Use vitamin C for hyperpigmentation caused by melanin and use niacinamide if your skin can't handle vitamin C. Keep in mind this is a very hard and fast rule because they aren't easy to compare without really knowing your skin concerns and skin sensitivity.
Both vitamin C and niacinamide increase the natural production of ceramides in your skin which helps to strengthen your skin barrier, keep your skin hydrated, and reduce irritation. However, niacinamide is probably the better option for sensitive skin as it's usually gentler than vitamin C.
Also known as vitamin B3, niacinamide is a potent antioxidant that works to protect and soothe skin while supporting a healthy skin barrier to reduce the impact of environmental damage. It is best known for its ability to minimize the look of discoloration and dark spots, resulting in a more even-toned complexion.
Niacinamide serum will help you deal with the signs of aging, lessen the fine lines, and reduce hyperpigmentation on your skin. While Vitamin C will protect your skin from UV rays, increase the collagen production and clear out acne and acne scars.
Now that you know the benefits of each, you're probably asking “can you use niacinamide with vitamin C?” In short, the answer is yes. In fact, the many vitamin C and niacinamide skin benefits complement each other and create a powerful combination that targets fine lines.
Might Lighten Dark Spots
Vitamin C-based skin care products may lighten patches that are darker than the rest of your skin, called hyperpigmentation. In one study, vitamin C applied to the skin for 16 weeks significantly cut down on these spots.
1. Use your vitamin C serum first, and let it dry. Since vitamin C is notoriously unstable, you always want to apply it on clean, dry skin. Then "Let vitamin C completely dry prior to placing niacinamide," says Lamm.
Now that we know it's a perfectly safe combination, feel free to mix niacinamide and vitamin C to your heart's content. However, if you still feel nervous about combining the two ingredients on your sensitive skin, you can always use niacinamide in the morning and vitamin C at night, or even alternate days.
While some niacinamide-containing products start to show initial benefits in two weeks, most results will show in four weeks or more. "You have to remember that it doesn't take two days for spots to form so you can't expect them to be removed in two days either," explains Engelman.
While some niacinamide-containing products start to show initial benefits in two weeks, most results will show in four weeks or more. "You have to remember that it doesn't take two days for spots to form so you can't expect them to be removed in two days either," explains Engelman.
And like niacinamide, it also has anti-aging effects. Vitamin C is crucial for collagen production, improving the look of fine lines and wrinkles, and decreases the production of pigment to help lighten dark spots, explains Birnbaum.
It's an ingredient found in a number of moisturizing skin-care products, as well as certain foods and supplements like multivitamins. Can you use niacinamide every day? Yes. In fact, you can use niacinamide-containing topical products in the morning and night because it's generally a gentle ingredient.
Don't Mix: Niacinamide and vitamin C. Although they're both antioxidants, vitamin C is one ingredient that's not compatible with niacinamide. "Both are very common antioxidants used in a variety of skincare products, but they should not be used one right after the other," says Dr.
What It Does: This potent antioxidant interferes with the production of pigment in the skin, fading dark spots. When You'll See Results: Once you add vitamin C to your skincare regimen, you may start seeing noticeable improvements in three weeks. It can help significantly fade hyperpigmentation in about two months.
First, vitamin C works to help improve the look of dark spots, fine lines, wrinkles and sagging skin. Then, retinol steps in to help improve skin's elasticity. The result is that retinol and other retinoids may help improve skin's texture while helping to minimize the look of fine lines.
Vitamin C has a great ability to speed up healing time which is highly effective at clearing up acne, fading scars, reducing redness and promotes collagen production. It also helps to lighten pigmentation, even out your skin tone, reducing the size and appearance of scarring overall.
Believe it or not, vitamin C is the main ingredient that is advised to avoid when using niacinamide. This is due to the factors I have already mentioned, such as each ingredient delivering similar results to the skin resulting in an imbalance of pH levels and skin irritation being a common side effect.
Niacinamide 10%
Together they reduce sebum, acne marks, erythema and inflammation, and also protect skin against UV-induced DNA damage.
Including a good niacinamide serum in your routine, along with cleansing, toning, and moisturizing, will help reduce the dark spots on your skin. Many/several topical niacinamide products come in the form of serums. You may apply your niacinamide serum after toning, however, before moisturizing.
Answer: Niacinamide is a potent antioxidant and vitamin B3 that enhances moisture, decreases hyperpigmentation, and improves skin suppleness when applied topically. The usage of alpha arbutin on a regular basis can help to even out skin tone and lessen the appearance of dark patches.
Light or laser therapy: Depending on the cause of your dark spots, your dermatologist will either recommend light or laser treatment. These technologies can treat sun damaged skin, conditions like psoriasis, age spots, melasma, and other types of dark spots.