Niacinamide has become a well-known ingredient in modern skincare, gaining popularity for its versatile benefits.

Since its launch in 2016, our Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% has become one of our community’s most-loved products year after year for its array of benefits – let’s take a closer look behind this formulation.

Niacinamide is a water-soluble form of vitamin B3 that offers solutions for a range of skin concerns. Also known as niacin or nicotinamide niacinamide is a nutrient essential for human health. Niacinamide was initially used as a dietary supplement and made its way to the world of skincare. As a topical application, it was used to target the appearance of uneven skin tone and more recently has shown that it can target signs of aging, enlarged pores and dry skin.

How does it do this? Let’s look at the science behind niacinamide and how this ingredient supports skin barrier function.

Niacinamide helps strengthen the skin’s lipid barrier, which is crucial for maintaining moisture and protecting against environmental aggressors. By supporting the skin’s natural content of ceramides and fatty acids, niacinamide helps to prevent transepidermal water loss, keeping the skin hydrated and resilient.

Niacinamide can be delivered to the skin’s surface readily, and is bioavailable (which refers to the ability of an ingredient to be effectively absorbed and utilized by the skin) from topical application to offer various skin benefits:

• Skin Texture - Niacinamide helps support skin renewal to reduce the look of uneven texture for a smoother appearance.


• Brightening -It also brightens and helps even the appearance of skin tone, including dark spots.


• Firmness & Elasticity -By supporting the skin barrier and hydration, niacinamide helps to improve the look of firmness and elasticity.


• Skin Barrier - Niacinamide supports key lipid components such as ceramides and fatty acids to help lock in moisture.

When we launched the formulation, we understood the potential of niacinamide as an ingredient and wanted to use an ingredient concentration to optimize niacinamide’s benefits.

When incorporating Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% into your regimen, we suggest using it as part of the Treat step of a regimen, after cleansing. Because this serum is water-based, it can be applied closer to the beginning of your regimen before any anhydrous, creams or emulsions. It can also layer well with other ingredients, such as Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5.

We do not recommend pairing with Direct or Indirect Vitamin C as it can reduce the effectiveness of both ingredients.

Expanding beyond facial skincare, we’ve launched a niacinamide formulation for the body that can also be used on your face if you want to choose a lower concentration of the ingredient: Niacinamide 5% Face and Body Emulsion. This product addresses skin concerns on the body (as well as the face), such as helping to reduce the look of dark spots and even skin tone, as well as uneven texture. The 5% concentration is milder, especially for those with sensitive skin, and you might choose it for a gentler introduction to niacinamide yet still wanting effective results.

Now that you have a foundation for this serum, you’re ready to start adding it to your regimen. With all new products, it is recommended to perform a patch test before incorporating it into your regimen.

To help you get started with this versatile vitamin (as we lovingly call it), we’ve offered a few suggestions to add to your Treat step in your regimen (or the second step, after cleansing) to target some common concerns:

For Signs of Aging

Once your skin is cleansed, apply Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%. Layer with our Multi-Peptide + HA Serum next. The water-based Multi-Peptide + HA Serum improves skin’s smoothness, skin elasticity and firmness while improving the look of crow’s feet.

• Tip: For your PM Treat step, try applying Retinal 0.2% Emulsion, after Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% for additional support for signs of aging. It’s our strongest retinoid yet and we recommend starting with 1 - 2 applications a week for the first few weeks until your skin is acclimated.

For Signs of Congestion

After cleansing, follow with Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% which can be used in the morning and evening. Once a week in the PM, you can apply our Salicylic Acid 2% Masque to exfoliate after cleansing. This masque is infused with charcoal and clay to combat dull tone and improve texture leaving skin clean and refreshed. The salicylic acid in this formula targets pore congestion and helps to remove dead skin cells and excess oil, which promotes softer, smoother skin.

After the Salicylic Acid 2% Masque you can apply the Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% before the next step.

For Uneven Skin Tone

Add Glycolic Acid 7% Exfoliating Toner after cleansing your skin, an exfoliator that significantly smoothes skin texture and promotes the appearance of a more even skin tone, as well as more luminous skin, with regular use. Follow with Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% which can be used in the morning and evening.

For Dry Skin

Add Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 before or after Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% for an added hydration boost. This is the second generation of our most-loved hydration serum that instantly hydrates and plumps, while smoothing texture and wrinkles.

Niacinamide is a versatile and powerful ingredient that offers numerous benefits for various skin types and concerns. From its historical use to its modern-day applications, niacinamide continues to be a vital component of effective skincare routines.

Whether you're using our Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% serum or our Niacinamide 5% Face and Body Emulsion, you can achieve healthier-looking skin.