Niacinamide In The Morning or Night?

There can be a lot of contradicting information out there when it comes to any topic, even niacinamide, and skincare. Some believe niacinamide contributes to skin purging. You may have also heard it described as a vital antioxidant for any routine or skin type, as it strengthens the skin’s protective barrier and brightens any dull skin. Despite what you may have heard, we are here to settle the case once and for all. You may have just found your new favorite ingredient to incorporate into your routine.

What Are the Benefits Of Niacinamide?

This powerful form of Vitamin B3 is a premiere choice for skincare users and for good reason. Due to its versatile capabilities and antioxidant properties, it is recommended for those of all skin types, as it is a gentler ingredient.

As we age, we naturally produce less sebum in the sebaceous glands. This makes it more difficult to maintain moisture in the skin, leading to conditions such as itchiness, redness, and dryness. While men tend to experience this less and not until the average age of 80, women experience this trait typically after menopause.

One of the main reasons niacinamide is a favorite on several lists is its ability to repair the skin and strengthen its overall protective barrier. Free radicals such as excess sun exposure, air pollution, and allergens can all take a beating on the skin’s protective shield. Once these irritants burrow their way beneath the skin’s surface, this can lead to many issues like dryness, inflammation, and acne breakouts.

To avoid these circumstances or maintain them, many choose niacinamide to help retain moisture in the skin. Niacinamide acts as a natural humectant, allowing it to attract water to the skin and lock it in place, leading to smoother, moisturized, and well-nourished skin.

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Should You Use Niacinamide In the AM Or PM?

Niacinamide is recommended to be applied up to two times per day. Given this advice, it is typically applied once in the AM and again in the PM before bed. Unlike retinol, niacinamide doesn’t increase skin sensitivity and higher chance of reactions from the sun. This feature makes it a great addition to any AM routine so you can receive more of its benefits throughout the day, as well as use it to keep the skin’s barrier protected.

With its antioxidant capabilities, this makes niacinamide a reliable ingredient to apply before heading out the door. With all the free radicals and environmental stressors out there that can do damage to the skin, having niacinamide working behind the scenes will leave your skin less stressed and penetrated.

Less damage means fewer symptoms such as irritation or dryness! Though we are not able to control everything that happens to our skin, we can be as prepared as possible.

In your PM routine, niacinamide is another great choice as it further promotes barrier repairs after fighting stressors throughout the day. As it does during the day, niacinamide also works to regenerate new skin cells as old ones die off, leaving your skin’s barrier well-equipped for a new day.

How To Apply Niacinamide In Your Routine?

Niacinamide (and any product or ingredient for that matter) should always be applied on fresh, clean, and dampened skin. The dampness allows for the skincare ingredients to absorb further into the skin, producing more desired effects.

By first cleansing the skin, you are ridding your face of dirt, makeup, sunscreen, excess oils, and any grime that has built up overnight - remember, we shed around 200 million skin cells every hour which can leave traces on our pillowcases! By following a gentle cleanser with Exfoliant Skin Toner, you are preparing your skin for the routine and products to follow.

The basic rule in skincare is applying products from thinnest to thickest. This should go for serums containing niacinamide. Water-based products tend to be lighter, while oil-based formulas will be on the thicker end of the spectrum. Niacinamide falls under water-based categories, allowing it to penetrate more effectively into the skin if applied first.

You should only be incorporating up to two serums in each routine to not overwhelm the skin. If this feels like a small number and you can’t fathom parting ways with a favorite serum, no worries! You can make your routine more diverse and exciting by alternating your products. Use niacinamide and another product you enjoy in the AM and perhaps choose entirely different serums or niacinamide again in the PM.

Once you get comfortable in your routine, you can have more fun and mix up the traditional order. It’s similar to writing a screenplay, as you need to know the rules before breaking them.

Followed by your desired serums, you may engage in post-routine moisturization so that you allow not only moisture to be retained in the skin but the skincare formulas. Always be sure to give yourself a few minutes in between each application so that you give enough time to allow the products to do their work.

Once you have moisturized, you can apply sunscreen before heading out the door. If you’re in your bedtime routine, you may treat yourself to patches or a facial mask for relaxation and skin repair.

Though it carries many benefits, niacinamide and Vitamin C aren’t the best of friends. During the day, you should opt for one or the other but don’t combine them. Once blended, these antioxidants become unstable and lose their skin-healing attributes. Since niacinamide is a gentler ingredient than Vitamin C, users will often utilize its properties to combat dark spots, which can be caused by sun damage or hyperpigmentation.

Vitamin C may not like to spend time with niacinamide, but that doesn’t mean this powerhouse vitamin doesn’t have any friends. Retinol, hyaluronic acid, and salicylic acid are all beneficial to the skin, especially when paired with niacinamide.

Read more on " Does Niacinamide Causes Skin Purging?

summary : niacinamide in the morning or night?

So we’ve learned that niacinamide can be used every day (up to two times per day, to be exact), has multiple capabilities such as maintaining moisture and treating dark spots, and is suitable for all skin types. If niacinamide isn’t already a part of your skincare collection, you might want to check out some products containing this antioxidant as an active ingredient. Your skin will be thanking you later.