How Often to Use Niacinamide?

Another day, another vitamin you’re told to add into your everyday life, today we will be focusing on vitamin B3 which is also known as niacinamide. Luckily for all of us, its found in all manner of skincare products, this multi-tasking ingredient delivers an impressive number of benefits that keep your complexion glowing and at its healthiest state.

The question is, as amazing as niacinamide is for the skin, how often should you use it? Can you have too much of a good thing or is it a case of there’s never enough? Allow me to take the guess work out of this for you and explain how often to use niacinamide.

Can niacinamide be used every day?

Absolutely, using niacinamide every day will benefit the skin in many ways, if used every day you can expect to see the following results to the skin.

• Oil Regulation

Niacinamide has been known to regulate the production of sebum (the natural oil found in the skin) Due to its antibacterial effects it has a calming result on the skin and is able to clear any congestion to the pores which often leads to blackheads and other breakouts. It is also known for having a gentler effect on the skin compared to more potent blemish busting ingredients such as salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide.

• Helps Skin Barrier Function

With its humectant traits niacinamide has shown it is able to strengthen the overall skin barrier keeping the correct levels of water ensuring it is able to function properly. This is particularly great for those who suffer from dehydration as water is draw in from the surrounding area of the skin and locked into place. Damage from exposure to free radicals such as pollution and UV rays are combated leaving you with an all-over glowing complexion.

• Combating Signs of Ageing

With the antioxidant and microcirculation properties of niacinamide you will find that signs of ageing, such as fine lines, wrinkles and loss of collagen are slowed down thanks to niacinamide boosting collagen production keeping the skin looking plumped, youthful, and glowing. 

• Reduce Signs of Hyperpigmentation

Favoured by many skin specialists and dermatologists, niacinamide helps to keep the skin bright and help keep the production of melanin to a minimum resulting in any dark spots or hyperpigmentation becoming faded and less visible over time.

With results like this, I wouldn’t blame you for getting excited with the idea of using niacinamide every day, but word of warning, you can over do it when it comes to this clever humectant, more of that in the following section.

Can you use too much niacinamide?

When using high concentrates of niacinamide there are some risks of increased skin sensitivity resulting in flare-ups of irritation and redness. Therefore, all skin experts suggest sticking to applying the correct amount of niacinamide to the skin, as tempting as it may be to want to boost moisture to the skin. The reason that too much niacinamide will result in the skin reacting badly is that fact that the humectant traits will not only pull in water from around the face but will also draw water in from the lower layers of the skin leading to the opposite results you were expecting when applying niacinamide.

When should I apply niacinamide routine?

You’ll often find niacinamide is formulated into products that are water-based, such as serums and moisturisers. These are applied in the later stage of your skincare routine and perform at their best when applied onto skin that has been fully cleansed as this will not only allow the niacinamide enriched product to absorb effectively but will also enable any other ingredients applied to the skin to get to work quicker and show impressive results.

Is too much niacinamide bad for your skin?

As already explained, you can have too much of a good thing, especially when it comes to niacinamide. Applying too much niacinamide to the skin can result in flare-ups and irritation which is why you should follow the instructions of use on the product packaging. If you are new to niacinamide all together you must perform a patch test for 24 hours before applying it all over the skin. If you have any concerns, you should contact your doctor or dermatologist for more information and peace of mind.

Should I use niacinamide in the morning or night?

You can apply niacinamide in the morning and night, yes really, it will benefit your skin on various levels using this hydrating powerhouse twice day. Its antioxidant properties will combat any signs of damage during the day and repair any throughout the evening. You’ll find any other products or ingredients used will absorb effectively and show results quicker.

The only problem you may encounter is the fact niacinamide doesn’t play nicely with the popular skin ingredient, vitamin C. Both ingredients contain potent levels of antioxidants and if applied together will end up competing, rendering them both useless on the skin. If you are wanting to use both in your daily routine, it’s best to apply vitamin C in the morning and niacinamide in the evening for optimal results. If you are wanting to know more about this, check out our blog post about how to use niacinamide and vitamin C. 

How long does it take for niacinamide to work?

Much like all skincare product, consistency is key to seeing results and reaping the rewards of this powerhouse ingredient will depend on how much you use it. If you maintain a good routine and apply it twice daily, it is said you will see marked improvement on signs of pigmentation with the complexion looking plumper with a youthful bounce in roughly 8-12 weeks.

Can I use niacinamide without sunscreen?

There is some research showing that niacinamide can prevent the skin from suffering too badly from overexposure to the sun’s UV rays. Having said that, if you don’t apply a daily SPF of 30 and above, all the hard work and time you put into your skincare routine will be a wasted effort. To avoid any sun damage ensure you always protect your skin with sunscreen, even on days it looks cloudy.

I hope this has cleared up any confusion you may have had and now have better understanding of how often to use niacinamide. Don’t forget if you have any questions you can find me over on the Procoal Instagram and if skin is really your thing, you won’t want to miss out on the latest episode of The Green Sofa.