The wonderful world of skincare is in fact wonderful, but saying “yes” to product after product because you’ve been influenced could end up having the exact opposite of the intended effect: wreaking havoc on your skin. If you have blemish-prone skin, you may need to be wary of using too many different products at once. If you tend to have sensitive skin year round, you may need to stay away from certain ingredients altogether. Finding the best skin care routine for your skin type is important!

There are some ingredients, though, that work well for everyone and are easy to incorporate into any routine. Niacinamide and vitamin C are two of the most popular skincare ingredients because they boast a lot of incredible benefits. Niacinamide can help improve skin’s brightness, makes the skin look firmer, and reduce blemishes. The vitamin C benefits for skin include evening skin tone, preventing signs of sun damage, and counteracting the visible effects of aging.

Curious if these ingredients are right for you? Read on to learn whether you should use them and whether you should use them together.

What Does Niacinamide Do?

Niacinamide, a multi-active stable form of Vitamin B3, can do a lot for the skin. Seriously, a lot. It helps improve brightness and makes the skin look firmer while reducing the appearance of hyperpigmentation (AKA dark spots) and fine lines and helps fight blemishes by soothing skin and helping rebalance oil levels. Additionally, this ingredient can keep skin smooth and moisturized and prevent signs of sun damage by protecting against free radicals.

What Does Vitamin C Do?

Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that provides many benefits to the skin, namely, a glowing complexion. Who doesn’t want that? It does this by calming redness, reducing signs of hyperpigmentation, and encouraging an overall brighter skin tone. Vitamin C isn’t just something invented by derms to produce glowing skin. People with all skin types, tones, and ages can reap these benefits.

Can You Use Niacinamide with Vitamin C?

Yes, you absolutely can use niacinamide with vitamin C. In fact, some products feature both ingredients, so you don’t even have to double up to reap their many benefits.

There is a lot of overlap when it comes to the benefits of niacinamide and vitamin C, though, so don’t feel as if you need to reach for both products at once. Additionally, you can seek out clean skincare products with niacinamide that have been tested and proven to limit irritation.

How To Incorporate Niacinamide and Vitamin C into Your Routine

Learning how to layer skincare ingredients is important and incorporating these two ingredients into your skincare routine can be done in a variety of ways. Here’s a simple routine anyone can use to see results from both niacinamide and vitamin C:

Toner

After cleansing, start your skincare routine with an exfoliating toner, such as Ready steady Glow Tonic, which will help eliminate dead skin cells so the ingredients you supply afterward can better penetrate the skin. This toner has evening and glowing benefits of its own, but it will also prep your skin for the next step: serum.

Eye Cream

Before applying your serum, incorporate an eye cream such as the Radiance Brightening Dark Circle Eye Cream. This formula reduces the appearance of dark circles under the eyes in just 7 days*. How? The antioxidant helps to neutralize free radicals that can trigger dark circles and puffiness around the eyes.

Serum

One of the quickest ways to see results with any ingredient is to use a serum, as serums typically contain higher concentrations of active ingredients.

The Bio Retinoid™ Youth Serum contains niacinamide along with a plant-derived natural alternative to retinol to reduce the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines, while evening tone, smoothing, and rehydrating for plumper-looking skin. Plus, it’s suitable for sensitive skin. Apply it after cleansing and toning and before moisturizing.

Moisturizer

The next step in your routine should be a moisturizer. Massage the Glow Daily Vitamin C Moisturizer all over your face and neck to help restore radiance, help combat free radicals, visibly reduce the appearance of hyperpigmentation, and revive dull-looking skin. Don’t forget to follow moisturizer with SPF in the morning.

By following these steps, you can experience the benefits of both niacinamide and vitamin C in one simple routine.

*proven in a consumer study evaluation of 63 women and 14 men.

Sources:

1. https://www.renskincare.com/blogs/clean-thoughts/vitamin-c-benefits-for-skin
2. https://www.healthline.com/health/beauty-skin-care/niacinamide#side-effects
3. https://www.mindbodygreen.com/articles/niacinamide-and-vitamin-c

About the Author

Camille Poggi is a doctor in Pharmacy (PharmD.) and is passionate about skincare and how the skin works in general. She specializes in the cosmetic industry and worked for renowned companies in France like L’Oréal and Chanel before moving to London. After being a training manager for 4 years, Camille is at ease with explaining how products work in the skin and how to adapt her speech according to the audience.

She joined REN in January 2020 as International Training Manager and moved to the Research & Development team earlier this year to be the new Scientific Education Manager. A tailored-made role where she assesses and leads all technical communication and ensures scientific compliance is always met. She’s also involved in new product development from the earliest stages. Finding a way to create sustainable skincare products and making sure the message is properly delivered and understood is definitely a big challenge but also her favorite part working for REN.