Niacinamide. Skincare’s hardest working ingredient and the one on everyone’s lips, but what is it and what can it do for you?

Niacinamide is a skincare ingredient worth your attention. It has a never-ending list of benefits for different skin types that sets it aside from any other skincare ingredient out there. Blemishes? Tick. Oily skin? Tick. Uneven skin tone? Tick. Fine lines and wrinkles? Tick. The list goes on.

What is Niacinamide?

Another hard-to-pronounce ingredient to add to the list, Niacinamide (that’s nigh-a-sin-a-mide) has had a lot of attention recently and has been dubbed a ‘powerhouse’ ingredient – keep reading and you’ll see why. The little miracle ingredient is also known as Vitamin B3 (much easier to pronounce). It is a water soluble vitamin and naturally occurs in food such as fish, meat and grains.

What does Niacinamide do for the skin?

It depends how long you have, because we could go on and on about the skin benefits that Niacinamide brings with it – but here are a few.

• Reduces blemishes. Probably the skin benefit linked most with Niacinamide. It has anti-bacterial properties and helps to reduce inflammation, as well as regulating sebum – all of which contribute to a clearer, healthier complexion over time.
• Improves uneven skin tone. It reduces the size of pores whilst also maintaining the skin’s moisture. Niacinamide helps to increase the skin’s ability to hold onto moisture – hello hydrated skin.
• Reduces fine lines and wrinkles. “Really?” I hear you say. Yes. Just when you thought this little ingredient couldn’t get any better. Is there anything it can’t do? By helping the skin to retain moisture it renews and resurfaces for younger-looking skin.

Who can use Niacinamide?

The simple answer: Everyone. Every skin type can benefit from adding Niacinamide into their skincare regimes, it’s about finding the right formulation for you. It’s also a great ingredient to pair with others, making them more efficient. What a team player.