Niacinamide: What It Is And What It Can Do for Your Skin
Niacinamide is a form of vitamin B3 that helps counteract environmental damage from free radicals, UV light, and other irritants. It occurs naturally in the body but can also be found in a range of foods, including green vegetables, eggs, fish, beans, and milk.
Though your body makes its own niacinamide, adding more can only help your skin appear more radiant and clear. While eating foods high in vitamin B3 is slightly beneficial, the small intestines don’t always fully absorb it. So, the best way to maximize the benefits is to apply it directly to your skin.
What can Niacinamide do for Your Skin?
This antioxidant offers a range of benefits for your skin. It can help with issues like:
- Dark spots and hyperpigmentation
- Acne or breakouts
- Dullness
- Excess oil
- Scarring
- Oversized pores
- Redness
- Uneven skin texture
- Sensitivity
- Fine lines
- Loss of skin tone
Luckily, niacinamide has very few side-effects and is generally safe for sensitive skin. However, if you have sensitive skin, it’s best to slowly incorporate it into your routine or use a product with a low percentage to avoid irritation.
There are also rare instances in which niacinamide causes an acne breakout. If the breakout hasn’t cleared in a few weeks, discontinue use.
As with any skincare ingredient, there is always a risk of an allergic reaction. Discontinue use if you notice redness, bumps, itchiness, or swelling.
How Can You Use Niacinamide?
Niacinamide is incredibly versatile. It can be combined with other ingredients or used alone in a serum, making it easy to incorporate it into your skincare routine.
Here are a few ways you can make this powerful ingredient part of your daily routine:
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Niacinamide Serum – As most niacinamide serums are water-based, it’s best to apply them after cleansing and toning and before oil-based serums or moisturizers. It is very important to apply all the skincare product on a very clean face for best results.
We recommend to use the LUCE180° Facial Cleansing Brush for a deeper cleaning than just with the tips of the fingers. This way, you ensure the highest possible absorption and effectiveness. Cover your entire face with the serum, but feel free to concentrate on oily areas.
- Niacinamide Moisturizer – The vast majority of anti-aging and pore minimizing moisturizers are now made with niacinamide. It’s best to apply these products after cleansing, toning, and serums but before sunscreen and makeup.
Since it’s not affected by sunscreen or UV rays, this antioxidant is effective when applied day and night.
Do take care not to use a niacinamide product at the same time as a vitamin C product as niacinamide can make vitamin C less effective.
Glowing Skin Care
At LUCE Beauty, we always recommend to use an hypo-allergenic facial silicone brush as part of any skincare routine. The LUCE180° Facial Cleanser is a great device to deep clean your skin, while contributing to product absorption, and elastin generation. For best results, the LUCE180° brush should be used daily.