How to use niacinamide serum: what it does, when, and how much

What is niacinamide, and what does it do for skin?

Niacinamide, also called nicotinamide, is a water-soluble form of vitamin B3. On skin it does four things: reduces the look of oiliness, makes pores look tighter, strengthens the barrier so skin holds water better, and fades the look of marks and uneven tone by slowing how pigment reaches the surface.

It is one of the few actives that suits oily, dry, combination and most sensitive skin, which is why it turns up in serums, moisturisers and creams alike. The difference is the dose. A moisturiser usually carries 2 to 5%; a serum carries 5 to 10% and does the heavier work on oil and marks.

5% or 10%?

Ten per cent, usually with 1% zinc, is the standard strength for oily skin, shine and the look of pores. Five per cent is enough for barrier support and tone and is gentler on reactive skin. If 10% makes you flush or sting, it is the dose, not the ingredient: drop to every other day or use a 5% product.

Elluvi Hydra Glow Serum carries 10% niacinamide, 1% zinc PCA and 0.5% low-molecular-weight hyaluronic acid, fragrance-free. Our Hydrating Moisturiser carries 5% niacinamide, so using both gives you a daily dose without a second serum.

How to apply niacinamide serum, step by step

Cleanse, then two to three drops pressed over the face, then moisturiser. In the morning, sunscreen last. In the first week use it once a day; after that, morning and night if skin is comfortable.

1. Wash your face and pat it nearly dry; slightly damp skin is fine for niacinamide. 2. Two to three drops, pressed over the face. Add one for the neck. 3. If you use vitamin C in the morning, vitamin C goes first, niacinamide second. 4. Moisturiser on top. 5. Morning: SPF 50 last. Night: it can sit under a retinol cream once your skin knows both.

Morning or night, and can I use it twice a day?

Either, and yes. Niacinamide is not light-sensitive and does not thin the skin, so it works at any time of day. Twice a day is the usual routine at 10% once your skin has had a week to adjust.

What niacinamide works with

Almost everything: vitamin C, hyaluronic acid, retinol, salicylic and glycolic acid washes, and sunscreen. With prescription creams such as tretinoin, adapalene or azelaic acid (Skinoren), it is commonly used alongside them, but ask the doctor who prescribed the cream and apply the two at different times of day if your skin stings.

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Side effects, and does niacinamide cause purging?

Niacinamide does not cause purging, because it does not speed up skin turnover. At 10% some people get a warm flush, redness or stinging, usually in the first week or when starting twice a day. Go to every other day; if it has not settled within a week, stop.

New spots after starting a niacinamide serum are a reaction to that product or something else in the routine, not a purge to push through. Apply a small amount to a discreet area of the jawline once daily for 2–3 days. Stop if persistent redness, itching or irritation occurs. Niacinamide and zinc are generally considered fine in pregnancy; check with your doctor before starting any new product.

How long until it works

Skin feels more hydrated within a week or two. Oil and shine improve in two to four weeks. Pores and post-pimple marks take eight to twelve weeks of daily use.