When, How, and How Often To Use Niacinamide

Niacinamide is one of the most popular skincare ingredients used in products today, and thanks to all its benefits, it’s worthy of the hype—but figuring out when to use niacinamide can deter people from trying it. After all, considering that it can help fade the appearance of dark spots and brighten your complexion, it’s logical to think that niacinamide use could sensitize the skin the way that other brightening ingredients can/

The truth is that figuring out how to use niacinamide serum or moisturizer isn’t really that complicated: it’s generally considered fairly gentle and pairs well with other skincare ingredients, including retinol and hyaluronic acid. Ahead, we’ll explain what niacinamide is, discuss some of the ingredient’s most notable skin benefits, and reveal how to use niacinamide in your routine for brighter, healthier-looking skin.

Understanding Niacinamide

Before committing to adding any new ingredient to your regimen, it’s important to be informed. Understanding what certain ingredients do and how they work can help you determine how, when, and how often to use them to achieve the desired results. Keep reading for an in-depth rundown on niacinamide uses for skin.

What is niacinamide?

Niacinamide is a form of vitamin B—specifically, vitamin B3—that is often used in products designed to help combat the visible signs of aging. You can find this powerful ingredient in serums, moisturizers, eye creams, and even cleansers, making it easy to add to your skincare routine. Typically, you’ll find it in concentrations of 5% or less, though more concentrated niacinamide serums do exist. In general, niacinamide is considered suitable for all skin types and, per the Cleveland Clinic, is rarely associated with side effects. Still, as with any skincare ingredient, it’s best to introduce it to your skincare routine slowly to help minimize the potential for redness or irritation.

What are the benefits of niacinamide?

Niacinamide is incredibly versatile—products with this ingredient can help brighten the skin, address the visible signs of aging, reduce the appearance of discoloration, and more. Per the Cleveland Clinic, products with niacinamide can help:

• Visibly improve the appearance of dark spots and discolorations
• Support skin hydration
• Calm the appearance of redness
• Improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles
• Reduce the appearance of enlarged pores
• Protect against environmental stressors
• Minimize excess oiliness and shine

Keep in mind that this isn’t an exhaustive list of niacinamide’s skin benefits—these are simply the most well-studied benefits of topical niacinamide use.

When Should You Use Niacinamide in Your Routine?

Niacinamide is considered a hero ingredient for many reasons—not only can it be used in your daytime or nighttime routine, but it’s useful for various skin types and concerns. Let your formula of choice help you determine when to use niacinamide in your routine.

Niacinamide serums

Using a niacinamide serum is a great way to get a concentrated dose of this skin-brightening B vitamin. They’re also generally well-suited for daily use. If you’re looking for a niacinamide serum to add to your routine, we recommend the L’Oréal Paris Bright Reveal 12% [Niacinamide + Amino Sulfonic + Ferulic Acid] Dark Spot Serum. The lightweight, non-greasy formula provides gentle exfoliation and helps visibly fade all types of dark spots, including post-acne marks, age spots, and sun spots. It’s suitable for all skin types and fits easily into your existing skincare routine. As for when to use niacinamide serum, we typically recommend applying products in order of consistency. That means your serum should come after toner, but before richer lotions or creams.

Moisturizers with niacinamide

There are plenty of moisturizers with niacinamide on the market—you’ll want to gauge your usage based on the other ingredients in your chosen formula. A basic hydrating moisturizer with niacinamide can be used morning or night (or both), while anti-aging formulas may be better suited for nighttime use. One of our favorite niacinamide moisturizers is the L’Oréal Paris Revitalift Pressed Night Moisturizer with Retinol + Niacinamide at night. The gentle formula provides up to 24 hours of hydration and helps target the visible signs of aging, including fine lines, wrinkles, and dullness. Keep in mind that retinol can increase your skin’s sensitivity to the sun, so you’ll want to be extra diligent about your SPF usage in the morning. If you need a sunscreen that you can wear with makeup, try the L’Oréal Paris Bright Reveal Broad Spectrum SPF 50 Daily UV Lotion. It’s lightweight, non-greasy, and absorbs quickly while helping to prime the skin for makeup.

Facial peels

“We see niacinamide in all types of skincare because it’s soothing,” says Dr. Michelle Henry, MD FAAD, NYC-based board-certified dermatologist and L’Oréal Paris consultant. In fact, she explains, niacinamide can be—and often is—combined with exfoliants, including glycolic acid and salicylic acid, to help reduce the risk of of skin irritation.

The L’Oréal Paris Bright Reveal Dark Spot Exfoliant Peel, for example, contains niacinamide and a trio of exfoliating acids (AHA, BHA, and PHA). The potent formula helps reduce the appearance of dark spots, brightens the skin, and helps refine skin texture. It’s also suitable for all skin types and tones, making it a great exfoliant to reach for if you have sensitive skin. Keep in mind, however, that this is one niacinamide product that you don’t want to use daily. We recommend using it four times per week (at night). If you’re new to chemical exfoliation or have easily-irritated skin, start with once-weekly usage and gradually increase the frequency as your skin acclimates. You’ll also want to apply plenty of SPF the next morning, as alpha-hydroxy acids, like retinoids, can increase your skin’s sensitivity to the sun.

How Often Can You Use Niacinamide?

Dr. Henry says that it’s typically okay to use niacinamide twice a day (in the morning and in the evening), but advises that more than that could be excessive. As with any skincare ingredient, pay attention to its effect on your complexion to determine if you need to change its use in your regimen.

If your skin is tolerating niacinamide well, your complexion may appear calmer, smoother, and more even in texture and tone. Some flushing may occur with excessive application, confirms Dr. Henry—if you notice new or unusual redness, reduce your usage of niacinamide products to once daily.

What Should You Not Layer Niacinamide With?

There’s no need to get creative when determining how to use niacinamide—leave that to the skincare professionals and don’t mix actives unless your dermatologist says otherwise. That doesn’t mean you have to stop using ingredients that work for you in order to add something new to the mix. Simply reach for pre-mixed formulations perfected by the experts.

As mentioned previously, niacinamide is one of those ingredients that typically plays well with other ingredients. Dr. Henry notes that many people can successfully layer niacinamide in the same routine with hyaluronic acid, vitamin C, and many other ingredients. (In many cases, she adds, there’s a synergistic effect “when you pair it with other fading treatments of brightening treatments.”)

Can You Use Niacinamide if You're Using Retinoids?

For most, niacinamide and retinol can be used together successfully—which is why niacinamide often features in anti-aging products that also contain retinol. If you’re unsure about layering ingredients and how it’ll affect when to use niacinamide, you can always break up your routine—in other words, reserve niacinamide use for your morning skincare regimen and use retinol only at night. You can also reach for a product that already includes both ingredients, such as the aforementioned Revitalift Pressed Night Moisturizer with Retinol + Niacinamide. Cosmetic chemists and brands run thorough tests to ensure a formula with niacinamide uses the right balance of ingredients for both a safe and efficacious result.

That being said, this is a generalization—everybody’s skin is different. If you need further guidance on pairing niacinamide with retinol (or any other ingredients in your routine), consult your dermatologist—they can help you determine what to use and when.

Which Is Better: Niacinamide Serum or Niacinamide Moisturizer?

If you’re already using a niacinamide skincare product and it’s working for you, then carry on. The truth is, niacinamide serum isn’t better than niacinamide moisturizer or vice versa—it all comes down to preference and efficacy. If you want a really targeted treatment, Dr. Henry recommends incorporating a niacinamide serum into your routine. The best part is that L’Oréal Paris has both a face serum and a night cream that you can use to add niacinamide to your routine, so no matter what you prefer, you have options.

Next Up: How to Use Niacinamide and Vitamin C Together In Your Skincare Routine