Why Niacinamide is a Cult-Favorite Skincare Ingredient

Beauty junkies all over the world have been raving non-stop about this skin-refining ingredient, so much so that it’s been dubbed a cult-favorite by skincare addicts for years! We know what it’s for on paper: an ingredient popular in products for oily skin thanks to its excellent oil-controlling and pore-tightening abilities. It's also a terrific face-brightening remedy. However, the question still remains: what is niacinamide and how does it work exactly?

Niacinamide (aka a form of Vitamin B3, an essential nutrient for our skin) is a beloved super ingredient because it addresses many concerns when it comes to our skin's overall health—like excess oil production, acne, and even eczema. Generally speaking, it can help in the production of necessary proteins in the skin, while locking in moisture to keep the skin barrier healthy and prevent environmental damage.

Here are the benefits of niacinamide:

This is possibly the most important benefit that niacinamide can give us. By helping the skin produce essential proteins such as keratin (a protein that forms and protects the hair, nails, and skin) and ceramide (a naturally produced fatty acid in our body that boosts our skin cells, creating a strong barrier that locks in moisture), this ingredient helps keep the outer layer of our skin resilient against damage and dryness. Best of all? It's perfectly fine for all skin types to use!

When speaking of niacinamide skin benefits, this is usually the first that comes to mind. Because of its soothing anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties, it helps ease redness, improve skin texture, and inhibit the production of acne.

While there's no real way to rid ourselves of enlarged pores, we can most definitely reduce its appearance! Because this ingredient helps the skin retain moisture, it keeps our sebaceous glands from going into overdrive—regulating oil production and helping to smooth out the appearance of our pores over time.

With all this talk about how niacinamide can protect the skin, it comes as no surprise that it helps the skin from manifesting signs of aging long before they're due. With a healthy skin barrier, your skin is able to rebuild healthy skin cells without any disturbances from environmental aggressors (i.e. UV damage and pollution)—the main culprit for wrinkles, fine lines, and sunspots! Because of this, it's also known to help lighten dark spots and prevent hyperpigmentation.

A 2005 study in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology analyzed 60 females with female pattern hair loss. After six months of topically applying Vitamin B3, results showed a "statistically significant increase in hair fullness." Niacinamide builds protein and boosts circulation in the scalp. While it does not stimulate hair growth, it helps promote stronger hair, making it less prone to breakage and damage.

With all these benefits, it's hard not to see why many love this super ingredient. If we've piqued your interest and would like to try some products to reap the niacinamide skin benefits listed above, then try some of these products: