Niacinamide has surged in popularity over the past few years, as skincare enthusiasts became more aware of its benefits. It just so happens to be in our latest innovation, Bright Now™ PHA & Rosehip Exfoliating Toner, our first acid exfoliant. We’ve done things a little differently, though (more on that later).
Read on for the ultimate need-to-know on how Niacinamide benefits your skin and integrating it into your skincare routine for the best results. Just want the headline news? Scroll straight to our FAQs section to get the key details. Let’s dive in…
What is Niacinamide?
As we mentioned earlier, Niacinamide – or Nicotinamide – is a form of vitamin B. Specifically, vitamin B3, to use its full name. As a cell-communicating ingredient, it has the power to “talk” to different cells and kickstart various functions into action. What that means when you put it into a skincare product is that it’s a bit of an all-rounder, with several skincare benefits that are worthy of a mention. We’ve explained these in more detail below…
What are the benefits of Niacinamide in skincare?
Antioxidant benefits
Niacinamide is also a potent antioxidant, meaning it offers our skin some environmental protection when used in topical skincare products. It neutralises free radicals, which are behind the oxidative stress that speeds up premature skin ageing. By affecting how well healthy cells function, they can also trigger things like dehydration, dullness and dark spots. Better to shield our skin from them, then.
Brightening
Another big benefit to Niacinamide is that it can help deliver a big old radiance boost to our skin. This is partly down to the antioxidant benefits we mentioned earlier. But it also reduces the amount of melanin transferred to the skin’s surface – in turn helping to lessen the appearance of existing ‘dark spots’ and prevent future ones from forming. That results in more even skin tone. Clever.
When we put it to the test in a trial, 87% noticed their skin was instantly brighter after using Bright Now™, while 80% agreed skin looked clearer*.
Supports the skin barrier
The skin barrier is fundamental to its overall health and how well it functions, keeping vital moisture in and bad stuff out. Niacinamide helps to boost our skin’s production of both ceramides and lipids, which are essential components of said skin barrier. And a stronger skin barrier means healthier-looking, happier skin.
Oil regulation
Our skin naturally produces its own oil, known as sebum. It’s an important part of healthy skin, acting both as a natural form of moisturisation and a protective barrier. But some skin types – namely oily and combination – can produce more sebum than our skin actually needs, leading to excess shine and a “greasy” feel. It can also lead to clogged-up pores and breakouts when that oil mixes with things like dead skin cells. All this leads us to another of Niacinamide’s credentials: helping to regulate our skin’s oil production and keep things balanced.
Nicainamide in skincare
On today’s market, you’ll find Niacinamide in lots of topical skincare products, from serums to moisturisers and even some cleansers. Bright Now™ is a daily brightening and exfoliating toner.
We don’t mean to brag, but it’s a pretty innovative formula, containing the first ever 100% natural, COSMOS-approved Niacinamide. Our on-site chemists also included Polyhydroxy Acids for gentle-yet-effective exfoliation, plus restorative Rosehip – a Pai hero ingredient. Bright Now™ is a testament to the hard work that goes on in our West London lab every day.
And of course, like all Pai products, it’s been clinically tested for sensitive skin. So you can get your daily radiance fix with no tingle, no tightness. Just glow.
FAQs about Niacinamide and skincare
What are the benefits of Niacinamide?
A bit of a wonder kid, Niacinamide helps to brighten the skin and regulate oil production, as well as supporting our skin’s vital barrier. It also has antioxidant benefits, meaning it offers our skin some environmental protection, too.
How does Niacinamide work?
Niacinamide supports our skin barrier by boosting the production of ceramides and lipids. It also slows the transfer of pigment to the surface cells of our skin, meaning it can reduce the look of dark spots and helps to prevent future ones from forming.
Is Niacinamide safe for all skin types?
There has been a lot of online chatter recently about Niacinamide being an ingredient that can irritate the skin. You’ve probably seen some of it. But is true of a lot of skincare products, quite often this comes down to the level of Niacinamide and how the product has been formulated.
But first, it’s important to note that there’s always the possibility of something else entirely causing the irritation – for example, another active, a specific preservative or the pH of the formula. If you are very, very confident that Niacinamide is the culprit, there’s a very small chance you might have an allergy – but this is extremely rare.
But high concentrations of Niacinamide (we’re talking 10% and above) do have the potential to increase the risk of skin irritation without necessarily doubling the results. This is why it’s smart to go low and slow with your actives; you avoid that irritation but still reap those all-important results in time.
The good news? Bright Now™ contains 5% Niacinamide – considered the gold standard. Powerful enough to get results, gentle enough for even the most sensitive skin. We proved it: all Pai products are clinically tested for sensitive skin.
*Based on a one week independent consumer trial of 105 subjects