Niacinamide (topical)
Skin/Hair · Nicotinamide form
Tier B
What this is
Workhorse ingredient — cheap, stable, non-irritating, plays nicely with most other actives (old 'don't combine with vitamin C' rule has been debunked for stable formulations). 5-10% provides most of the benefit; higher concentrations can cause flushing or irritation.
Mechanism
B3 amide form; precursor to NAD+; barrier function support (ceramide synthesis); reduces transepidermal water loss; inhibits melanosome transfer to keratinocytes; mild sebum regulation
Dose & route
2-10% topical 1-2x/day
Citations
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16029676/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24993939/
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6471699/
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This is an independent synthesis of published research by a non-clinician. Scores are opinions supported by citations, not prescriptions. See the full disclaimer and methodology for how this score was produced and what it does and doesn't mean.