Ever since Herodotus wrote about it in the 5th century BC, people have searched for the fountain of youth. Spoiler alert: we’ve never found it and with how thoroughly we’ve explored the world it’s unlikely we ever will.
What we have found, however, are ingredients that can nourish the skin and slow the aging process. We may not be able to turn back the clock, but at least we can look like we have.
Vitamin C and niacinamide are two such ingredients. Both are powerhouses when it comes to skincare. But there are concerns about using vitamin C with niacinamide in the same skincare product.
Let’s find out why — and if the concern is warranted.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C, or ascorbic acid, is a powerful antioxidant that fights off the effects of free-radical damage. It also helps boost the production of collagen in the skin, something that helps keep your skin firm and wrinkle-free!
Niacinamide
Niacinamide, or vitamin B3, is an effective ingredient that is thought to even skin tone, brighten skin, and have anti-inflammatory properties. Like vitamin C, it can also help to fight off the effects of environmental pollutants on the skin.
The effect of niacinamide is so powerful that some are using it as a treatment for melasma, a skin condition consisting of dark spots on the skin. This study shows how niacinamide inhibits the transfer of melanosome, which is necessary to create the hyperpigmentation of the disease.
Chemical Reactions
With so many benefits, it makes sense that you might want to mix vitamin C with niacinamide. But you may have run across information on the Internet saying this is not a good idea.
Why?
For two reasons. Some say that the two ingredients create a chemical reaction that negates the positive effects of both. Others say that using the two together can result in the production of niacin, which can make your skin flush red and tingle.
Negate Each Other
When mixing Vitamin C with niacinamide, it passes one electron — forming a charge-transfer complex and niacinamide ascorbate. However, the bond is weak and they do not cancel each other out as many people fear.
Niacinamide ascorbate likes living at a neutral 3.8 pH. The farther you get away from that on the pH scale, the weaker the bond becomes and can be broken easily.
Each layer of skin has its own pH and becomes less acidic the deeper you go until you reach physiological pH which is around 7.
Niacin Flush
It’s true that niacinamide will break down into niacin in the presence of an acid. But extreme heat has to be applied to speed up the production enough to actually create enough niacin to give you a niacin flush.
Do you plan on storing your skincare products in direct sunlight day in and day out? No? Well then, you’re probably fine.
Add Vitamin C With Niacinamide to Your Routine Today!
We’ve seen that the concerns about combining vitamin C with niacinamide are a little exaggerated. Only extreme conditions can make the solution volatile enough that these chemicals take place and become a problem.
So, go ahead and reach for a bottle of our 10 Actives Serum. With all the incredible anti-aging effects of these two ingredients and other powerhouses like hyaluronic acid, it’s as close to the fountain of youth as you can get!