The thought of wrinkles and dry, dull skin worries many of us. We turn our attention to over-the-counter skin care products that might help solve the problem. But we’re here to tell you that you don’t need to experiment with a large number of products in order to find the right one.

What you need to do is check if your skincare product has the right ingredients to make your skin feel and look healthier. You might have heard that it is important to select the right product for your skin type. There is, however, one common ingredient that is versatile enough to suit them all —niacinamide.

What is Niacinamide?

Regardless of your ethnicity, using products with niacinamide does work wonders for your skin. Niacinamide or nicotinamide is the technical term for vitamin B3. It belongs to the water-soluble class of vitamins that regulate skin maintenance among other functions. In a 2006 study published in Dermatologic Surgery, niacinamide was applied to half the face of 50 female subjects for twelve weeks. The results of this study show niacinamide significantly improved the appearance of the skin reducing inflammation, pigmentation, fine lines and wrinkles. Additionally, niacinamide improves the texture, tone of the skin, reduce skin sallowness (yellowing of the skin) while also reducing lines and wrinkles. And the great thing is that niacinamide is well-tolerated by all skin types.

There is proof that it works.

People that suffer from sensitive and dry skin show irritability to a number of skincare products. Moisturizers are a very important part of their skincare routine. Niacinamide-containing products are not only safe for them but are also very effective in combating their skin condition.

A study from 2008 showed that people suffering from hypersensitive skin that used a moisturizer with niacinamide in it had better skin hydration than those that did not. Their facial skin also had improved tone and texture. Over the course of the study, the symptoms of their skin condition had also improved.

A different problem for many is the production of excess oil, leading to oily skin. Niacinamide also combats that, as shown by a 2006 study on Asian and Caucasian people. In this study, participants were asked to use a moisturizer containing 2% niacinamide for four weeks. After four weeks, it was seen that their skin produced lower levels of oil, and there were lower levels of oil on their skin.

It does not stop there. Niacinamide also has proven to be a good anti-aging ingredient. It can reduce aging due to exposure to sunlight as well as improve the elasticity of the skin. In a study from 2006, it was found that using a product with 5% niacinamide significantly improved the appearance of skin. After 3 months, participants had reduced fine lines and wrinkles, dark spots, blotchiness, and sallowness of the skin. The elasticity of their skin had also improved.

Adding niacinamide to your routine:

Adding niacinamide to your skincare routine is very easy. Many good skincare products include it, just check the label. To get the most out of using niacinamide, look for a product that you will use at least twice daily. There are also eye creams available that reduce the fine lines near your eyes. Use these at night for the highest benefits. You may find 5% niacinamide in LeCerre Skincare's Rapid Brightening Serum.

References:

• Bissett DL1, Oblong JE, Berge CA. Dermatologic Surgery. 2005 Jul;31(7 Pt 2):860-5; discussion 865. Niacinamide: A B vitamin that improves aging facial skin appearance.
• Bogdan Allemann, MD, L. Baumann, MD. Skin Therapy Letter. 2008;13(7):5-8. Antioxidants Used in Skin Care Formulations.
• Zoe Diana Draelos, Akira Matsubara & Kenneth Smiles (2006) The effect of 2% niacinamide on facial sebum production, Journal of Cosmetic and Laser Therapy, 8:2, 96-101, DOI: 10.1080/14764170600717704
• Zoe Diana Draelos, Ertel K, Berge C. Cutis. 2005 Aug;76(2):135-41. Niacinamide-containing facial moisturizer improves skin barrier and benefits subjects with rosacea.