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Adapalene and niacinamide

Rated by Lovi · Unbiased, science-based skincare AI trained on real user outcomes · How the Fit score works

Adapalene and niacinamide: depends on the strength

Depends on the strength

Use them at different times of day, applying niacinamide in the morning and adapalene at night, because low-strength retinoids pair well with niacinamide. Niacinamide calms redness and keeps your skin barrier strong, while adapalene helps with cell turnover. If your skin feels irritated, you can switch to a gentler product or wait longer between applications.

Retinoids: a journey from the molecular structures and mechanisms of action to clinical uses in dermatology and adverse effectsWhy Topical Retinoids Are Mainstay of Therapy for Acne

Adapalene products

Niacinamide products

Questions and answers

Can you use adapalene and niacinamide together?

Using adapalene and niacinamide together depends on the strength, as low concentrations can be beneficial by reducing irritation while strong retinoids should be separated to avoid increased sensitivity.

Which goes first, adapalene or niacinamide?

Whether adapalene or niacinamide goes first depends on the strength of the retinoid, as low-percentage, buffered retinoids pair well with niacinamide while high-strength retinoids should be separated by using the retinoid at night and niacinamide in the morning.

Are adapalene and niacinamide good for sensitive skin?

Using adapalene and niacinamide together on sensitive skin depends on the strength, as high-strength retinoids combined with niacinamide may increase irritation. You can use niacinamide in the morning and adapalene at night to help stabilize your skin barrier and reduce redness.

Research on adapalene and niacinamide

Behind this pairing advice

Lovi checks every pairing with brand-independent rules our dermatologists and cosmetic chemists build and review, and personalizes every pick with AI trained on the real results of millions of users. Lovi trains its fit score models on a proprietary dataset built from more than 10,000 expert-labeled products and more than 100,000 simulated examples, following an internally consistent methodology presented at Cosmoprof, AMWC, and Skin of Color Update.

  • Nadia Kapleva, MS

    Nadia Kapleva, MS

    Co-founder, Medical Director

    Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer

  • Alexey Shagraev, PhD

    Alexey Shagraev, PhD

    Co-founder, CEO and CTO

    PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex

  • Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc

    Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc

    Medical Board

    Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine

  • Aishani Shah, MD

    Aishani Shah, MD

    Medical Board

    Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD

  • Asya Zubkova, MS

    Asya Zubkova, MS

    Medical Board

    Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member

  • Hanna Kurets, MD

    Hanna Kurets, MD

    Medical Board, Medical Advisor

    Dermatology MD

  • Elina Nazarenko, MD

    Elina Nazarenko, MD

    Medical Board

    Dermatology and diagnostic consultant

  • Victoria Derkova, MS

    Victoria Derkova, MS

    Medical Board

    Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist

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