Niacinamide may not be easy to pronounce, but with its long list of proven skin benefits, it’s easy to see why it’s so popular in skin care. SkinCeuticals, which is known for its cutting-edge skin care research and high-potency ingredients, uses niacinamide in many of product formulas. To get you more acquainted with this powerhouse active, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know about niacinamide, starting with:

• What is niacinamide?
• How does niacinamide benefit skin?
• How can I add niacinamide to my skin care routine?

What is niacinamide?

Niacinamide is one of two forms of niacin, or vitamin B3. In your body, vitamin B3 is an essential nutrient that plays a role in helping convert the food you eat into energy, and it’s found naturally in foods such as meat, fish, poultry, nuts and grains. You’ll also find vitamin B3 in the form of niacinamide in a variety of skin care products, from sunscreens to moisturizers to serums.

The skin benefits of niacinamide

Niacinamide has been clinically proven to have an array of benefits for skin when applied topically. “Because niacinamide has anti-inflammatory properties, it can help soothe acne and skin irritation that results in redness,” says board-certified dermatologist and LovelySkin CEO Dr. Joel Schlessinger.

Studies have also shown that it can help reduce hyperpigmentation, improve elasticity, improve sallowness (when your skin has a yellow cast) and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Niacinamide can also help enhance your skin’s barrier function, helping it maintain moisture and keep out external irritants.

3 products to try with niacinamide

SkinCeuticals has formulated a number of its products with niacinamide, from a daily sunscreen to a powerful serum targeting hyperpigmentation. Here’s the scoop on three beneficial products with niacinamide:

SkinCeuticals Daily Brightening UV Defense Sunscreen SPF 30

This daily facial sunscreen combines broad-spectrum sun protection with ingredients that brighten and hydrate skin, making it a mighty multitasker to kick off your morning skin care routine. It contains 2% niacinamide along with tranexamic acid and phenylethyl resorcinol to help fade discoloration and brighten skin tone while a quartet of chemical sunscreens (avobenzone, homosalate, octisalate and octocrylene) protect against UVA and UVB rays. This formula has a natural-looking universal tint, glycerin to hydrate skin and a touch of mica to provide a radiant finish.

SkinCeuticals Metacell Renewal B3 Lotion

If you’re concerned about the early signs of photoaging—think dark spots and fine lines—this hydrating face lotion helps correct existing damage and guard your skin from future signs of aging. It contains 5% niacinamide along with a tri-peptide concentrate to help fade dark spots, repair your skin’s natural moisture barrier, improve elasticity and smooth fine lines.

SkinCeuticals Discoloration Defense

Unwelcome dark spots can make their way onto your skin for a number of reasons, from acne scarring to sun damage. This daily facial serum targets stubborn dark spots with 5% niacinamide along with kojic acid, tranexamic acid and HEPES (a type of sulfonic acid that works as a surface exfoliator). In a 12-week clinical study, users reported an 81% improvement in the appearance of post-acne marks and a 60% improvement in the appearance of stubborn brown patches.

Are you struggling with scars? You can learn more about scar care with SkinCeuticals.