Niacinimide Works. Why Don’t We Use It?
"Why don’t you use niacinamide?"
It’s usually asked politely. Sometimes curiously. Occasionally with suspicion.
Because niacinamide has become The Ingredient.
It promises:
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Smaller-looking pores
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A stronger barrier
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Less redness
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More even tone
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Smoother texture
In short: everything.
So if it does everything… why isn’t it in our formulas?
Are we behind? Missing something? Ignoring what your daughter saw on TikTok at midnight?
No.
The answer isn’t dramatic. It’s deliberate.
Two words...
Redundancy and restraint.
But before we get there - let’s be fair.
First: Niacinamide Works
Niacinamide is vitamin B3. It’s well studied. At 2–5%, it’s generally well tolerated.
Research shows it can:
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Increase ceramide synthesis
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Improve barrier function
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Reduce transepidermal water loss (TEWL)
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Calm redness
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Modestly regulate oil
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Improve uneven pigmentation
These are legitimate findings. Not marketing copy.
So let’s be clear...
We are not anti-niacinamide.
It’s not a scam. It’s not inherently irritating. It’s not useless.
But it is something very specific.
It’s a signaling molecule.
And that’s where the conversation changes.
What a Signaling Molecule Actually Is
A signaling molecule is simply an ingredient that tells your skin to do something.
It doesn’t build anything.
It doesn’t replace what’s missing.
It sends instructions.
“Make more ceramides.”
“Reduce inflammation.”
“Slow pigment transfer.”
That’s signaling.
Now compare that to structural support.
Structural support means supplying the actual materials the skin uses to function - the lipids, the water-binding molecules, the architectural components.
Signaling says: “Work harder.”
Structure says: “Here’s what you’re missing.”
That difference sounds small.
It isn’t.
Because instructions only work when the system receiving them is capable of responding properly.
And that’s where most of the nuance lives.
Niacinamide Doesn’t Work in Isolation
One of niacinamide’s headline benefits is this...
“It increases ceramide production.”
Excellent. We like ceramides.
But a healthy barrier isn’t “more ceramides.”
It’s a balanced mixture of ceramides, cholesterol and free fatty acids - in very specific ratios.
Add more of one without enough of the others, and you don’t rebuild the barrier. You create imbalance.
It’s like adding bricks to a wall without reinforcing the mortar. You’ve technically added material - but the structure isn’t stronger.
Now add age...
As we get older:
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Lipid production declines
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Cholesterol decreases
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Fatty acid composition shifts
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Barrier recovery slows
So yes, you can stimulate ceramide production.
But if the rest of the lipid environment is depleted, the effect is modest.
Helpful? Yes.
Foundational? Rarely.
And we’re still not done.
Barrier Repair Requires Water
Here’s the part almost no one explains.
Barrier repair isn’t passive.
Your skin repairs itself through chemical reactions.
Chemical reactions require enzymes.
Enzymes require water.
No water? Slower repair.
And mature skin is almost always more dehydrated than younger skin.
So telling dehydrated skin to “produce more ceramides” without restoring hydration first is like telling a factory to increase output while the lights are flickering.
The memo is clear. The machinery can’t keep up.
And then there’s pH...
Niacinamide is most stable between pH 5–7. In overly acidic, over-exfoliated environments, it can convert to nicotinic acid - which causes flushing.
So, all of this to say... it's not that niacinamide fails.
It that it behaves according to the conditions you give it.
Because it’s just a messenger.
And messengers perform best when the system is stable.
So the real question isn’t: “Does niacinamide work?”
It’s: “Is my skin in a condition where signaling alone is enough?”
And that brings us to the first reason we omitted it: redundancy.
Reason #1: Redundancy
Niacinamide stimulates ceramide production.
Our formulas supply the lipid architecture directly.
Niacinamide says:
“Skin, please make more building material.”
We say:
“Here’s the building material.”
Skin-identical lipids, cholesterol, free fatty acids, hydration etc... all supporting water retention and barrier function
Instead of increasing metabolic demand on aging skin, we reinforce structure directly.
Especially in mature skin - where synthesis naturally slows - reducing workload is often more efficient than increasing instruction.
Could we add niacinamide?
Of course.
Would it meaningfully improve outcomes in a structurally complete system?
No.
Once the barrier is supported in correct physiological ratios, additional signaling becomes redundant.
Not harmful. Just unnecessary.
And unnecessary ingredients increase complexity without improving results.
That’s not minimalism for aesthetics.
That’s just discipline.
Why Niacinamide Became a Star
It’s:
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Stable
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Affordable
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Multi-functional
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Easy to formulate
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Compatible with almost everything
From a development standpoint, it’s efficient.
From a marketing standpoint, it’s gold.
One molecule.
Multiple claims.
“Improves pores.”
“Reduces redness.”
“Strengthens barrier.”
“Boosts glow.”
That’s elegant storytelling.
But elegant storytelling isn’t the same thing as essential formulation.
The industry rewards visibility.
We reward outcome.
Those are not always aligned.
Reason #2: Restraint
Aging skin plays by different rules.
After 40, 50, 60+:
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Epidermal thickness decreases
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Lipid production slows
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TEWL increases
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Barrier recovery takes longer
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Inflammatory thresholds drop
Skin becomes less tolerant of cumulative stimulation.
And modern routines are stacked.
Niacinamide. Retinol. Exfoliating acids. Vitamin C. Peptides. Toners. Low-pH cleansers.
Each one defensible on its own.
Together? Overstimulating.
At 2–5%, niacinamide is typically tolerated well.
At 10% - now common - flushing and barrier reactivity increase.
Even good ingredients become problematic when layered without restraint.
We formulate for stability.
Not escalation.
Not intensity.
Not “results in seven days.”
Stability.
Because mature skin thrives on predictability more than potency.
There’s Always Another Way
No one actually wants niacinamide.
They want what they believe it will deliver.
Stronger barrier.
Less oil.
More even tone.
Smoother texture.
They’re chasing outcomes.
So let’s talk outcomes.
If the goal is barrier strength — niacinamide can stimulate ceramide production.
Or you can supply lipids directly in the ratios your skin already recognizes.
If the goal is oil balance — niacinamide can attempt to regulate signaling.
Or you can restore hydration and reduce TEWL so oil normalizes naturally.
If the goal is smoother texture — niacinamide can push cellular pathways.
Or you can restore water and lipid integrity so roughness softens because the surface is no longer depleted.
If the goal is even tone — niacinamide can interfere with pigment transfer.
Or you can calm inflammation and reinforce structural resilience.
See the pattern?
Niacinamide asks your skin to perform better.
A well-built system removes the reasons it wasn’t performing well in the first place.
One is instruction.
The other is infrastructure.
Infrastructure ages better than instruction.
Because why ask your skin to work harder…
When you can simply stop making it struggle?
The Bigger Lesson
This isn’t just about niacinamide.
It’s about ingredient culture.
The belief that:
If something works, more must be better.
If something is popular, it must be essential.
But healthy skin is rarely built through escalation.
It’s built through balance.
If your skin loves niacinamide, wonderful.
But in the system we’ve built, it would be redundant.
And in aging skin, restraint is often more powerful than addition.
When the foundation is structurally supported…
You don’t need louder signals.
You don’t need trending percentages.
You don’t need constant correction.
You need fewer interruptions.
Skin that functions quietly...almost unnoticed - without being pushed daily - is far more impressive than skin that requires constant management.
That’s not trend-driven.
It’s just good architecture.
Sources
Tanno O et al. Nicotinamide increases ceramide biosynthesis and improves barrier function. Br J Dermatol. 2000.
Bissett DL et al. Topical niacinamide improves aging facial skin appearance. Dermatol Surg. 2004.
Bouwstra JA et al. Structure of the stratum corneum lipid matrix. J Lipid Res. 2003.
Fluhr JW et al. Glycerol accelerates barrier recovery. Acta Derm Venereol. 1999.
Rawlings AV, Harding CR. Moisturization and skin barrier function. Dermatol Ther. 2004.