Two skincare ingredients that have been making waves in recent years are niacinamide and vitamin C. Both of these amazing ingredients offer a multitude of benefits for your skin, but can they be used together? At Juice Beauty, we believe that what goes on your skin is just as important as what goes into your body.
That’s why we’re here to break down the science behind these ingredients and show you how to incorporate them into your clean, organic skincare routine.
What Are Some of the Skin Benefits of Niacinamide?
Niacinamide, also known as vitamin B3, is a water-soluble vitamin that has become increasingly popular in skincare products. This versatile ingredient offers a wide range of benefits for all skin types.
Here are a few of the many benefits of this nutrient:
Supports Balanced Oil Production
Niacinamide may help support balanced sebum production, making it ideal for those with oily or acne-prone skin. This ingredient can also be helpful for minimizing the appearance of enlarged pores.
Supports Skin Barrier Function
Niacinamide can help support the skin’s protective barrier, reducing moisture loss and helping your skin retain hydration — which, in turn, contributes to a plumper, more youthful appearance.
Reduces Irritation
Niacinamide can help ease irritated skin and calm redness, making it beneficial for those with sensitive skin.
Evens Skin Tone
This ingredient can also help fade the look of dark spots and pigmentation issues, and can improve overall skin clarity and brightness.
Anti-Aging Properties
Niacinamide supports collagen production, meaning it can help reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
For those looking to add niacinamide to their routine, our Stem Cellular Anti-Wrinkle Booster Serum is the perfect choice. In a 4-week clinical study, 95% of participants reported younger and smoother-looking skin and improved tone and texture.
In addition to niacinamide, this product also contains our unique Fruit Stem Cells Blend, Champagne Grape Seed Oil, and Jojoba Oil to keep skin soft and supple.
What Does Vitamin C Do for Your Skin?
Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that has a well-earned reputation for its ability to improve skin tone, help fade dark spots, and target fine lines and wrinkles.
Here are some of vitamin C’s key benefits:
Powerful Antioxidant Protection
Vitamin C can help support your skin cell health during exposure to free radicals, and it works to support your skin against environmental stressors like pollution and UV radiation.
Brightens and Evens Skin Tone
By interacting with melanin-producing cells, vitamin C may help fade the appearance of dark spots and pigmentation concerns for a more radiant, even, bright complexion.
Supports Collagen Production
Vitamin C may help support your body’s natural collagen synthesis, helping to support overall skin fitness and elasticity. This ingredient may also help reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles as a result.
Our Green Apple Age Defy Serum is an excellent source of vitamin C. This organic formula harnesses the power of vitamin C from apple and grape juices to brighten, firm, and protect the skin.
In an independent third-party study, this incredible anti-aging serum performed on average 2.7 times better at providing antioxidant protection than both a leading conventional serum and a top natural serum.
Plus, 59% of participants noted a reduction in fine lines and wrinkles after only four weeks. Visibly brighten skin with this fantastic formula of real juices, antioxidants, and natural oils.
Can You Safely Combine Niacinamide and Vitamin C?
The short answer is yes! Despite some outdated concerns about combining these ingredients, current research shows that niacinamide and vitamin C can be safely and effectively used together. In fact, they can complement each other quite well, offering a synergistic effect that enhances their individual benefits.
Old, misleading studies suggested that combining these ingredients could lead to the formation of niacin, which can cause flushing. This reaction, however, only occurs under extreme heat and pressure, and not in typical skincare formulations or applications. Under normal conditions, niacinamide and vitamin C actually work quite well as a team.
Both ingredients are antioxidants, working together to protect your skin from environmental damage. They can both help improve skin tone and texture, enhancing each other’s brightening effects.
What Are Some Benefits of Combining Niacinamide and Vitamin C?
When used together, niacinamide and vitamin C can offer myriad benefits for your skin:
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Enhanced Antioxidant Protection: Both ingredients work to support your cells against free radicals, providing superior defense against environmental stressors.
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Improved Skin Brightening: The combination can lead to more effective fading of dark spots and overall skin brightening.
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Support for Collagen Production: While vitamin C directly supports collagen production, niacinamide further supports this process, leading to firmer, more youthful-looking skin.
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Better Hydration: Niacinamide helps maintain your skin’s barrier function, allowing for better retention of the hydration provided by your moisturizer.
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Reduced Redness: The soothing properties of both ingredients can help soothe irritated skin and reduce redness.
How To Effectively Layer Niacinamide and Vitamin C
To get the most out of niacinamide and vitamin C, it’s important to apply them correctly. Here’s a suggestion for how you can incorporate these into your daily skincare routine.
Cleanse
Start with a gentle, pH-balanced cleanser like our Stem Cellular Cleansing Oil. If you have oily skin, you may want to double cleanse, using a cleansing oil first, and following up with a gentle foaming cleanser.
Tone
If you use a toner (we highly recommend), apply it with a cotton round after cleansing your skin. You’ll pick up any little impurities your cleanser may have missed.
Add Serum or Other Treatment
After cleansing and toning, you will want to go in with the serum of your choice. If you’re already using other products that contain vitamin C and niacinamide, we suggest our Signal Peptides Firming Serum.
Luxuriously lightweight, this micro-serum is formulated with firming rice peptides, wild burberry seed oil, shea butter, and sunflower lipids for firmer, tighter, smoother skin. 97% of study participants reported smoother skin, while 91% reported firmer skin.
Moisturize
Once you’ve allowed your serum to absorb for a few minutes, follow up with your favorite moisturizer. If you want to pack a one-two punch with both vitamin C and niacinamide in one product, try our Prebiotix C-Boost72 Hydrating Whipped Cream 20% Vitamin C Niacinamide Glow Complex.
In a 4-week clinical study, 93% of users reported a visible improvement in skin dryness and dry patches, while 86% noticed a visibly brighter complexion.
Apply Sunscreen
No skincare routine is complete without sunscreen. Protecting your skin from the sun’s harmful rays is non-negotiable, so make this a part of your beauty routine, even on cloudy days.
If you’re a makeup wearer, reach for our Stem Cellular CC Cream with zinc and SPF 30. If not, check out our SPF 30 Matte Oil-Free Moisturizer that gets rid of extra shine while protecting your skin.
What Other Ingredients Do I Need in My Skincare?
While niacinamide and vitamin C are excellent additions to any skincare routine, a well-rounded routine should include other key ingredients.
Here are a few that we love:
- Hyaluronic Acid: Hydrates and plumps the skin and helps with fine lines and wrinkles.
- Peptides: Support collagen production, skin firmness, and elasticity.
- Antioxidants: Protect against environmental damage. Many of our products are packed full of antioxidants from fruit stem cells and juices.
- Retinol: Promotes cell turnover and helps reduce visible signs of aging.
The Bottom Line
Incorporating niacinamide and vitamin C into your skincare routine can lead to brighter, healthier, and more youthful-looking skin. These powerhouse ingredients work well together, offering complementary benefits that can address a wider range of skin concerns.
At Juice Beauty, we are committed to providing clean, organic skincare solutions that harness the power of nature with sustainable practices. Make good choices for your skin, and for the planet.
Remember, everyone’s skin is unique, so it’s always a good idea to introduce new ingredients gradually and be patient and consistent in your routines. You can achieve the glowing, healthy complexion you’ve always wanted with the power of vitamin C and niacinamide.
Sources:
Niacinamide: A Multi-functional Cosmeceutical Ingredient | Practical Dermatology