Niacinamide and glycolic acid are both common ingredients in exfoliating products. Glycolic acid helps to break down the top layer of dead skin cells to encourage a smoother complexion. Niacinamide increases the skin's elasticity to help improve the appearance of fine wrinkles and lines.
Your Acid Won't Be Effective
For glycolic acid, it's typically between pH 3.0 and 4.0. But niacinamide has a much higher pH, around 6.0. So if you mix the two ingredients together, the niacinamide is going to raise the pH of the glycolic acid, so it will no longer be acidic.
Both niacinamide and AHAs/BHAs (like glycolic, lactic, and salicylic acids) can help to improve skin texture, pigmentation, acne, and signs of aging, but mixing or layering these ingredients won't necessarily have any benefits. Acids have a low pH of 3-4, whereas niacinamide has a higher pH at around 5-7.
But overall, stick to using water-based products and serums together. AHAs and BHAs, such as glycolic, salicylic, and lactic acids should never be used with Vitamin C. Vitamin C is an acid, too, and is unstable, so the pH balance will be thrown off by layering these ingredients together and might as well be useless.
The variance of pH between glycolic acid and niacinamide products can make the products less effective when used together. If you apply niacinamide directly after glycolic acid, it may potentially raise your skin's pH. Unfortunately, it has been shown that AHAs (i.e., glycolic acid) don't absorb as well at higher pHs.
Don't use it daily otherwise you risk damaging your skin barrier by over-exfoliating. Do not apply it on damp skin! Glycolic Acid increases sensitivity towards the sun so a good sunscreen is mandatory.
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.
Glycolic acid works to exfoliate the skin, speed up cell turnover, and boost collagen production. Glycolic acid helps to clear pores, smooth fine wrinkles, improve skin tone, fade dark patches and sun damage, and hydrate skin for a more youthful appearance.
Retinol has similar benefits, but it's stronger than niacinamide. It's also known to cause irritation, redness, and dry skin. Pairing the two ingredients is safe and can make retinol easier to use. Niacinamide helps hydrate the skin, which reduces the risk of irritation caused by retinol.
Using glycolic acid peel 2-3x times a week at night is best initially. Glycolic acid can do its magic also on your hands and legs. Because you get dark spots there as you age. For best results, you can use it daily.
For people with acne, the benefit of glycolic acid is that the peeling results in less “gunk” that clogs the pores. This includes dead skin cells and oil. With less to clog the pores, the skin can clear, and you'll usually have fewer breakouts.
After using glycolic acid, apply a hydrating serum or gel (to hydrate your newly exfoliated skin) followed by a more occlusive moisturizer (to seal in all the moisture). Only use glycolic acid in your nighttime routine, and always apply sunscreen in the morning after glycolic acid treatment.
-Niacinamide (Vitamin B3): Reduces the appearance of skin blemishes and signs of congestion, visibly brightens skin tone.
Though some people do report experiencing irritation and breakouts after using the ingredient, niacinamide is unlikely to cause purging.
Niacinamide helps build cells in the skin while also protecting them from environmental stresses, such as sunlight, pollution, and toxins. Treats acne. Niacinamide may be helpful for severe acne, especially inflammatory forms like papules and pustules. Over time, you may see fewer lesions and improved skin texture.
Niacinamide can stabilize the melanosome activity within the cells, which can improve residual hyperpigmentation from acne scars as well as those who suffer from melasma.
Blackheads can be solved with consistent – and gentle – exfoliation. And for gentle, effective exfoliation there is no better ingredient to use than glycolic acid. Glycolic acid banishes blackheads with a trifecta of blemish-busting properties.
Basically, if you're a human being you can probably benefit from Glycolic acid. The ingredient specifically treats wrinkles, hyper-pigmentation, and acne prone skin, so if one or more of these is a skincare concern of yours, it's worthy of your top shelf. It takes that very top layer of the skin and removes it.
Because glycolic acid can work deeper into the skin layer, it's generally recommended for uneven skin texture. In which case, if you have acne scars and wrinkles, glycolic acid is for you. On the other hand, lactic acid is a gentler exfoliant that's suitable for dry to sensitive skin types.
“While hyaluronic acid helps in hydrating your skin, glycolic acid exfoliates dead skin cells,” he explains. It's one of the safest alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs) you'll find in skincare products—meaning, unlike hyaluronic acid, glycolic acid actually is an acid.
To clear blackheads, glycolic acid can take 3-4 weeks to take effect for clearer, congestion-free skin. This is because it takes time and repeated use for glycolic acid to break down pore-blocking dead skin cells and debris for clearer skin that doesn't have any congestion.
To remove fake tan
Whether you've experienced a fake tanning disaster or want to speedily remove the patchy remnants of last week's tan, glycolic acid is ideal for fake tan removal.
Does glycolic acid have any side effects? Since it's a powerful acid, you run the risk of skin irritation or burns.
These are AHA (alpha hydroxyl acids) peels which are derived from natural sources like glycolic acid, which in turn is derived from sugarcane extract. You may have to repeat 4-5 sessions to even up the skin and lighten the tan.