Of all the skincare ingredients that work across all skin types and promise to improve the skin's tone, texture, and overall glow, nothing quite beats niacinamide's brightening and softening power. Ideal for helping to balance the skin's oil production, making niacinamide a godsend ingredient for controlling oily skin and clogged pores, the vitamin B-derived trending active does everything you'd expect from a supercharged skincare product. No matter your skin concern or skin type, niacinamide is a multi-beneficial ingredient that can dramatically improve nearly everyone's skin.
Best Niacinamide Serums
1. La Roche-Posay Mela B3 Dark Spot Serum with Melasyl and Niacinamide
Niacinamide is popping up in more and more anti-aging serums, like this one, to reduce unwanted discoloration, sunspots, age spots, and even post-acne marks. Perfect for all skin tones and types, this power-packed serum features a new ingredient exclusive to La Roche Posay, Melasyl, and niacinamide to lighten up even the most stubborn dark spots for the long term.
Key Ingredients: Melasyl, niacinamide, thermal spring water
Skin Type: All
Niacinamide Strength: 10%
2. Paula’s Choice 10 Niacinamide Booster
One of the many advantages of using niacinamide regularly is its ability to improve the look of enlarged pores, which is why it's a choice ingredient for those with oily skin and congestion. Beyond helping to minimize the appearance of large-looking pores, this boosting serum also tackles dullness, rough texture, dryness, and discoloration for all-around skin improvement.
Key Ingredients: Niacinamide, licorice root, allantoin, vitamin C, panthenol
Skin Type: All, but especially oily and acne-prone skin
Niacinamide Strength: 10%
3. SkinCeuticals Discoloration Defense
Dark spots don't stand a chance against this niacinamide-powered discoloration-erasing serum. No matter the root cause of your dark spots, this powerful skin corrector works as fast as just a few weeks, giving way to a more radiant and healthier-looking complexion.
Key Ingredients: Niacinamide, kojic acid, tranexamic acid
Skin Type: All
Niacinamide Strength: 5%
4. Lancer Triple Peptide Drops with Vitamin E + Niacinamide
In addition to its skin tone and oil-controlling abilities, niacinamide works wonders for softening the look of fine lines and wrinkles while strengthening the skin's barrier. We like this niacinamide and vitamin-rich serum for treating multiple skin issues while providing antioxidant protection. Expect firmer, plumper, brighter, and smoother skin after using this easy-to-incorporate skin serum.
Key Ingredients: Triple peptide complex, vitamin E, niacinamide, rice, soy and baobab seed extract, hyaluronic acid
Skin Type: Mature and aging
Niacinamide Strength: 3%
Best Niacinamide Toners
1. Glytone Enhance Brightening Solution
This lightweight, non-comedogenic exfoliating toner also fully removes dirt, oil, makeup, and impurities for a deep-down clean feeling, perfect for nipping uneven skin tone and redness in the bud. You can even use it as a pre-brightening and lightening treatment prep to optimize your in-office efforts.
Key Ingredients: Azelaic acid derivative, niacinamide, glycolic acid, salicylic acid, malachite extract
Skin Type: Discolored
2. Cosmedix Purity Balance Exfoliating Prep Toner
This pore-refining toner preps the skin while exfoliating it for crystal-clear skin. A blend of active ingredients helps eliminate oil and other pore-clogging elements, giving balance to the skin yet never stripping it or drying it out. Consider this toner a daily skincare routine must-have if your skin is overly oily and acne prone.
Key Ingredients: Salicylic acid, lactic acid, tea tree oil, niacinamide
Skin Type: Oily and acne-prone
Niacinamide Strength: Approximately 2%
3. CeraVe Hydrating Toner for Face with Hyaluronic Acid, Niacinamide, and Ceramides
A favorite among dermatologists, this ultra-hydrating toner is a triple threat of good for your skin ingredients. It helps to remove any lingering impurities and debris from the skin. Ideal for all skin types, the pH-balanced, fragrance-free, non-astringent toner is packed with ingredients that help protect the skin's integrity, so all that's left behind is a soft, clean, balanced feeling.
Key Ingredients: Ceramides, niacinamide, hyaluronic acid
Skin Type: Normal, dry, and sensitive skin
Niacinamide Strength: Less than 1%
Best Niacinamide Moisturizers
1. Vichy LiftActiv Peptide-C Specialist Brightening Moisturizer
A day cream formulated with niacinamide corrects several signs of aging, including fine lines, wrinkles, dark spots, redness, and uneven skin tone. This daily brightening moisturizer does just that with a combination of skin-brightening and strengthening ingredients, including niacinamide, peptides, and vitamin C, for firmer, smoother skin that you can see and feel.
Key Ingredients: Niacinamide, vitamin C, bio-peptides
Skin Type: All
2. RéVive Sensitif Repairing Night Cream for Sensitive Skin
This niacinamide-rich night cream is unique because it is powered by prebiotics and calming ingredients to calm and soothe red and imbalanced skin. Thanks to antioxidants, the gel cream also protects skin from damage incurred by blue light and oxidant stress while improving the look of uneven skin tone so it's more uniform and well-balanced.
Key Ingredients: Prebiotics, licorice, cucumber, niacinamide, chamomile, vitamin E, green tea
Skin Type: All
Niacinamide Strength: Approximately 2%
3. Eminence Organic Skin Care Bakuchiol + Niacinamide Moisturizer
Create the optimal level of skin hydration with this gel-cream moisturizer, which is a great alternative to using retinol. Powered by niacinamide and bakuchiol, this skin-smoothing, wrinkle-reducing moisturizer works to firm the skin, reduce the appearance of enlarged pores, and smooth out texture without leaving the skin irritated or inflamed.
Key Ingredients: Niacinamide, bakuchiol, panthenol
Skin Type: All
4. PCA Skin ReBalance
Treat your skin to a dose of luxury each night with this lightweight facial cream. It works hard to repair damage incurred during the day, and it helps the skin heal and reduce redness after dermatological treatments like lasers and peels. Plus, the ultralight cream provides moisture to the skin for a hydrating effect, too. Consider this your do-it-all night cream.
Key Ingredients: Primrose, borage oil, niacinamide
Skin Type: Oily, combination, normal, and sensitive
Niacinamide Strength: Approximately 4%
Best Niacinamide Cleansers
1. Glo Skin Beauty Purifying Gel Cleanser
Facial cleansers with niacinamide, like this foaming gel one, pack a powerful punch and play a pivotal role in keeping the skin clean, clear, and purified. When massaged into the skin, this cleanser lightly exfoliates the skin’s surface to rid it of congestion, oil, and debris, helping to reduce breakouts.
Key Ingredients: Niacinamide, salicylic acid
Skin Type: All except sensitive
2. Medik8 Clarifying Foam
You'll want to reach for this foam cleanser when you crave a deep cleanse to remove the buildup of oil and impurities that accumulate daily. With a blend of AHAs and BHAs, it works hard to gently exfoliate and clarify the skin while maintaining the skin's natural oils, so the skin feels totally refreshed and clean after each wash.
Key Ingredients: Salicylic acid, niacinamide, l-mandelic acid, tea tree oil
Skin Type: Oily, acne-prone skin
Niacinamide Strength: 5%
3. Sanitas Skincare Beta Clarifying Cleanser
This detoxifying cleanser is a must when you need to unclog congested pores. Free of skin-stripping soap, this gentle face wash provides a mild exfoliating effect while eliminating acne-causing bacteria from the skin and balancing oil production for smooth, soft, less-red skin.
Key Ingredients: Salicylic acid, niacinamide, tea tree oil
Skin Type: Oily, acne-prone skin
FAQs
What is niacinamide?
Niacinamide is a popular and widely used skincare ingredient derived from vitamin B3. Since the body doesn't produce vitamin B3 naturally, the only way to reap its benefits is by applying it topically to the skin through products (or consuming it). Niacinamide is lauded for its anti-redness, anti-aging, and oil-controlling abilities, making it a great ingredient suitable for several different skin types. You can find niacinamide in just about any skincare product format.
What does niacinamide do for the skin?
Niacinamide is one of those skincare ingredients that does a lot, which is why it's popular amongst all skin types. Besides being restorative, it also acts as an anti-aging ingredient, helping to protect the skin against environmental aggressors and limiting premature signs of aging such as wrinkles, discoloration, and uneven texture and tone. Niacinamide is also an excellent skin brightener that reduces redness while strengthening and hydrating the skin. Plus, it's gentle enough for even more sensitive skin to use.
How To Use Niacinamide
Depending on the instructions, skincare products with niacinamide can be applied morning and night. However, you'll want to make sure you use them in the morning since many have antioxidant properties that help protect and preserve the skin. Always apply niacinamide products, such as serums and moisturizers, to clean skin.
The Bottom Line
Niacinamide is one active skincare ingredient that every skin type can benefit from, regardless of what pressing skin issues you are dealing with. It’s gentle enough to use on sensitive skin yet powerful enough to lend a brightening effect, too. Shop our favorite skincare products with niacinamide, here.
Discover Dermstore’s curated collection of the niacinamide products.
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