Ingredient Breakdown: Niacinamide
These days, you’ve got more personal care products to choose from than ever before — especially if you’re ordering online. However, that abundance of choice means you should be even more careful about what kind of ingredients those products contain; after all, you’re putting them on your skin.
By the time the average adult leaves their home to start the day, they’re exposed to over a hundred chemicals from all kinds of personal care products. And while most people simply assume these pass through rigorous regulation before going to market, this isn’t always the case — which is why you should familiarize yourself with ingredients in-depth before using anything.
For instance — if you’ve come across something like niacinamide in your ingredient lists, you’ve probably wondered whether the ingredient is safe or not. And that’s precisely the question we’re going to explore.
What is Niacinamide?
Our body needs various vitamins and minerals to maintain good health and proper cellular function. Among them, there’s Vitamin B — well…there’s actually 8 B vitamins, but today, we’re going to focus on niacin, the vitamin that our body produces and uses to turn food into useful energy. It’s important for all kinds of bodily functions, from our nervous and digestive systems to the health of our skin. During that process, our bodies convert niacin to niacinamide — whose anti-inflammatory properties greatly benefit our skin.
Why Do Companies Use it in their Products?
Niacinamide is water-soluble — which is the main reason why it’s become such a popular staple in the skincare industry. It goes very well in topical products, such as serums. Nicotinic acid and some other types of vitamin B can cause the skin to flush if you apply it topically — but that’s not the case with niacinamide. And it’s the perfect “bio-friendly” element, seeing as it’s vital for proper skin cell functioning and it occurs naturally.
What are the Benefits of Niacinamide?
The water-soluble nature of niacinamide is one of its key properties — however, this means it’s not naturally stored in our bodies, and it constantly needs to be replenished. Even though this important vitamin can be found within our diets, using products containing niacinamide can heighten its antioxidant, anti-aging, anti-inflammatory, and skin-brightening properties.
Its benefits are similar to those of retinol in terms of reducing inflammation and redness. However, it manages to strengthen our skin barrier without irritation or sensitivity — as well as, limit free radical damage. Plus, it boosts our skin hydration by reducing transepidermal water loss — as a result, it actually improves the effectiveness of other moisturizing ingredients in various personal care products.
Is It Safe?
In the end, it’s safe to conclude that niacinamide is one of the most useful forms of Vitamin B, especially when it comes to personal care products. And if you’re interested in finding products that contain niacinamide, you can use our app — as a premium member, you can easily search for products by any of their individual ingredients.
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