Niacinamide and vitamin C are two popular skincare ingredients that offer a host of potential benefits for the skin. Here are some details, positive and negative aspects, and ingredients or materials related to these ingredients:
Niacinamide
- Niacinamide is a form of vitamin B3 that can be found in foods such as meats, nuts, and mushrooms.
- It has excellent skin-restoring properties and is also a popular skincare ingredient due to its ability to treat problem skin conditions with minimal side effects.
- Niacinamide can help with moisturization, skin brightening, reducing the appearance of pores, treating hyperpigmentation and scarring, and reducing wrinkles and improving skin’s elasticity.
- Most niacinamide serums and creams are made of synthetic ingredients and should contain no more than 1-2% of niacinamide, because higher percentages can cause redness, irritation, and even dermatitis.
Vitamin C
- Vitamin C is a powerful natural antioxidant that provides the skin with a host of benefits, including brightening, reducing hyperpigmentation, and improving skin texture.
- It is a lightweight, non-occlusive formula, so even someone with combination or oily skin will love the feel.
- Vitamin C can be combined with niacinamide in skincare products.
- Vitamin C can be unstable and can oxidize quickly, which can make it less effective.
When using products that contain both niacinamide and vitamin C, it is important to note that outdated research using pure forms of niacinamide with ascorbic acid showed that they were combined at a very high temperature and shown to form nicotinic acid, which can lead to skin irritation. However, since you’ll probably be storing and using your skin care products at room temperature, you don’t really run the risk of forming nicotinic acid when you combine them at home.
