What are the best skincare products with niacinamide?
If there’s an ingredient that deserves more recognition in the skincare world, this is it. If there were an award for the most versatile skincare ingredient ever, niacinamide would win it. I’m not exaggerating when I say this active can do anything, from fighting wrinkles to treating acne and fading away dark spots – while at the same time hydrating skin and reducing irritation.
Olay was the brand that first put niacinamide on the map. Since then, Paula’s Choice, The Ordinary, and plenty of other brands have made it one of the main stars in their beauty products. With so many options to choose from, how do you know which one is best for you, your unique skin type and needs?
Fret not. Here are the best niacinamide products for every skin type, need, concern, and budget:
- Niacinamide Benefits
- What To Look For In Products With Niacinamide?
- Best Products With Niacinamide
- Best For Oily Skin: The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% (ÂŁ5.00)
- Best For Anti-Aging: CeraVe Resurfacing Retinol Serum ($21.99)
- Best High-Strength Niacinamide Serum: Cosrx The Niacinamide 15 Serum ($25.00)
- Best For Multitasking: Paula’s Choice Resist 10% Niacinamide Booster ($42.00)
- Best For Sensitive Skin: First Aid Beauty Facial Radiance Niacinamide Dark Spot Serum ($42.00)
- Best For Brightening: Olay Tone Perfection Serum B3 + Vitamin C ($39.99)
- Best For Dry Skin: The Inkey List Niacinamide ($6.99)
- Best For All Skin Types: CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion ($20.99)
- Best For Shrinking Pores: FaceTheory Porebright Serum N10 (ÂŁ22.00)
- The Verdict
Niacinamide Benefits
Niacinamide is a form of Vitamin B3 that benefits skin in a lot of different ways. While most actives make outrageous promises they can’t deliver, niacinamide promises a lot and delivers on everything count. So what does Niacinamide do in skincare exactly?
- It hydrates skin: Niacinamide strengthens the skin’s protective barrier to keep moisture in. This makes skin softer and plumper. The best part? Niacinamide has been proven to be more effective than petrolatum (what dermatologists consider the gold standard for moisturisation) at preventing water loss, keeping skin hydrated for longer.
- It soothes skin: It alleviates the symptoms of rosacea and irritations. This makes it ideal for every skin type, including sensitive.
- It lightens skin: It reduces dark spots, blotchiness (redness) and sallowness (yellowing) to give you a beautiful, even complexion.
- It helps treat wrinkles: Preliminary research shows it can boost the production of skin-firming collagen to prevent wrinkles from forming/deepening.
- It treats acne: Its effects are similar to those of 1% clindamycin gel, but it’s gentler on the skin. Everyone can use it without experiencing irritation.
Sounds too good to be true? For once, it isn’t. Niacinamide can really do all this. Hello, beautiful glowing skin!
Related: Spotlight On Niacinamide
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What To Look For In Products With Niacinamide?
The only thing to look for in a product with niacinamide is the concentration. Not every product will list this on the label (and often, that tells you everything you need to know). As a rule of thumb, it should be listed as the first five ingredients so there’s enough of it to actually do its job!
FAQ ABOUT PRODUCTS WITH NIACINAMIDE
What can products with niacinamide do?
Niacinamide is a multi-tasker that can fight wrinkles, reduce acne, soothe irritations, fade away dark spots, and even hydrate skin.
What can’t products with niacinamide do?
Niacinamide is an amazing multi-tasker, but it’s not a miracle worker. It can’t firm skin or single-handedly make dark spots disappear overnight. If a clean is too good to be true, it probably is.
Who should use products with niacinamide?
Anyone can use products with niacinamide. It works wonders for every skin type and concern.
Who should not use it?
You should not use niacinamide only if you’re allergic to it.
Can you use products with niacinamide if you have sensitive skin?
Yes! Niacinamide is a great active to treat acne, wrinkles, and dark spots in sensitive skin that can’t tolerate harsher treatments.
How often should you use products with niacinamide?
Up to twice a day, once in the morning and once at night.
Can you use niacinamide with Vitamin C?
There’s a myth going round saying you can’t use niacinamide with Vitamin C because they form of a complex that turns the solution yellow, making both ingredients ineffective. But this reaction takes soooooooo long to occur, you can finish your serums while these actives are still working wonders.
Best Products With Niacinamide
Best For Oily Skin: The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% (ÂŁ5.00)
Let’s be clear: niacinamide isn’t a miracle cure for oily skin or acne. But, it can soothe inflammation (one of the main causes of acne), reduce the redness that always comes along with an angry zit, help pimples heal faster and fade away those little dark spots they sometimes leave behind as an unwanted parting gift. All things your oily, acne-prone skin badly needs. Plus, The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% pairs it with Zinc, another anti-inflammatory that helps reduce the signs of acne, too.
Available at: Beauty Bay, Boots, Cult Beauty, Sephora, SpaceNK, The Ordinary, and Ulta
Active Ingredients: 10% niacinamide + 1% zinc.
Benefits: Absorbs excess oil and helps to both prevent and treat acne.
Cons: Too drying for most skin types.
Skin type: Oily and acne-prone.
Fragrance-free: Yes.
Related: The Complete Guide To The Ordinary Anti-Acne Skincare Products
Best For Anti-Aging: CeraVe Resurfacing Retinol Serum ($21.99)
If you’re serious about fighting wrinkles, you need retinol in your skincare routine. Period. This form of Vitamin A boosts the production of collagen, the protein that keeps your skin firm. The more collagen your skin has, the slower wrinkles appear and the less pronounced they are. It also fights free radicals before they give you new wrinkles. While retinol shines at fighting wrinkles, it also helps reduce acne and fade away dark spots. The catch? It can be drying and irritating. CeraVe paired it with niacinamide and ceramides to keep skin hydrating while retinol works its anti-aging magic. Suitable for all skin types – unless your skin can’t tolerate retinol at all.
Available at: Boots, Cult Beauty, Sephora, and Ulta
Active Ingredients: retinol, niacinamide, and ceramides.
Benefits: Fights wrinkles, acne, and dark spots.
Cons: Retinol can be drying when you first start using it.
Skin type: All skin types, especially dry.
Fragrance-free: Yes.
Best High-Strength Niacinamide Serum: Cosrx The Niacinamide 15 Serum ($25.00)
Let’s get one thing straight: 10% niacinamide is more than enough for most people. Higher concentrations give you faster results – but the risk of irritation is higher too. If you have resistant skin that can take the extra load – and you want to treat your acne faster, get a bottle of this. Niacinamide helps treat acne and reduce the redness that comes along with pimple, zinc absorbs excess oil, and hydrating humectants keep the formula from being too drying. Still, because of oil-absorbing zinc, I recommend this serum only to oily, acne-prone skin.
Available at: Beauty Bay, Cult Beauty, Soko Glam, Stylevana, Ulta, and Yes Style
Active Ingredients: niacinamide and zinc.
Benefits: Fights acne and dark spots.
Cons: Too drying if your skin doesn’t produce excess oil.
Skin type: Oily and acne-prone skin.
Fragrance-free: Yes.
Best For Multitasking: Paula’s Choice Resist 10% Niacinamide Booster ($42.00)
Don’t know where niacinamide fits into your routine? With Paula’s Choice Resist 10% Niacinamide Booster, it can fit anywhere! Just pour 3 or 4 drops into your fave serum or moisturizer to supercharge it and you’re good to go. It’ll shrink your pores, hydrate your skin, and brighten the complexion. Plus, in true Paula Choice’s style, the booster is full of antioxidants to help you keep those pesky premature wrinkles at bay, too. In case you’re wondering, yes, vitamin C is here too – and you can totally use them together. It’s a myth you can’t – and I’ve debunked it here.
Available at: Cult Beauty, Dermstore, Paula’s Choice, Sephora, and SpaceNK
Active Ingredients: niacinamide and Vitamin C.
Benefits: Brightening, hydrating, wrinkle-fighting, and pore-shrinking.
Cons: The bottle is small, so expect to buy it often.
Skin type: All skin types.
Fragrance-free: Yes.
Best For Sensitive Skin: First Aid Beauty Facial Radiance Niacinamide Dark Spot Serum ($42.00)
Niacinamide itself is very soothing. It can treat wrinkles, acne, dryness, and dark spots while reducing inflammation – all without irritating sensitive skin. What sets this serum apart is the inclusion of every anti-inflammatory ingredient you can think of, from green tea to licorice extract to feverfew extract. It’s not the fastest treatment for dark spots, but it’s the gentlest. If other options irritate your skin, get your hands on this baby, pronto.
Available at: Dermstore, Look Fantastic, and Sephora
Active Ingredients: Niacinamide, green tea, liquorice extract.
Benefits: Brightens skin, hydrates, and soothes irritation.
Cons: Not the fastest treatment for dark spots.
Skin type: All skin types, especially sensitive.
Fragrance-free: Yes.
Best For Brightening: Olay Tone Perfection Serum B3 + Vitamin C ($39.99)
Can you guess how Olay Tone Perfection Serum B3 + Vitamin C brightens your skin tone? Yep, it uses both niacinamide and vitamin C (again, they CAN be used together). This combo isn’t enough to fade away stubborn dark spots, but it can fade away dark marks left behind by pimples and give your complexion a radiant glow. Plus, panthenol and glycerin give your skin a hydrating boost that plumps skin and makes it look healthy. If you’ve got dull skin, give it a try.
Available at: Olay
Active Ingredients: Niacinamide and Vitamin C.
Benefits: Brightens skin.
Cons: If you already use Vitamin C in your skincare routine, you don’t need this too.
Skin type: All skin types.
Fragrance-free: Yes.
Related: Battle Of The Skin-Lighteners: Which Is The Best Alternative To Hydroquinone?
Best For Dry Skin: The Inkey List Niacinamide ($6.99)
If you’ve got dry skin that needs more help in the moisture department, look no further than The Inkey List Niacinamide. Sure, the huge dollop of niacinamide helps fight wrinkles, treat acne, and brighten the skin tone. But where this serum truly excels is moisturization. On top of hydrating niacinamide, it also has hyaluronic acid to add moisture back into the skin and Squalane to strengthen its protective barrier, preventing water from evaporating out again. I’ve used this all winter long and it helped to keep my skin soft, supple, and healthy.
Available at: Boots, Cult Beauty, The Inkey List
Active Ingredients: Niacinamide and hyaluronic acid.
Benefits: Moisturises skin.
Cons: Doesn’t have any anti-aging properties.
Skin type: All skin types, especially dry.
Fragrance-free: Yes.
Related: My Full Review Of The Inkey List Niacinamide
Best For All Skin Types: CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion ($20.99)
This is my fave moisturiser for all skin types. Oil-free, this lightweight lotion is enriched with niacinamide and ceramides (natural components of your skin’s natural protective barrier) to moisturise skin without adding more oils to it. It walks that perfect balance between being moisturising enough and not feeling greasy or unpleasant on the skin. I’ve recommended it to clients with all skin types and it just works. If you’re struggling to find a good moisturiser for your unique skin types and needs, give this one a go.
Available at: Boots, Cult Beauty, Look Fantastic, and Ulta
Active Ingredients: niacinamide and ceramides.
Benefits: Moisturises skin.
Cons: Doesn’t have any anti-aging properties.
Skin type: All skin types.
Fragrance-free: Yes.
Best For Shrinking Pores: FaceTheory Porebright Serum N10 (ÂŁ22.00)
This lightweight formula is loaded with actives that help you keep oily skin under control and pore size as small as possible. It has azelaic acid, niacinamide and salicylic acid to treat acne, prevent new breakouts, and fading away any dark spots pimples have left behind. Salicylic acid also exfoliates pores from within, unclogging them of the crap that stretched them out to ginormous size. It also helps keep oil production at bay. Oh, and it does all this without drying out skin.
Available at: FaceTheory
Active Ingredients: Niacinamide, azelaic acid, and salicylic acid.
Benefits: Shrinks pores, absorbs excess oil production, and treats acne.
Cons: May be drying for dry skin.
Skin type: Oily and acne-prone skin.
Fragrance-free: Yes.
The Verdict
Niacinamide is a multi-tasker that can fix a wide variety of skin types and concerns, including acne and dark spots. The products above are the best on the market. Pick your favourite and start incorporating it into your skincare routine straight away.
Thanks!!!! This was an article I´ve been waiting for. In fact I tried to do a thorough research on what niacinamide is good for a few weeks ago. There are just so many multipurpose ingredients out there!
Barbara, you’re welcome. Niacinamide is one of my fave ingredients, it’s good for everything. I can’t recommend it enough.
Hi Gio,
I just bought the ordinary’s niacinamide and magnesium ascorbyl phosphate yesterday. I planned to use them individually, am and pm. But in the ordinary’s website they have this regimen guide, and there it says the example regimen for pigmentation issues:
AM: Alpha Arbutin 2% + HA, Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate Solution 10%; PM: Alpha Arbutin 2% + HA, Azelaic Acid Suspension 10% or Advanced Retinoid 2%
Which confused me since weren’t we supposed not to mix niacinamide with any vit C? What do you think? Should I stick with using them individually, or can I really use the magnesium ascorbyl after niacinamide, since its format is emulsion anyway?
Thank you 🙂
Inka, the traditional advice was to use them separately because vitamin C can deactivate niacinamide. But recent research has shown that this reaction happens so slowly it really isn’t a problem. You can wait 20 minutes in between application if it makes you feel more at ease but I personally don’t think it’s necessary.
Thanks for your article! But I am wondering if it is ok for me to use the ordinary niacinamide 10% + zinc 1% right after I used my BHA exfoliant and follow up with the rest of my skincare without waiting? Or do I have to wait for 20 minutes both after using BHA and niacinamide?
Jenny, just wait for the first product to absorb into the skin and you should be fine.
Gio, which one do you recommend for PIH and normal , slightly dehydrated skin? and doesn’t need a moisturizer after
Skinceuticals Metacell Renewal or Nia24 Skin Strengthening Complex?
Mlan, if you don’t want to use a moisturiser afterwards, I’d go with NIa24. It’s the most moisturising of the two.
Thanks for the article Gio! I was wondering if there are other ingredients I need to look out for in a product that complement niacinamide. My derm recommended skinceuticals b3 (which is an arm and a leg) but it boasts a delivery method (different and better) than others. I was wondering if that’s a real thing, or if I could go with a cheaper product maybe from the Ordinary and get the same benefits. Also I saw different % of this ingridient out there, is higher better?
Olivia, niacinamide is quite gentle so you can use a higher concentration without problems. You can definitely get similar results with any of the products on this list. But because of zinc, The Ordinary Niacinamide product is suitable only for oily skin. Paula’s Choice is a good alternatives for all skin types or, if you’re on a budget, check out the Olay line. Most of their products have niacinamide.
Hi Gio, I would like to find a product that has Niacinamide, B3, Linoleic acid and oil like safflower and sunflower oil in it. I would like to use this on my arms too. My skin is getting very frail and wrinkly because of weight I lost and possible meds that I take. I don’t mind paying for a product that will work, so tried of false claims.
Charolette, have you thought of getting a niacinamide booster, like Paula’s Choice 10% niacinamide booster, and mixing it with these oils?
would that help my crepe paper like skin on my arms and make the skin resilient and diminish the wrinkles? I have not used any of these products I have seen where these products are helpful so I thought you might know a product that has all .
Charlotte, unfortunately no product has it all. But layering a retinol serum under a niacinamide moisturiser will help reduce wrinkles and strengthen your skin’s protective barrier.
hi gio ! it is OK to layer:
AM
SALICYLIC ACID-AZELAIC ACID-SUPEROXIDE- NIACINAMIDE ?
PM
glycolic acid -SUPEROXIDE – NIACINAMIDE?
&
PM (ALTERNATE WITH THE OTHER PM)
EUK 134 – CAIS – RETINOL – SUPEROXIDE – NIACINAMIDE
Camila, yes t’s ok to layer them. But use either salicylic acid or glycolic acid, not both!