Niacinamide vs vitamin C
These two get pitted against each other constantly, usually by someone trying to sell you one. The truth is they do overlapping but different jobs, and for a lot of skin the right answer is 'both'.
Here's what each actually does, and which to reach for first.
NiacinamideNiacinamide
A form of vitamin B3 that calms redness, regulates oil, strengthens the barrier and gently fades post-blemish marks. It suits almost everyone, costs little, and layers with everything. The quiet all-rounder.
Vitamin CVitamin C
An antioxidant that shields against daily UV and pollution damage and brightens overall tone, fading sun-related pigment over weeks. More active and more likely to sting, and it must be stored well or it oxidises.
Can you use both?
Yes, and it's a great pairing. The old myth that they cancel each other out comes from a 1960s study on unstable formulas nobody makes now. Vitamin C in the morning for protection and brightening, niacinamide any time for calming and oil control, covers both jobs.
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