The ingredient that turns up in almost everything, and one the experts have strong views on. What it does, what the research shows, how strong it needs to be, and what 11 skincare experts said about it on camera.
Niacinamide is in your serum, your moisturiser, maybe your sunscreen and your cleanser too. So is it actually doing anything? Do you need the 10% bottle everyone talks about, or is less better? Can it really shrink your pores? And is it true you cannot use it with vitamin C?
The truthful answer is a little more nuanced. Most of the experts we follow like it as a gentle helper for the skin barrier, redness and oil. A vocal few are sceptical, and their doubt is mostly not about whether it does anything. It is about how much it can do on its own.
That split is why niacinamide's own Guru Score, 73%, sits lower than its popularity might suggest. The score counts every verdict from 32 mentions by 11 experts, among them dermatologists, a doctor who specialises in skin of colour and independent skincare reviewers. The sceptics' main point is strength: the studies mostly used 2% to 5% [5, 6, 7], while the best-known serums sell 10% and more. Below, what the experts said sits next to what the studies found, so you can see where the two line up.
Niacinamide is a form of vitamin B3 used in skincare to support the skin barrier, calm redness, cut down oil and fade dark spots. The experts we follow are mostly warm on it, with a vocal few sceptics. Small trials back each of those jobs, mostly at 2% to 5% [3, 5, 6, 7]. The sceptics' point is about strength and expectations: several of them say 10% serums add irritation rather than results, and that niacinamide is a supporting player, not a star.
| Question | What we found |
|---|---|
| What is it used for? | Supporting the skin barrier, calming redness, reducing oil and fading dark spots [2, 3, 5, 6]. |
| Do skincare experts recommend it? | Mostly, with real pushback from a few sceptics about strength and hype. |
| What strength works? | Most studies used 2% to 5% [5, 6, 7, 8, 9]. Several experts think 10% and above is more than you need. |
| Is it the same as niacin? | No. Both are forms of vitamin B3, but niacinamide does not cause the flushing niacin is known for [2]. |
| Can you use it with vitamin C? | Yes. Trials have tested the two together in one formula, and they were well tolerated [12, 13]. |
| Does it shrink pores? | The trials we read measured less oil, not smaller pores [5]. One of our experts says pore size cannot be changed. |
Niacinamide (also called nicotinamide) is a form of vitamin B3. It is a different thing from nicotinic acid, the form of vitamin B3 known for causing flushing [2]. In skincare it is a water-soluble ingredient that most skin tolerates well [1, 2], which is a big part of why it ended up in so many products.
It does several jobs rather than one. It helps skin make more ceramides, the fats that hold the skin barrier together [3]. It slows the handover of pigment from pigment cells to the skin cells around them, which is how it fades dark spots [6]. And it has been shown to reduce oil on the skin's surface [5].
Inside cells it is also a building block of NAD+, a molecule cells need for energy and repair [1]. Dr Dray points to this in one of her videos as part of why she rates it. It is also why the idea of niacinamide as a do-everything ingredient took hold, and that idea is exactly what the sceptics push back on.
In lab-grown skin cells, nicotinamide raised ceramide production several-fold, and applied to dry skin it raised ceramide levels and cut water loss [3]. A niacinamide moisturiser used twice a day for 4 weeks improved barrier function in 50 people with rosacea [4].
Dr Dray recommends it for rosacea because it calms inflammation and helps the moisture barrier. The research fits: alongside the rosacea study above [4], a 12 week trial of 5% niacinamide found less red blotchiness on the treated side of the face [7].
In 100 people, a 2% niacinamide product lowered the rate at which skin made oil after 2 and 4 weeks. In a second group of 30, surface oil fell after 6 weeks, though the oil production rate did not [5]. For acne, an 8 week trial in 76 people found 4% nicotinamide gel did about as well as 1% clindamycin, an antibiotic gel [9].
A 5% niacinamide moisturiser reduced hyperpigmentation compared with the plain base after 4 weeks [6]. In melasma it helps, but it is not the strongest option: see the research section below [8, 12].
The fans outnumber the sceptics, but the sceptics make the more interesting case. Here is what each of them said on camera, with a link to the moment they said it.
Without a doubt, it is actually one of the more evidence-based cosmetic ingredients we have available to us. [...] Clinical studies show that topical niacinamide can help with discoloration. It can help with improving skin moisturization. It can help with redness. And it can also help with something known as glycation, which leads to skin yellowing.Watch ▸
It's got niacinamide as you know I do love niacinamide. Niacinamide basically does everything. It controls your sebum levels if you have acne. It helps to minimize your pore size.Watch ▸
But my knock on niacinamide is always not the lack of benefits. It's [...] the effectiveness. I believe that niacinamide has a low ceiling. I think it's a supporting ingredient at heart and will always be. [...] I think it's a perfect complement for retinol. I think it is a suitable alternative for the person who can't use retinol, but I would not expect the world of it at any point.Watch ▸
I believe that niacinamide in moderation as part of a comprehensive skincare routine is absolutely wonderful, but expecting it to do everything with just one ingredient, you're just setting yourself up for failure. Studies show it works best at between a two and a five percent concentration. But we have products formulating with 10%, [...] 20%, 12%.Watch ▸
I don't like niacinamide serums. [...] I like niacinamide in my products. You find your cleansers [...] and your moisturizers with niacinamide. That's great for skin brightening to some degree, but it's not your main player. It's not going to replace vitamin C. It's not going to replace a prescription retinoid for decreasing dark spots.Watch ▸
Most of the experts back it, but the sceptics are clear, so the caveats are where the useful detail sits.
The evidence is broad but mostly small. The best-known trial gave 50 women 5% niacinamide on one side of the face and a plain base on the other, twice a day for 12 weeks. The niacinamide side had fewer fine lines and wrinkles, fewer dark spots, less red blotchiness and less sallowness, and better elasticity [7].
For pigmentation it works, but modestly. In a split-face melasma trial of 27 people over 8 weeks, 44% had a good to excellent result on the 4% niacinamide side against 55% on the 4% hydroquinone side, with fewer side effects on the niacinamide side (18% against 29%) [8]. In a 2024 trial of 50 women with melasma, a 10% nicotinamide formula with a vitamin C derivative cut melasma scores by 32% over 60 days, against 43% for hydroquinone [12].
The skin cancer research is about tablets, not creams. In a trial of 386 people at high risk, 500 mg of nicotinamide by mouth twice a day for a year meant 23% fewer new non-melanoma skin cancers, and the benefit did not last once people stopped taking it [10]. That is a medical decision for a doctor, not a reason to buy a serum.
This is the heart of the disagreement. The trials above mostly used 2% to 5% [5, 6, 7, 8, 9]. Many of the best-selling serums use 10%, and some go higher. Where 10% has been tested, it was mixed with other ingredients, so the trial cannot tell you what the extra niacinamide added on its own [12].
The experts who are lukewarm on niacinamide are mostly lukewarm on that jump. Dr Dray, who rates niacinamide highly, notes in the same video that the studies used 2% to 5% and asks whether 10% or 20% is necessary, putting much of the irritation people report down to high strengths and to stacking several niacinamide products at once. Mad About Skin makes the same point and says the higher strengths mostly brought extra irritation and sensitivity. Dr. Daniel Sugai goes further: he calls 10% serums overhyped and says they will not change the size of your pores.
Not everyone agrees. Nipun Kapur, a skincare consultant, suggests 5% if your skin is sensitive and up to 10% if it is not, and Dr. Vanita Rattan rates a 5% niacinamide gel highly.
Most trials applied niacinamide twice a day [4, 7, 9]. It does not have to come from a serum: Dr. Daniel Sugai prefers getting it from cleansers, moisturisers and sunscreens that contain it, and a moisturiser was what several trials tested [4, 6].
Either. Dr. Aleksandra Brown says it can be used morning and evening, and likes it best in the evening on clean skin. If you use it in the morning, follow it with sunscreen.
Cleanse, then a niacinamide serum if you use one, then moisturiser, then sunscreen in the morning. If your moisturiser or sunscreen already contains niacinamide, you may not need a separate serum at all.
Choose a 2% to 5% product, and check how many of your products already contain niacinamide before adding another. If you get stinging, itching or redness, cut back.
Niacinamide is one of the easiest ingredients to pair. The usual rule still applies: add one new active at a time, so you can tell what your skin is reacting to.
The old warning that you cannot mix them goes back to lab chemistry from the 1960s, which studied how the two interact in a solution [11]. It has not held up in people. Recent trials have put niacinamide and a form of vitamin C in the same product, and the combinations were well tolerated [12, 13]. Use them together, or split them morning and night if you prefer.
A favourite pairing among the experts. Doctorly call niacinamide a perfect complement for retinol, and Dr. Daniel Sugai likes that several retinol products already contain it. Let your skin settle into retinol first if you are new to it.
A popular partnership for dark spots. A small 8 week trial in 42 women found a cream with 2% niacinamide and 2% tranexamic acid reduced facial pigmentation more than the plain base cream [14].
Niacinamide does not exfoliate, so it adds no peeling of its own. If you use AHAs or BHAs, bring niacinamide in once your skin is comfortable with them, and watch for irritation adding up.
The best one for you depends on your skin and your budget, so here is the top-rated pick for each need, from the products below.
NaturiumNiacinamide Cleansing Gelée 3%
Gentle yet cleanses effectively
85%Guru Score from 4 experts
Best budget pick
MinimalistNiacinamide 5% Serum
Clinically functional 5% concentration
84%Guru Score from 4 experts
Best for oily skin
DermacoNiacinamide Radiant Serum 5%
Watery gel texture
84%Guru Score from 3 experts
Best for dry skin
SkinFixCeramide Prime+ Whipped Cream with Niacinamide
Light whipped texture, spreads smoothly
85%Guru Score from 3 experts
Best for sensitive skin
APLBGlutathione Niacinamide Facial Cream
Breathable, non-greasy texture
85%Guru Score from 3 expertsA score for the ingredient does not carry over to every product that contains it. Strength, formula and what else is in the bottle all change the verdict. These are the highest-scoring products with niacinamide in the name that at least three experts have rated, ranked by Guru Score.
NaturiumNiacinamide Cleansing Gelée 3%
Rated by 4 experts
85%Guru Score
SkinFixCeramide Prime+ Whipped Cream with Niacinamide
Rated by 3 experts
85%Guru Score
APLBGlutathione Niacinamide Facial Cream
Rated by 3 experts
85%Guru Score
MinimalistNiacinamide 5% Serum
Rated by 4 experts
84%Guru Score
Good MoleculesNiacinamide Toning Essence
Rated by 4 experts
84%Guru Score
PuritoGalacto Niacinamide 97 Power Essence
Rated by 3 experts
84%Guru Score
DermacoNiacinamide Radiant Serum 5%
Rated by 3 experts
84%Guru Score
BubbleDay Dream Vitamin C + Niacinamide Tone & Texture Serum
Rated by 8 experts
The catch: Vitamin C derivative, not L-ascorbic acid
83%Guru Score
NaturiumNiacinamide Gel Cream 5%
Rated by 4 experts
83%Guru Score
Glow RecipeWatermelon Glow Niacinamide Dewy Flush
Rated by 4 experts
82%Guru Score
Good MoleculesNiacinamide with Ectoin Serum
Rated by 4 experts
82%Guru Score
Paula's Choice5% Niacinamide Body Serum
Rated by 6 experts
The catch: Too thin for body use alone
79%Guru ScoreNiacinamide supports the skin barrier, calms redness, reduces oil and fades dark spots. It helps skin make more ceramides [3], slows the transfer of pigment to skin cells [6], and lowered surface oil in trials [5]. Most of the skincare experts we follow are warm on it, though a few think it is overhyped.
Mostly because of strength and hype rather than safety. Doctorly call it a supporting ingredient with a low ceiling, Mad About Skin says it does a lot of things but none of them especially well, and Dr. Daniel Sugai calls 10% serums overhyped. Their shared point is that it helps, but it will not replace stronger treatments such as retinoids or vitamin C.
Most studies used 2% to 5% [5, 6, 7, 8, 9], and several of our experts think that is enough. Many popular serums use 10% or more, which some experts link to irritation. Where 10% has been tested, it was mixed with other ingredients [12]. If a strong serum stings, try a lower strength.
Yes. The warning against mixing them traces back to lab chemistry from the 1960s on how the two interact in a solution [11]. Recent trials have combined niacinamide with a form of vitamin C in one product, and the combinations were well tolerated [12, 13]. If your skin is sensitive, you can still split them between morning and night.
Probably not their actual size. The trials we read showed niacinamide reduced oil on the skin [5], which can make pores look less obvious. Dr. Daniel Sugai says pore size itself cannot be changed, while Dr. Vanita Rattan says it helps to minimise pores. Keeping pores clear and wearing sunscreen are what the experts suggest.
It can help. In an 8 week trial of 76 people, 4% nicotinamide gel did about as well as 1% clindamycin gel on inflamed acne [9], and a 2% product reduced oil on the skin [5]. Dr. Vanita Rattan rates it in moisturisers for oily, acne-prone skin. It works best alongside other acne treatments rather than instead of them.
Yes, modestly. A 5% moisturiser reduced hyperpigmentation compared with a plain base after 4 weeks [6]. In melasma trials niacinamide helped, but hydroquinone did a little better, with niacinamide causing fewer side effects [8, 12]. Daily sunscreen matters as much as anything you put on underneath it.
It can help. A niacinamide moisturiser improved barrier function in 50 people with rosacea over 4 weeks [4], and 5% niacinamide reduced red blotchiness in a 12 week trial [7]. Dr Dray recommends it for rosacea because it calms inflammation and supports the moisture barrier.
It is gentle for most people, but it can. Dr Dray puts much of the irritation people report down to high strengths and to stacking several niacinamide products at once, and Dr. Daniel Sugai says a 10% serum is more likely to irritate than help. If you notice stinging, itching or redness, use fewer products with it or a lower strength.
Yes. Most trials applied it twice a day for 4 to 12 weeks [4, 7, 9]. It can go in morning or evening, and Dr. Aleksandra Brown likes it best in the evening on clean skin. If your skin is sensitive, start with one product a day at 2% to 5%.
Yes, and the experts like the pairing. Doctorly call niacinamide a perfect complement for retinol, and several retinol products already include it. If you are new to retinol, let your skin settle into it first, then add niacinamide.
No. Both are forms of vitamin B3, but niacinamide (also called nicotinamide) does not cause the flushing that niacin (nicotinic acid) is known for [2]. Nicotinamide tablets are a separate thing again: a trial found they lowered new skin cancers in people at high risk [10], which is a decision for a doctor.
Ask your doctor or midwife first. Nipun Kapur, a skincare consultant, includes a niacinamide serum in a routine for pregnant and nursing mothers and calls it safe, but we found little published research on using it on the skin during pregnancy or while breastfeeding.
11 experts, 32 mentions, every one traced to a video you can watch. Sponsored takes are excluded.
This guide combines two kinds of information. The expert consensus comes from 32 mentions of niacinamide by 11 skincare experts in their YouTube videos. Each one was read, given a Yay, Mixed or Nay verdict and linked to the moment it was said. Sponsored takes are excluded. The research sections summarise published studies and medical sources, listed in full above.
The Guru Score measures how warmly the experts talk about niacinamide. It is not a measure of clinical effectiveness, and this guide is not medical advice. It has not been reviewed by a doctor.
This guide is general information, not medical advice. The Guru Score reflects how warmly the experts we track talk about niacinamide; it is not a measure of clinical efficacy. Speak to a dermatologist or doctor about a diagnosed skin condition, and before using any medicine.
Hyram
Kelly Driscoll
Nipun Kapur
The Style and Beauty Doctor