Can You Use Vitamin C and Niacinamide Together?
First off, can you use vitamin c and niacinamide together? Of course, since they are complementary, it might stand to reason that using them both will somehow enhance their effects.
Despite the daily skin care routine, can you use vitamin c and niacinamide together? Sure! It can do miracles for the look and health of your skin.
This has to do with choosing the perfect products for your skin type and concerns is overwhelming when you have so many ingredients to sift through.
Vitamin C and niacinamide are two active ingredients that are two of the most sought-after ingredients and have a wide range of potential benefits from lessening inflammation to making your skin look brighter.
But if you’ve read earlier advice that cautioned against using vitamin C and niacinamide at the same time, you might wonder whether using both products is such a good idea after all.
These ingredients show up in a great deal of skin care products, so you might want to make sure that you can safely use them in your routine while shopping around for new products to test.
Is it Safe to Use Vitamin C and Niacinamide Together?
The good news is this: Yes, you can mix products with vitamin C and products with niacinamide in your skin care regimen.
Naturally, since you will probably be storing and using your skin care products at room temperature, you technically don’t have a chance of creating nicotinic acid when you blend them in your home.
With that said, if you ever have any doubt about whether or not it’s safe to put two skin care products together, a dermatologist will always be able to offer some advice.
How do they Work for One’s Complexion?
Now that you know it’s safe to use both ingredients, you might want to find out more about their actual skin benefits.
Offering pro-aging support. Vitamin C will boost collagen levels, which can tighten skin and reduce fine lines and wrinkles.
Lightening the complexion. Vitamin C can reduce hyperpigmentation, or dark spots on the skin, and even out dullness, restoring your skin to its radiance.
Inflammation reduction. Vitamin C will also smooth out red or inflamed spots of skin — just keep in mind that it might actually be irritating you if you have sensitive skin.
Scarring reduction. Vitamin C also accelerates the healing of wounds, so it could potentially end up reducing scarring of acne and other wounds to the skin.
What are the Benefits of Niaicinamide to Your Skin?
Niacinamide, is a derivative of vitamin B3, also possesses several possible skin advantages, including:
1. Improved Hydration
Niacinamide hydrates your skin and strengthens your skin barrier, which can help prevent water loss.
2. Reduced Hyperpigmentation
Like vitamin C, niacinamide can help to even out skin tone by reducing areas of hyperpigmentation on your skin.
3. Aging Support
Niacinamide also helps to reduce the appearance of wrinkles, fine lines, and other signs of skin aging.
4. Shrink the Appearance of Pores
While you can’t actually shrink pores, topical niacinamide may make them seem smaller. Consult with a dermatologist about trying out topical niacinamide, which may balance sebum production and lead to fewer bouts of acne. And it will also minimize redness and inflammation.
Lastly, Anti-inflammatory functions in niacinamide make it a great ingredient in the treatment of redness or discolouration, flushing, and inflammation as a result of conditions like rosacea.
Read more about niacinamide and its advantages to your skin.
How to Add them in Your Skincare Routine
Interested in how you can incorporate these ingredients into your skin care routine? If one product has a thinner formulation, apply that one first — but it’s also possible to find some products, like serums or masks, that contain both components.
A few things to keep in mind when adding new products to your routine:
1. Slow Down
Add one new product at a time and give yourself a week or more before adding another product. If your skin is extra sensitive, add an extra week or two before adding something else.
2. Start with One at a Time
Even if your skin is tolerant of everything you use pretty well, it’s never hurting anything to get new products phased in gradually — particularly if you already have several products. This can give your skin extra time to adjust.
3. Always Patch Test Before
If you are considering a new facial product, first test it on a small area of facial skin, like behind your ear or on your jawline. Apply a small amount of product and wait at least 24 hours. If you do not notice any irritation, then it is safe to use the product on your whole face.
While most skin care products use stable forms of vitamin C instead of ascorbic acid, which can become unstable when exposed to sunlight and oxygen, you’ll still want to keep any products containing vitamin C at room temperature, away from sunlight.
Are there any Potential Side Effects?
There’s always a possibility that skin care products just won’t be compatible with your skin, even if they’re formulated with ingredients — like vitamin C and niacinamide — that are known to have positive effects on the skin.
Many various other things — your skin type, your genes, and any pre-existing skin issues — can all influence whether a particular skin care product will suit you.
That’s why it’s important to do a patch test, first of all, but also pay attention to any signs of a potential unwanted reaction.
You might not notice any adverse effects right away, but you might begin to notice more breakouts, or other irritation, a few days or weeks down the line. Skin irritation is the most common side effect with both niacinamide and vitamin C.
The Takeaway
Both niacinamide and vitamin C can work wonders for your skin. Apply them one on top of the other, or try a product that has both, just remember to patch test first.
Keep in mind, too, that it’s always best to talk to a dermatologist first when trying new skin care ingredients if you have extremely sensitive skin or a skin problem like rosacea or cystic acne.
