You know the credibility of an ingredient when it’s plastered all over bottles and jars followed by an influx of customer reviews, and expert-appreciated benefits. Introducing the industry’s most talked-about ingredient: Niacinamide gaining popularity in the African skincare market and becoming the favourite of not just celebrities, but a household name too. Also known as nicotinamide, it is a popular ingredient that is a form of vitamin B3 designed to work with the natural chemistry of your skin for optimum health. It helps build proteins, protect your moisture barrier from environmental damage and reduces redness—great for those that experience acne and eczema.
Niacinamide is the all-rounder of skincare that works perfectly on people with skin of colour. This skincare multi-tasker can do whatever it takes to make your skin healthy and supple. Let’s break it down how.
Niacinamide is a form of vitamin B3. Vitamin B3 forms an essential nutrient for the body. If your body lacks the presence of niacinamide, then it can cause a myriad of issues pertaining to the skin, kidney, and brain. Niacinamide is a water-soluble ingredient and so it is not sored inside the body. Usually, humans consume this magic ingredient through the various foods items that we eat and, through the different skincare products that we apply.
BENEFITS OF USING NIACINAMIDE FOR SKIN
What exactly does niacinamide do for your skin? A lot, actually. Let’s check out the numerous niacinamide skin benefits for your skin that make the magic ingredient worth being a part of your day and night skincare routine:
1. Goodbye to Acne
Niacinamide is often referred to as a trustworthy remedy for acne or cystic inflammation. The anti-inflammatory properties of niacinamide prevent the occurrence of acne and can treat acne topically through serums and creams.
2. Smaller Pores
The regular use of niacinamide is associated with minimizing the size of pores on your face which improves the appearance of skin. African skin can be prone to pores due to high oil production and niacinamide can work wonders to the skin by reducing its presence over a period of time.
3. Fades Dark Spots
Niacinamide is a proven solution for dark spots, sun spots on the skin and this can be owed to its ability to enhance the collagen production in the skin, irrespective of the type and colour. This multi-tasker also eliminates the transfer of pigments within the skin, which can be contributed to fewer brown spots on the surface of the skin and a smooth skin appearance. This popular skincare ingredient is gaining momentum in the African skincare market for healthier, clearer, and cleaner skin with an even tone.
4. Hydrates Skin
Another immensely effective benefit Niacinamide offers is when you combine it with the right ingredients of vitamin C or hyaluronic acid, it hydrates your skin giving it a supple glow. It boosts your skin’s ability to hold and lock in moisture, thus making it plump, youthful-looking and free from patches. This magic ingredient also acts as a great barrier for your skin to help retain further moisture and acts wonderfully during the tropical seasons, something that is common in the equatorial African regions.
Do you actually need niacinamide in your skincare?
While your body would not naturally produce niacinamide, getting it via diets or topical creams, serums, toners would be a great supplement to keep skin healthy and happy.
For oily skin that’s prone to clogged pores, a water-light serum, and for dry skin, an emollient moisturiser or hydrating toner containing a lower concentration of niacinamide will do the trick. This all-rounder ingredient delivers a beneficial boost to your skin through topical treatments and gives a visible difference between good skin and great skin.
So, while you make sure you maintain a healthy diet with foods rich in niacin through grains, meat, fish, beans etc, you can also give the topical ones a try through the well-deserving skincare products.