The world of cosmetics has seen more than its fair share of powerhouse supplements, such as retinol, hyaluronic acid, and squalane.
However, a fairly recent arrival is taking the world of cosmetics and skincare by storm. This new super ingredient is called niacinamide and it offers a plethora of game-changing benefits such as lasting wrinkle-reduction, suppression of inflammation, depigmentation, reduction of sebum, and even a measurable antioxidant effect.
Niacinamide is a nearly perfect skincare product. However, it has a slight downside that, while not a deal-breaker in my book, it can irritate some people, and so it is worth mentioning: niacinamide has a somewhat quirky smell.
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What Does Niacinamide Smell Like?
Niacinamide does not have a particularly offensive odor, but it smells slightly acrid. It can be described as sweet and mellow, but with an unpleasant twinge. The best way I can convey what niacinamide smells like is to say that it smells a bit like glue or a chemical adhesive.
Some people will find the glue-like smell a bit much, but most people will find the smell of niacinamide rather tame and perfectly tolerable.
This article is meant for both groups since niacinamide is one of the most promising skin-care products to have hit the shelves in a very long time.
Niacinamide – An Essential Skincare Product
A lot of people have yet to hear about the sensation that is niacinamide, but if you are even the least bit interested in the world of cosmetics or skincare, you will run into it sooner rather than later.
Niacinamide is not a new invention; in fact, for years it has been a well-kept secret of beauty product manufacturers who have been using and incorporating niacinamide into their line of products.
Recently though, the mainstream population has begun to hear all about the wonderful, miracle-like qualities of niacinamide.
Additionally, aside from the fact that it has some very potent beneficial side effects, niacinamide is also hypoallergenic. In other words, individuals who tend to develop allergic reactions to various skin-care products will find that niacinamide is generally safe and highly tolerable.
- Vichy Liftactiv B3 Dark spot serum and Dark spot corrector for face with niacinamide, glycolic acid, tranexamic acid, and peptides
- Peptides serum for face with vitamin b3 that treats skin discoloration like hyperpigmentation, dark spots, sun spots, age spots, and melasma
But, What is Niacinamide?
For those of us who don’t mind a slightly funky odor in our beauty products, niacinamide sounds too good to be true. But, what is it?
As it turns out, niacinamide is not the result of some complex laboratory experiment. It’s always been readily available in nature. You see, niacinamide is a form of Vitamin B3 which sometimes goes by the name of nicotinamide.
Much like other types of Vitamin B, niacinamide is water and alcohol soluble, highly stable, and has a very low molecular weight. These qualities make it very good at penetrating the superficial layers of the skin.
Additionally, niacinamide is a natural precursor to several enzymatic reactions in human skin, thereby it has an intrinsic ability to influence a wide variety of skin-health processes positively.
Using niacinamide products on your skin will leave it smelling a bit like you rubbed glue all over your body, but that’s a small price to pay when you take into account all of the many benefits it provides and the varied uses it has.
What Can You Use Niacinamide For?
The benefits of niacinamide on the skin are numerous. Here are some of the most helpful uses you can find for it:
- Reduces sebum production on the skin, which in combination with its many anti-inflammatory properties, can improve acne. Additionally, it is also able to reduce the hyperpigmentation of residual acne scars.
- It helps to improve your skin’s protective barrier function by reducing your skin’s water loss, and increasing protein production in the epidermis. This also means that it is a fantastic aid for people with dry or dehydrated skin.
- Those who suffer from irritation due to hypersensitivity can use niacinamide for relief.
- Reduces the appearance and severity of wrinkles by increasing collagen production.
- Reduces spots by regulating the transfer of melanosomes.
- Improves skin tone.
- Reduces oxidative stress, so it can be used to counter the negative side effects of pollution, damage, UV radiation, tobacco smoke, etc.
Who can use Niacinamide?
As mentioned before, niacinamide stands out not only for its peculiar glue-like smell but also for its highly tolerable action. Many people who are not usually able to use skin-care products freely because of annoying allergic reactions can use niacinamide without worries.
For this reason, it is already an important component in many over-the-counter skin-care products. I’m confident in saying that most users will reap benefits and encounter little downsides.
Nevertheless here are some general recommendations to make sure that you get the most out of your niacinamide.
- Those with acne or oily skin should avoid niacinamide products that come prepared in gel form.
- Those with dry skin conditions should always opt for cream formulations that include niacinamide.
- Dermatologists agree that the sweet spot for niacinamide tolerance is between 2% and 5%. Higher than 5% could lead to pH imbalances that could reduce the effectiveness of the products.
It is also worth noting that users may experience a slight tingling sensation when using the product.
If you care about your skin and can get past the slightly funky, glue-like smell of niacinamide, I cannot think of a better product to seek.
Last update on 2024-04-03 at 05:03 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
