What does niacinamide do for your skin, and what exactly is it?

• What does niacinamide do for your skin
• How does niacinamide work
• What percentage of niacinamide do you need
• Niacinamide versus niacin and the flush
• What skin type is niacinamide suitable for
• How and when do you use niacinamide
• Is niacinamide safe
• Frequently asked questions

• Niacinamide is a form of vitamin B3 that strengthens the skin barrier and soothes redness.
• It stimulates the skin's natural production of ceramides, helping it retain moisture more effectively.
• It is suitable for all skin types, including oily and sensitive skin, and skin with rosacea.
• More is not better: a lower concentration, such as 3%, works well and is gentler.
• Niacinamide does not cause flushing; that warm, red sensation is associated with niacin.

Niacinamide does several things at once. These are the most important.

• It strengthens the skin barrier and helps your skin retain moisture
• It has a soothing effect and reduces redness
• It regulates sebum production, which is beneficial for oily or blemish-prone skin
• It helps fade dark spots and creates a more even complexion
• It improves skin texture and makes fine lines less noticeable

Because it does so much at once, niacinamide fits into almost any routine.

The power of niacinamide lies in the barrier. Niacinamide stimulates the production of ceramides and free fatty acids, the natural fats that keep your skin barrier strong and complete.

With a stronger barrier, your skin loses less moisture and is better protected against external influences. In addition, niacinamide inhibits substances that cause redness and irritation, making your skin look calmer. You can read more about that protective layer in our explanation of restoring ceramides and the skin barrier.

More is not necessarily better here. The effect of niacinamide plateaus above a certain concentration, while the risk of irritation increases at higher percentages.

A well-formulated product with a lower percentage, for example around 3 to 5 percent, works perfectly well for most people and is gentler on the skin. That is why Barrier+ uses 3% niacinamide, in combination with other barrier-supporting ingredients. If you see 10% or more on a package, that is not necessarily better, and can sometimes be less pleasant for sensitive skin.

Niacinamide is often confused with niacin, which causes unnecessary concern. Both are forms of vitamin B3, but they are not the same.

Niacin, also known as nicotinic acid, can cause a flush—a temporary warm and red sensation on the skin. Niacinamide, also known as nicotinamide, does not cause this flush. In skincare, it is almost always niacinamide, so you do not need to worry about that warm, red sensation.

Niacinamide is suitable for all skin types. It is gentle enough for sensitive skin and at the same time ideal for oily or blemish-prone skin, as it helps regulate sebum production.

Niacinamide can also be soothing for redness, rosacea, or easily irritated skin due to its calming properties. Because it is so gentle, you can use it daily.

Niacinamide is easy to use and suitable for both morning and evening. Apply it to cleansed skin, before or in your moisturizer.

It pairs well with other ingredients.

• With ceramides, because niacinamide stimulates your skin's own ceramide production while you replenish them
• With humectants such as hyaluronic acid for extra hydration
• With retinol, because niacinamide often makes retinol better tolerated and supports the barrier while retinol does its work

The Barrier+ Cream brings it all together. The cream combines 3% niacinamide with five ceramides, hyaluronic acid, and squalane.

Niacinamide is known as a mild and well-tolerated ingredient, suitable for daily use. Side effects are rare. If you still experience redness or a stinging sensation, the concentration is probably too high for your skin, or your skin is reacting to another ingredient in the product.

Niacinamide is generally considered safe in skincare, even during pregnancy. If in doubt, consult your doctor or midwife.

Niacinamide is a gentle all-rounder that strengthens the skin barrier, soothes redness and keeps the skin balanced. You don't need a high concentration of it, and it combines well with ceramides, hyaluronic acid and retinol.

If you want niacinamide in your daily routine, the Syrene Barrier+ Cream was developed for that purpose. The cream combines 3% niacinamide with five ceramides, hyaluronic acid and squalane to support the skin barrier.

If you want to read on, also check out what ceramides do and how to repair your skin barrier.