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Niacinamide

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Niacinamide

Niacinamide noticeably softens dark spots, brightens the complexion, smooths fine lines, and supports aging skin. It suits dry skin and oily skin best, and it comes in creams, serums, cleansers, and eye creams, usually at 5 percent, 10 percent, and 12 percent. It fits into a routine well with benzoyl peroxide, ferulic acid, and green tea, while it should be kept apart from lipohydroxy acid and isopropyl alcohol.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Antioxidants, 2021Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021

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Niacinamide creams

What reviewers say about popular niacinamide products

The highlight reviewers mention most for each popular niacinamide product on Lovi.

Niacinamide serums

Niacinamide cleansers

Niacinamide eye creams

Niacinamide masks

Niacinamide sunscreens

Niacinamide toners

All niacinamide products

See all 754 niacinamide products

What to combine niacinamide with

IngredientTogetherHow to use them
Benzoyl peroxide Works well Apply benzoyl peroxide first and niacinamide afterward in the same routine, because niacinamide soothes the dryness and irritation caused by benzoyl peroxide. Niacinamide and benzoyl peroxide
Ferulic acid Works well Use them together in your morning routine, applying the antioxidant serum first and following it with niacinamide. Niacinamide and ferulic acid
Green tea Works well Use them together in your morning routine, applying your green tea product first and your niacinamide serum right after for an extra shield against daily sun damage. Niacinamide and green tea
Zinc oxide Works well Use them together in the same routine, applying niacinamide first and zinc oxide second to boost blemish control. Niacinamide and zinc oxide
Vitamin E Works well Use them together in your morning routine by applying your niacinamide first and vitamin E right after, because they boost each other's sun-protecting power. Niacinamide and vitamin E
Bakuchiol Works well Use them together in the same routine, applying niacinamide first to calm the skin and support the barrier before smoothing on bakuchiol. Niacinamide and bakuchiol
Linoleic acid Works well Use them together in the same routine, applying niacinamide first to help your skin absorb the nourishing oils. Niacinamide and linoleic acid
Hyaluronic acid Works well Use them together by applying the hyaluronic acid serum first and following with the niacinamide cream, because they boost hydration. Niacinamide and hyaluronic acid
Zinc Works well Use them together in the same routine, applying niacinamide first and zinc second to help control excess oil and soothe skin. Niacinamide and zinc
Zinc sulfate Works well Use them together in the same routine, applying niacinamide first and zinc sulfate second to boost oil control. Niacinamide and zinc sulfate
Cholesterol Works well Use them together in the same routine, applying niacinamide first and following with a product containing cholesterol. Niacinamide and cholesterol
Ascorbyl glucoside Works well Use them together in the same routine, applying niacinamide first and ascorbyl glucoside right after, because they team up safely to brighten skin. Niacinamide and ascorbyl glucoside
Zinc gluconate Works well Use them together in the same routine, applying niacinamide first and zinc gluconate second, because they work as a team to keep skin clear. Niacinamide and zinc gluconate
Lauric acid Works well Use them at different times of day, applying niacinamide first and lauric acid later, to keep your skin calm and balanced. Niacinamide and lauric acid
Tri-ceramide complex Works well Use them together in the same routine, applying niacinamide first and tri-ceramide complex right after, because they team up to strengthen your skin barrier. Niacinamide and tri-ceramide complex
Adapalene Depends 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 and adapalene
Glycolic acid Depends Use them at different times of day with niacinamide in the morning and glycolic acid at night, because strong acids can clash with niacinamide. Niacinamide and glycolic acid
Retinol Depends Use niacinamide in the morning and retinol at night, because this prevents redness and helps your skin adjust. Niacinamide and retinol
AHA blend glycolic and citric acids Depends Use them at different times of day because strong acids can make niacinamide cause red, irritated skin. Niacinamide and aha blend glycolic and citric acids
Salicylic acid Depends Apply salicylic acid first, then niacinamide right after, because niacinamide soothes your skin and balances oil after the acid exfoliates. Niacinamide and salicylic acid
Tretinoin Depends Use them at different times of day, applying niacinamide in the morning and tretinoin at night, to keep your skin calm. Niacinamide and tretinoin
Bio-placenta peptides Depends Use them together in the same routine, applying niacinamide first to help your skin absorb the peptides better. Niacinamide and bio-placenta peptides
Hexapeptide Depends Use them together in the same routine, because niacinamide helps strengthen the skin while the peptide supports anti-aging and firmness. Niacinamide and hexapeptide
Vitamin A Depends Use niacinamide and vitamin A at different times of the day, applying niacinamide in the morning and vitamin A at night, to prevent skin irritation. Niacinamide and vitamin A
Pro-retinol Depends Use them at different times of day, applying niacinamide in the morning and pro-retinol at night, because this gentle pairing protects your skin barrier and calms redness. Niacinamide and pro-retinol
Retinal Depends Use them at different times of day with niacinamide in the morning and retinal at night because combining them causes irritation. Niacinamide and retinal
Lactic acid Depends Use them at different times of day, applying lactic acid first and niacinamide later, because strong acids can clash with niacinamide. Niacinamide and lactic acid
Acetyl hexapeptide-3 Depends Use them together in the same routine, because niacinamide helps strengthen your skin while peptides work on firmness. Niacinamide and acetyl hexapeptide-3
Mandelic acid Depends Apply mandelic acid and niacinamide at different times of day because strong acids can clash with niacinamide and cause skin flushing. Niacinamide and mandelic acid
Retinoid blend Depends Use them at different times of day with niacinamide in the morning and retinoids at night, because mild retinoids pair well while strong ones can clash. Niacinamide and retinoid blend
Gluconolactone Depends Use them together because niacinamide strengthens skin while gluconolactone smooths texture. Niacinamide and gluconolactone
Granactive retinoid Depends Use them at different times of day with niacinamide in the morning and granactive retinoid at night, because this gentle pair balances the skin. Niacinamide and granactive retinoid
Hydroxypinacolone retinoate Depends Use them at different times of day, applying niacinamide in the morning and the retinoid at night, because their combined strength can cause irritation. Niacinamide and hydroxypinacolone retinoate
Collagen peptide Depends Use them together in the same routine, because niacinamide helps your skin absorb peptides better and reduces irritation. Niacinamide and collagen peptide
Lactobionic acid Depends Use them together in the same routine, applying the mild acid first and niacinamide second to smooth skin texture without irritation. Niacinamide and lactobionic acid
Copper peptide Depends Use them on alternate nights, applying copper peptides first, to prevent the ingredients from canceling each other out. Niacinamide and copper peptide
Citric acid Depends Apply them at different times of day, using the acid first and niacinamide later, because mixing them can cause redness and irritation. Niacinamide and citric acid
Hexapeptide-9 Depends Use them together in the same routine, applying niacinamide first and hexapeptide-9 right after, because they boost each other's skin benefits. Niacinamide and hexapeptide-9
Peptide-rich plasma Depends Use them together because niacinamide helps peptides work better while soothing the skin. Niacinamide and peptide-rich plasma
Triple peptide blend Depends Use them together in the same routine, applying niacinamide first and the peptide blend right after for best results. Niacinamide and triple peptide blend
Palmitoyl pentapeptide-4 Depends Use them together in the same routine, applying niacinamide first and the peptide product second for better skin firmness. Niacinamide and palmitoyl pentapeptide-4
Palmitoyl tripeptide-1 Depends Use them together in the same routine, applying niacinamide first to help your skin absorb the peptide serum better. Niacinamide and palmitoyl tripeptide-1
Lipohydroxy acid Keep apart Use them at different times of day, applying the hydroxy acid first and niacinamide later, because combining them causes irritation. Niacinamide and lipohydroxy acid
Isopropyl alcohol Keep apart Apply niacinamide first and wait until dry, then apply the alcohol product if needed, because heavy alcohol stops your skin from absorbing niacinamide. Niacinamide and isopropyl alcohol

From the ingredient rules behind the "Works well with" and "Don't mix with" notes on every product in the Lovi app.

Questions and answers

What does niacinamide do for the skin?

Niacinamide helps reduce hyperpigmentation and increases skin lightness by inhibiting melanosome transfer. It also may reduce the progression of skin aging while being well tolerated.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Antioxidants, 2021

How do you use niacinamide?

You can use niacinamide in your morning or evening routine depending on the other ingredients you pair it with, as it works well alongside antioxidants and hydrators. Topical treatment helps reduce skin aging and hyperpigmentation while remaining well tolerated by the skin.

Antioxidants, 2021The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002

Should you use niacinamide in the morning or at night?

You can use niacinamide in the morning or at night, as it fits well into both daily routines depending on the other ingredients you choose to pair with it.

Can you use niacinamide every day?

Yes, you can use niacinamide every day as it is generally well tolerated and helps improve skin aging and pigmentation over time. Regular daily use supports skin hydration and helps manage signs of aging.

Antioxidants, 2021Scientific Reports, 2024

Does niacinamide cause purging or irritation?

Niacinamide is unlikely to cause purging or irritation when used properly, as it is generally well tolerated by the skin. Clinical studies show that topical treatments containing niacinamide reduce signs of aging and hyperpigmentation while remaining well tolerated.

Antioxidants, 2021

Which skin types is niacinamide best for?

Niacinamide is suitable for all skin types, with Lovi ratings showing it is a superior fit for dry, oily, combination, sensitive, and acne-prone skin. For instance, Peach & Lily Glass Skin Refining Serum is a superior fit for combination, sensitive, acne-prone, and dry sensitive skin, while The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% is a superior fit for oily, acne-prone, and oily acne-prone skin.

Can you use niacinamide with benzoyl peroxide?

Yes, you can use niacinamide and benzoyl peroxide together in the same routine. Apply benzoyl peroxide first and niacinamide afterward, because niacinamide soothes the dryness and irritation caused by benzoyl peroxide.

Can you use niacinamide with lipohydroxy acid?

You should keep lipohydroxy acid and niacinamide apart by using them at different times of day, applying the hydroxy acid first and niacinamide later because combining them causes irritation.

Research on niacinamide

Behind this ingredient guide

Lovi checks every ingredient 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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