Keeping track of what ingredients play well together (and more importantly which ones don’t!) can be one of the trickiest parts of crafting a skincare regimen. To help you reach your skincare goals, we’re comparing niacinamide and vitamin C, and how you can work both of these powerhouse ingredients into your routine.
What Does Niacinamide Do For The Skin?
While many are familiar with vitamin C, niacinamide isn’t quite as well known – but that doesn’t mean it isn’t worthy of a spot in your routine. When applied topically, this water-soluble B vitamin is able to provide restorative benefits. We’ll dive into the specific results below, but in short, it works to promote even-toned, balanced, and more resilient skin.
Benefits Of Niacinamide
Niacinamide is a multitasker that offers a range of impressive benefits. Here’s how it can improve the complexion:
Who Should Be Using Niacinamide?
Good news: niacinamide works for all skin types and is gentle on the skin, so anyone can use it in their routine. That said, it has been reported that a small number of people may experience flushing when using it topically. If you have more sensitive skin, it’s smart to patch test first to ensure you don’t experience any adverse reactions.
As noted above, niacinamide can help refine the appearance of pores and control excess sebum production – two major concerns that often affect those with oily skin. However, given the other benefits, the ingredient is also suitable for anyone looking to improve skin tone, reduce inflammation, and enhance overall skin health and strength.
What Does Vitamin C Do For The Skin?
Much like niacinamide, vitamin C is a multitasker. The antioxidant works to defend the skin against damage while at the same time boosting radiance and promoting a more youthful complexion. To get the best results, you’ll want to consistently use a potent, well-formulated vitamin C product – like ourVitamin C Boost Serum.
Benefits Of Vitamin C
Vitamin C is one of the most popular skincare ingredients, thanks to its wide range of benefits. Here is a breakdown of how vitamin C affects the complexion:
Who Should Be Using Vitamin C?
Given its wide range of benefits, everyone can use vitamin C in their skincare routine. The vitamin is one of the most effective ingredients for protecting the skin against free radical harm, and is also essential for maintaining a radiant and youthful complexion. It can cause irritation when used in higher concentrations, so those with sensitive skin may want to patch test their product of choice before adding it to their routine.
How To Layer Niacinamide & Vitamin C
If you want to use both niacinamide and vitamin C in your routine, you are in luck: these ingredients can safely be used at the same time. How you layer them will ultimately come down to the specific product that you are using. We recommend following the thinnest to thickest rule, which means you’ll apply your lighter formulas first, and then follow up with heavier formulas. This ensures the active ingredients in thinner formulas are best able to penetrate the skin.
With this in mind, if your more lightweight product is a vitamin C serum, you’ll apply that first to clean, dry skin. You can then follow up with your niacinamide product, and then a moisturizer (as well as sunscreen during the day). For the best results, you should wait about 5 to 10 minutes between applying these products to allow them to fully absorb into the skin.
Alternatively, you may prefer to use one product in the morning and the other at night. However you choose to craft your routine, this duo of ingredients will work to help you achieve a strong barrier and a bright and youthful complexion.
