What is niacinamide?
Niacinamide is the water-soluble, active form of vitamin B3.
Why is niacinamide an important skincare ingredient?
In addition to being very well tolerated, it is quite stable and easy to formulate with and most importantly Niacinamide has heaps of benefits, It;
- has anti-inflammatory properties
- can improve skin barrier function by decreasing trans epidermal water loss or TEWL, and as a result it improves skin hydration.
- reduces wrinkles.
- reduces sebum production in the skin which can help with acne.
- reduces pigmentation.
- reduces blotchiness and redness, especially associated with ageing skin
- protects against both UVB and UVA rays from the sun and studies suggest it may reduce pre-cancerous skin spots and non-melanoma skin cancers.
Is it good for sensitive and rosacea skin, and why?
There is mounting evidence of Niacinamide’s benefits for Rosacea skin. Rosacea skin is very dry and very sensitive. With its anti-inflammatory properties and effects in reducing TEWL (transepidermal water loss), it helps manage the dry, sensitive skin of rosacea. Plus, with protection from UV damage from the sun, it might help rosacea skin which is prone to flare ups from sun exposure.
All of these properties will also help with sensitive skin, not caused by rosacea.
How does niacinamide improve a winter skincare regimen?
Because of its anti-inflammatory effects and its role in combatting TEWL, niacinamide is a blockbuster ingredient for drier winter skin. The best evidence sits at between 3 and 5% concentration. It can be used once or twice a day.
Our expert Dr. Ginni is an Australian GP and Co-Founder of Evidence Skincare (ESK).
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