What is Niacinamide?

Niacinamide, also known as vitamin B3, is one of the most complete, versatile, and well-tolerated active ingredients in cosmetics. Its ability to act on several fronts at once – texture, tone, sebum, and skin barrier – makes it a global skin regulator rather than a single-function ingredient. It works on almost all skin types and fits into both simple routines and more comprehensive protocols.

Where Does It Come From?

It can be found naturally in foods like yeasts, legumes, and whole grains. In cosmetics, it is primarily obtained through controlled synthesis, a safe and well-documented process. Increasingly, it is also developed through green chemistry methods from renewable plant resources, with a lower environmental impact.

How Does It Work on the Skin?

Niacinamide does not have a single mechanism of action, but several complementary ones. It inhibits the transfer of melanosomes between melanocytes and keratinocytes, leading to a progressive reduction of spots and greater skin tone uniformity. It stimulates the synthesis of ceramides and other skin barrier proteins, improving water retention and reducing skin permeability. It regulates sebum production by acting on the sebaceous glands, especially useful for combination or oily skin. It also has anti-inflammatory action, making it useful for both reactive skin and acne-prone skin.

Cosmetic Benefits

• Progressively improves tone and reduces spots by inhibiting melanin transfer between melanocytes and keratinocytes.
• Regulates sebum and improves pore appearance, especially useful for combination or oily skin.
• Strengthens the skin barrier by stimulating ceramide production, improves water retention, and reduces skin reactivity.
• Refines texture and smooths irregularities on the skin surface.
• Has antioxidant action against environmental oxidative stress and stimulates collagen synthesis, promoting firmness and elasticity with continuous use.
• Recommended for acne: calms redness and irritation thanks to its anti-inflammatory action, useful for both sensitive skin and acne-prone skin, and for post-acne marks.
• It is suitable for dry, combination, oily, sensitive, or mature skin. One of the few truly universal active ingredients in cosmetics.

Usage and Integration into Routine

Daily use, morning and night. Apply after cleansing and before creams or oils. It is not photosensitizing, does not irritate, and does not require an adaptation period. Fits into any routine.

Niacinamide is effective on its own, but its potential is amplified in combination. With hyaluronic acid, it achieves more complete hydration. With vitamin C, it synergistically improves radiance and tone. With bakuchiolor phytoretinol, it helps reduce irritation in sensitive skin. With PHA, it complements cell renewal without compromising the barrier. And with N-Acetyl Glucosamine, its most studied combination: together they act on melanin from two different fronts, with more efficacy than each one separately.

Facts and Curiosities

The Three Ds
Niacinamide was identified between 1935 and 1937 by biochemist Conrad Elvehjem, who showed that it could cure pellagra, a disease known as the three Ds: dermatitis, diarrhea, and dementia, caused by vitamin B3 deficiency. Because of its preventative capacity, it was also called vitamin PP, for Pellagra Preventive.

Niacin is Different
Unlike niacin, with which it is frequently confused, niacinamide does not cause flushing, the redness and sensation of heat that appears with oral or topical niacin. They are distinct molecules with distinct effects.

Safe and Stable
It is one of the few cosmetic active ingredients considered safe during pregnancy, unlike ingredients like retinol, which is discouraged during that period. It also stands out for its stability: it does not easily degrade with light or air, which makes it particularly suitable for formulas without opaque or airtight packaging.

Profoundly Effective
Something not always mentioned: niacinamide plays an active role in cellular metabolism as a precursor to NAD+ and NADP+, two essential coenzymes for cellular energy production and DNA repair. Its effect on the skin is not just cosmetic on the surface, but also metabolic in depth.

This is how it appears in the INCI: Niacinamide

Other active ingredients that may interest you

Vitamin C: antioxidant and depigmenting, complements the skin-evening action of niacinamide with a more immediate brightening effect.
N-Acetyl Glucosamine: its combination with niacinamide is one of the most studied for spots and uneven tone.
Hyaluronic acid: deep hydration and plumping effect, ideal as a complement in routines where niacinamide works on the barrier.
Bakuchiol: a plant alternative to retinol, stimulates collagen and improves texture with very good tolerance.
Phytoretinol: renewing and firming effect, combines well with niacinamide to reduce potential irritation.
Rosehip oil: regenerating and rich in compounds similar to natural retinoids, especially useful for spots and mature skin.
PHA: gentle exfoliants that renew without irritating, complement the texturizing action of niacinamide.
Beta-glucan: deeply soothing and hydrating, strengthens the skin barrier from another angle.