The not-so-new but very hot-right-now skincare ingredient!
A few years back, I wrote an article about niacinamide—an ingredient on the cusp of widespread fame and fortune. At the time, my article went viral. It may have been how you first found The Beauty Issue and me.
It was 2015, which doesn’t seem so long ago, but here we are many years later, and niacinamide is now so well known it’s been elevated to the right royal status of an American Princess.
Not only has almost every skincare brand jumped on the niacinamide bandwagon and added it to their repertoire but so too have many, many, many skincare and beauty mavens rushed out for the latest niacinamide serum and added it to their routine.
Sometimes it’s a good idea to add a healthy dose of scepticism when a new ingredient goes viral across the internet; but not this time.
Niacinamide is not new; it just might be new(ish) to you and the wider beauty industry. It’s certainly not new to your body. It’s an essential nutrient, and you’ll get it from foods like chicken or fish or when you eat avocado, mushrooms, brown rice, and whole wheat; even the humble potato will give you an adequate supply of this important nutrient.
Your body doesn’t make niacinamide, so you must get your supply from the foods you eat.
However, fear not as a niacinamide B3 deficiency is rare. Still, if you consume alcohol above what’s considered healthy (more than 150ml per day), you risk developing a vitamin B3 shortfall, detrimental to your health and, eventually, your skin.
Here’s an article that details the 16 foods that are high in niacinamide.
So is niacinamide in your skincare worth all the hype?
Yes, absolutely. Applying niacinamide is very important to skin health. You’ll have healthy and more resilient skin as niacinamide supports the formation of your protective lipid barrier. Niacinamide will also improve the skin’s immunity by protecting the immune cells known as Langerhans, and niacinamide will inhibit the transfer of patchy pigmented cells within the skin.
I’ve written extensively about niacinamide as a skincare ingredient. If you’d like to know more about the ins and outs and the benefits of this exceptional nutrient, then you might like to check out these two articles.
Niacinamide: 8 Reasons Why You Need It.
Niacinamide: Your Plan B For Better Skin.
4 ways you can include niacinamide skin care in your daily routine.
#1 
Improving your protective barrier with niacinamide B3.
Environ’s Skin EssentiA Botanical Infused Moisturising Toner
I know what you’re thinking. A toner? Well, yes, and it’s true there was a time when I would have said NO to the use of a toner, but toners have evolved, and if it has all the right ingredients, they will boost your skincare efforts.
Think of this toner as a pre-moisturising essence or lotion to be applied to the skin before your recommended Skin EssentiA AVST Moisturiser or any moisturiser you’re currently using. What’s important is the niacinamide B3 and other antioxidants contained within.
Environ’s Botanical Infused Moisturising Toner feels more like a beautiful essence with a light, silky feeling; as you smooth it over your skin, it will increase the skin’s moisture balance and maintain the lipid barrier function to protect your skin against environmental stress.
I rarely miss a day without applying my moisturising toner. It feels great, and because it’s pre-moisturising my skin, it’s also improving the absorption of other serums and creams applied afterwards. Big win!
You can apply it directly onto your skin with your fingertips or apply it with a damp cotton pad. Your choice.
#2 Niacinamide plus peptides for skin resilience and integrity.
Environ’s Youth EssentiA Vita-Peptide Toner
A premium concentrated toner combining niacinamide with a peptide formula to support the skin’s underlying structure keeping the skin resilient to environmental damage while maintaining the integrity of the skin.
Youth EssentiA Vita-Peptide Toner is for all skin types concerned with premature ageing of the skin caused by exposure to the sun and environmental stress.
You can apply this toner directly onto your skin with your fingertips or apply it with a damp cotton pad, whichever way you prefer. You may even hear your skin applauding as this toner fit for a queen hydrates, protects and prepares your skin for environmental exposure.
#3 Extra environmental support throughout the day.
Environ’s Focus Care Comfort+ Complete Anti-Pollution Spritz
Just like toners, I’ve been known to dismiss spritzing the skin. But, when I say this, it’s the activity of spritzing with good ol’ water. It might feel nice, but all you’re doing is wetting your face, only for it to evaporate and take any moisture in your skin with it.
Really, it doesn’t seem to make much sense to me. So, I’m suggesting you swap your water spritzing with something that will actually protect your skin throughout the day.
Focus Care Comfort+ Anti Pollution Spritz is for you if you find yourself constantly exposed to airborne pollutants from city living or if you spend hours in front of your computer or smartphone, which emits blue light. Both pollution and blue light activate free radicals, which contribute to long-term damage to the skin.
It’s packed with useful ingredients to protect the skin, including the propriety blend known as Pollustop®, which assists in forming a protective surface barrier to shield the skin from outdoor and indoor pollutants, niacinamide B3 to protect and repair the skin barrier from past and future damage and vitamin C blended with plant extracts to deactivate the effects of pollution and improve skin resilience.
It’s a spritz, but I prefer to spray onto my hands and massage directly into my skin to reduce any droplets spritzed into the atmosphere and not on my face. But that’s just a personal preference. You do it your way.
#4 Slowing down hyperpigmentation with niacinamide B3.
Environ’s Focus Care Radiance+ Multi-Botanical Mele-Prep Lotion
If you’re keen to protect your skin from the harmful effects of the sun and minimise what’s already visible, then this product is a must-have.
Focus Care Radiance+ Multi Botanical Mela Prep Lotion combines niacinamide and alpha arbutin (bearberry extract) to support the skin by inhibiting the triggers that cause sun-induced hyperpigmentation and Sepi White MSH™ (undecylenoyl phenylalanine) to suppress the melanocyte-stimulating hormone responsible for pigmentation production.
Mela Fade Lotion is part of Environ’s revolutionary Radiance+ Mela Smart 3-Step System. However, if you want to minimise and protect your skin from unwanted patchy pigmentation, you can opt for Radiance+ Mela Prep Lotion in your daily routine.
Are you a royal watcher?
It’s probably worth noting that if niacinamide in your skincare is the newly anointed princess, then vitamin A is still the right royal monarch, and of course, vitamin C is first in line to the throne. There are a few other loyal subjects, but I’ll leave them for another day.
How about you? Does niacinamide feature in your skincare serums or lotions? Need help deciding? You can find me here for advice.
See you next time,
