengthen the skin’s barrier and prevents water loss by improving the hydration retention rate of the skin. It also soothes dry skin-related irritants, providing a smoother and supper complexion.
Niacinamide For Oily Skin
Niacinamide serum is a game-changing serum for oily skin. It regulates excess oil and sebum production of the skin; thereby, reducing enlarged pores and frequent breakouts. It also has calming and anti-inflammatory properties that soothe irritated skin and reduce inflamed acne-like papules. If you have oily and acne-prone skin, you can include niacinamide serum in your skincare?
How to Use Niacinamide Serum In Your Skincare Routine?
Incorporating niacinamide serum into your skincare routine can appear challenging but is way easier than it appears. Here we have discussed some of the best ways to include niacinamide in your skincare routine.
How To Include Niacinamide Serum In Your Skincare Routine?
Step 1: Cleansing
Start by cleansing your face. If you have applied makeup and sunscreen, do double cleansing. Apply oil cleanser first, then a foaming cleanser.
Otherwise, a gentle cleanser is good enough to get rid of dirt and residues.
Remember, cleansing is an important part of every skincare routine. If you are doing just this step wrong, you are ruining your whole skincare investment. And that is why, we recommend you read this cleansing guide- How to Properly Cleanse Face With Acne?. It will help you understand the basics of cleansing and removing dead skin cells for that clear and bright skin.
Step 2: Exfoliate
For every twice a week, use chemical exfoliators like AHA and BHA to gently exfoliate your skin. It will help you remove oil and gunk from your pores; thereby, preventing clogged pores, enlarged pores, and frequent breakouts.
You can also use a physical exfoliator like scrubs, clay masks, and brightening masks, every once a week to remove dead skin cells and control oil on your face.
Step 3: Apply Hydrating Toner
Toner is an important step to maintain water-oil balance on your skin. Never skip this step as it plays a crucial role in maintaining a healthy skin barrier and maintaining skin pH level. It also prepares the skin for the next skincare steps and assists in better absorption.
Step 4: Apply Niacinamide Serum
Pat dry your skin and take a few drops of niacinamide serum on your face. Massage it gently on the skin till it absorbs its goodness.
Now there is a popular question among beginners whether you should apply niacinamide serum on dry or damp skin. Dermatologists and other skin care experts recommend using niacinamide serum on damp skin, as it increases the efficiency of locking moisture in the skin. It also leads to better absorption of the product and provides faster results.
But you can also apply niacinamide serum on a dry face, depending on your skin concern. It allows the skin to absorb concentrated forms of niacinamide serum without any water dilution.
Step 5: Layer Niacinamide With Other Serum
After applying niacinamide serum, you can apply various other skincare serums to target your skincare concern. We will discuss what skincare serums you can layer on top of niacinamide serum later in this blog. So stay tuned.
For now, the best serum to layer your niacinamide serum is hyaluronic acid serum. You have to layer hyaluronic acid first and then niacinamide serum or vice versa.
Layering hyaluronic acid serum with niacinamide serum offers several benefits, including enhanced hydration, improved skin barrier, and brighter skin tone. It also has soothing effects on your skin and provides young and plump skin.
Step 6: Sheet Masks
You can lock all the goodness in your skin with the help of a sheet mask. Choose a sheet mass that has complementary ingredients to niacinamide and hyaluronic acid serum, like a hydrating or brightening mask.
After removing the sheet mask, gently pat the extra serum or essence on your skin.
Step 7: Eye Cream
Apply an eye cream or eye serum under your eyes to get rid of the dark under the eyes.
Step 8: Moisturizer
Lock everything with a good moisturizer. You should use a lightweight and gel-type moisturizer to avoid extra oiliness on your face.
Step 9: Sunscreen
In the daytime, no skincare routine is completed without sunscreen. Follow up with a 50+ SPF and apply evenly on your skin to protect it from UV rays.
Step 10: Lip Balm/Mask
Complete your skincare routine with a moisturizing lip balm. You can apply a lip mask at night for soft and plump lips.
When To Use Niacinamide Morning Or Night?
Another popular query on niacinamide serum is whether to apply niacinamide serum at daytime or night. Is niacinamide used in AM or PM routine?
Well, the niacinamide serum is a versatile skincare ingredient. You can use it in the morning or at night as per your choice. It all depends on your skincare routine and your preference.
If you apply niacinamide serum in the morning, you will enjoy different benefits than when applying at night. Let us discuss this in detail:
How To Use Niacinamide Serum In The Morning?
If you apply as in my serum in the morning, you can get various benefits like:
- Oil control: Niacinamide serum is a great serum for oily skin. If you have oily skin, you know how hard it is to find a skincare product that doesn’t make your skin oily. Luckily, niacinamide serum is one of the few serums that doesn’t make your skin oily and keeps it fresh all day. There are many other things, you can include in your skincare routine to prevent excess oil production and get clear skin. Here is a complete guide you can follow to create a skincare routine for oily skin- Complete AM and PM Skincare Routine for Oily Skin
- Environmental Protection: Niacinamide serum also has antioxidant properties. It protects your skin from harsh UV rays and prevents sun damage.
- Brightening: Niacinamide serum brightens up your complexion when applied during the daytime giving you a glowy base.
- Pores: Niacinamide serum also fills the open pores and gives you a smooth base for smooth makeup application.
How To Use Niacinamide Serum At Night?
- Skin Barrier Repair: Niacinamide serum can repair the lipid barrier of your skin by locking moisture at the cellular level.
- Collagen Production: As discussed above, niacinamide serum improves collagen production, giving you a youthful look. It also works great on wrinkles and fine lines.
- Soothing Properties: if you are applying niacinamide serum at night, you can enjoy its soothing properties to calm your flared acne and inflamed skin.
How To Layer Niacinamide Serum?
You can layer serum with almost any serum to improve skin benefits. Here we have listed some popular serums, you should know to layer with the niacinamide serum for improved benefits:
| Niacinamide Serum With Other Serums | Details |
| Niacinamide And Retinol | You can combine Niacinamide with Retinol for ultimate anti-aging treatment. They together work to reduce aging signs like wrinkles and fine lines. |
| Niacinamide And Vitamin C | According to latest researches, you can layer vitamin c and niacinamide serum together for ultimate brightening effect. |
| Niacinamide And Alpha-arbutin | You can use niacinamide and alpha-arbutin serum to launch a powerful punch on hyperpigmentation. It will provide you a brighter looking skin complexion. |
| Niacinamide And Hyaluronic Acid | Layering hyaluronic acid with niacinamide serum can provide optimal hydration to your skin. |
| Niacinamide And Salicylic Acid | Combining niacinamide serum with salicylic acid is a great way to compact frequent acne breakouts and mange excess oil production. |
| Niacinamide And Peptide | Combining niacinamide with Peptides improves collagen production in the skin and improves it elasticity. |
| Niacinamide And Glycolic Acid | You can use this with AHA like Glycolic acid to improve your skin tone and texture. |
| Niacinamide And Vitamin E Serum | You can combine Vitamin E with niacinamide serum to provide additional skin protection and hydration. |
What Percentage Of Niacinamide Serum Is Good?
Are you wondering what percentage of niacinamide serum would be best for you? Well, the answer to this question varies according to various skin concerns:
Generally, a safe percentage of niacinamide serum is 2-10%. But it can vary as per the skin concern.
As per the study “How much do we know about our favorite cosmeceutical ingredients?” by Jacquelyn Levin and Saira B. Momin, famous Dermatologists in Las Vegas, Nevada:
- 5% Niacinamide is best for people with hyperpigmentation and dark spots.
- 5% Niacinamide is also good for its anti-aging effects.
- 3.5% Niacinamide is best for a better smooth skin texture.
- 2.5% Niacinamide is best for correcting skin damage caused by aging.
- 2% Niacinamide is best for its skin-lightening properties.
If you are new to skincare or just started introducing active ingredients, we recommend you use a lower concentration of niacinamide serum. And gradually increase as your skin gets accustomed to it.
Final Words
In conclusion, we hope that now you know evwerything about how to use niacinamide serum in your skincare routine. It is a wonderful skincare ingredient that you don’t want to miss out on. It has multiple benefits for your skin, be it skin aging, hyperpigmentation, enlarged pores, etc.
With this ultimate guide on everything you need to know about Niacinamide serum, you can include niacinamide serum in your skincare routine without any trouble. For more such beauty-related content, we recommend you subscribe to redefiningglam. We will update you on every new skincare post.
