If you've walked down a skin care aisle lately, you've seen niacinamide on half the labels. Serums, moisturizers, sunscreens, even cleansers. It gets talked about like it fixes everything. It doesn't, but it's one of the few popular ingredients that's both well studied and easy on most skin. Here's what it actually does, and how to use it without overthinking it.

What is niacinamide?

Niacinamide (you'll also see it called nicotinamide) is a form of vitamin B3. Your body gets B3 from food, but in skin care it's put right on your skin, usually in a serum or moisturizer. It's not the same thing as a niacin supplement, and it's not the kind that makes your face flush.

What does niacinamide do for your skin?

It's a quiet multitasker. Here's what the research and the skin experts at places like Cleveland Clinic and UPMC point to:

• Supports your skin barrier. Your barrier is the outer layer that keeps water in and irritants out. Niacinamide helps your skin make more ceramides, the fats that hold that layer together, so skin holds moisture better and feels less sensitive.
• Calms the look of redness. It has anti-inflammatory properties, so it's often used to soothe red, touchy skin, including the irritation that can come from stronger products like retinol or glycolic acid.
• Helps balance oil. It may help regulate how much oil your skin makes, which is why people with oily or breakout-prone skin tend to like it.
• Makes pores look smaller. Nothing has been proven to shrink pores for real, but smoother, less oily skin makes them less noticeable.
• Helps with dark spots, slowly. Some research suggests formulas with around 5% niacinamide can help lighten the look of dark spots. It tends to work more slowly than other brightening ingredients.
• Acts as an antioxidant. Like vitamin C, it helps protect skin from everyday wear from sun and pollution, and it may help with the look of fine lines and dullness over time.

Who is niacinamide good for?

Almost everyone. It's generally described as suitable for all skin types: oily, dry, combination and sensitive. Oily and breakout-prone skin often like the oil-balancing side of it. Dry and sensitive skin often like the barrier support. That's a big part of why it's in so many products.

What percentage of niacinamide should you use?

Most products have 5% or less, and that's plenty for most people. You'll see 10% serums on the shelf, but higher isn't automatically better, and stronger formulas are more likely to bother sensitive skin. If your skin is touchy, start low.

How do you use niacinamide?

1. Wash your face with a gentle cleanser and lukewarm water.
2. Put on your niacinamide, usually a serum, once or twice a day. Go from thinnest to thickest: watery serums first, then oils and creams.
3. Moisturize. Some people mix a few drops of a niacinamide serum right into their moisturizer, which works fine too.
4. Sunscreen in the morning. Every day.

One tip: you don't need it in five different products. If your serum, moisturizer and sunscreen all have it, that's more than you need. Pick one. Here's a simple face routine if you want the whole order in one place.

Can you use niacinamide with vitamin C or retinol?

Yes. You may have read that niacinamide and vitamin C shouldn't be used together. That idea came from old lab research that mixed pure forms of the two at very high heat. Dermatologists say it doesn't apply to using them at home at room temperature. If your skin is happy, you can use both. (Here's what vitamin C serum does.)

Niacinamide also pairs well with retinol. Because it's soothing, a lot of people find it makes retinol easier to tolerate. Hyaluronic acid is another easy partner. I wrote about what hyaluronic acid does, too.

Does niacinamide have side effects?

It's one of the gentlest actives around, and most people use it with no trouble at all. Once in a while it can cause itching, mild burning or redness. Patch test first: put a little on your inner forearm and wait a day. If your skin stays irritated, stop and give it a break.

How long does niacinamide take to work?

It's not an overnight thing. Use it every day and give it a couple of months before you judge it. Oiliness and redness may change sooner. Dark spots take the longest. Taking a photo in the same light once a month helps you see the change instead of guessing in the mirror.

The simple version

Niacinamide is a gentle, well-studied vitamin B3 that helps your skin hold moisture, look calmer and less shiny, and even out over time. Pick one product with around 5% or less, use it after you wash your face, follow with moisturizer and sunscreen, and be patient. And if your basics are a gentle wash, a good moisturizer and sunscreen, you're already most of the way there. If dark spots are your main worry, I wrote about what helps those, too.

What we use in our house

The Face System

We don't make a niacinamide product. Our face routine is about the basics: oil cleanser, face bar, serum and our Day + Night Face Moisturizer with shea butter, aloe and goat milk. Our face bar cleans without stripping your face of its oils, so skin feels soft and comfortable, not tight. If your skin runs oily, the Ultra Light serum is built on our lightest oils, so it feels balanced, never greasy. Four simple steps, made in small batches on our Idaho farm.

See the Face System →

Lauren Stewart makes Tyme Soap by hand on our family farm in Idaho, with milk from our own goats.