Niacinamide is an ingredient that is often mentioned and used in cosmetic products, but did you know that different concentrations of this ingredient work differently? It is true that niacinamide works as a moisturizer and that it has a beneficial effect on skin prone to irregularities, but it is very important in what percentage it is in the product.
What is niacinamide and how does it work?
Niacinamide or nicotinamide is a soluble derivative of vitamin B, colloquially known as B3. In low concentrations (1-2%) it is a very useful hydrating agent, and in higher percentages (above 4%) it is proven to act on procedural pigmentation by inhibiting melanin synthesis, successfully reduces sebum secretion and refines skin texture (visually reduces pore size). This makes it an ideal component of products for the treatment of skin prone to mild to moderate acne, oily and at the same time dehydrated skin, hyperpigmented skin (where there are residual spots from acne, but also flecks from UV damage to the skin) and skin prone to inflammatory disorders, such as seborrheic dermatitis and psoriasis.
Recent research has shown that niacinamide, at a concentration of at least 4%, is comparably effective in eliminating acne as the antibiotic clindamycin 1%, and in terms of lightening spots, similar results were obtained in the same percentage compared to the problematic (but effective) hydroquinone 4 %.
Applied topically, niacinamide is a safe and effective ingredient, ideal for all those looking for simultaneous treatment of problem areas on the skin and anti-aging care. Temporary reddening of the skin can occur if niacinamide is layered on products that have a significantly lower pH, such as exfoliants and some vitamin C derivatives, but this is not an allergic skin reaction, but the expected redness that occurs because, in the presence of an acidic pH medium ( lower than pH 5), niacinamide begins to break down on the skin. For this reason, we recommend that you combine products based on niacinamide and exfoliants alternately in the morning and in the evening, and that they are not used simultaneously or in layers. Our vitamin C based serum contains a more stable form of this ingredient, sodium ascorbyl phosphate, which is formulated in a pH medium similar to our niacinamide based product, so there is no negative interaction between these ingredients, making them suitable for combining to achieve optimal results on sensitive skin. uneven tone, spots and inflammatory processes.
Skintegra products containing niacinamide
Tria Light : Treatment cream with up to 6% niacinamide for mixed and oily skin prone to clogged pores and blemishes.
Infrared: Concentrated serum for sensitive skin contains 2% niacinamide for increased hydration and strengthening of the skin's protective barrier.
Hydra B: The addition of 1% niacinamide works synergistically with a carefully selected complex of moisturizers in this serum emulsion for intense, deep hydration.
Literature
Forbat, E., Al-Niaimi, F. and Ali, FR (2017), Use of nicotinamide in dermatology. Clinical and Experimental Dermatology, 42: 137–144.