Niacinamide in a skincare formula
A form of vitamin B3 listed in serums, toners, and moisturizers.
Choosing a product with niacinamide
Check your current cream first: it may already contain niacinamide. If you want a serum, compare its texture and other ingredients as well as its percentage. A trial of a 5% formula does not mean a 10% product works twice as well.
| Complementary roles | If dryness is another concern, consider a moisturizer with water-binding glycerin or ceramides. This addresses two different needs—tone care and moisture—not a proven boost in brightening from combining two products. |
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| Before you choose | Products with the same headline ingredient can be quite different. Glow Serum below also contains betaine salicylate, a BHA. If you already use an exfoliating product, check what the new formula adds before choosing by percentage. |
Niacinamide, niacin and vitamin B3 labels
Niacinamide is also called nicotinamide. It is one form of vitamin B3; niacin (nicotinic acid) is another. They are related forms, not interchangeable INCI names. A skincare label naming niacinamide does not mean the product contains niacin.
What to compare when choosing a niacinamide product
Start with the job you want the product to do and the step you will actually use. Niacinamide can appear in a moisturizer as well as a serum, so a separate bottle may duplicate an ingredient already in your routine.
Then compare the full ingredient list and directions. The featured Beauty of Joseon serum also lists betaine salicylate, so it is not a niacinamide-only choice. A formula label cannot tell you how your skin will respond; introduce one new leave-on product at a time.
| If you want… | Compare… |
|---|---|
| One fewer step | A moisturizer that already includes niacinamide |
| A targeted serum step | Its other highlighted ingredients and directions |
| A higher percentage | Product-specific evidence; percentage alone does not rank results |
Niacinamide: research findings and limits
In 50 women aged 40–60, a moisturizer with 5% niacinamide improved several visible signs of aging over 12 weeks compared with its base. The authors were affiliated with P&G.
Bissett et al., 2004 · controlled facial study ↗The limit: This was one formula and a specific study population. It does not establish the same effect for every niacinamide product or show that a higher percentage is better.
This is an educational summary of selected research, not a medical recommendation.
Products with niacinamide
Based on the highlighted ingredients in brand information; this is not a complete ingredient database.
You may already have niacinamide in your moisturizer. A separate serum is not automatically needed just to add the ingredient.
A dewy cream
Beauty of Joseon · Dynasty Cream
Niacinamide appears alongside rice bran water, ginseng root water and squalane in the highlighted formula. This product fills the moisturizer step.
50 mL
Ingredients, directions & buying options ↗Brand photo & product source ↗
A different cream formula
Dr.Althea · 345 Relief Cream
This cream also includes niacinamide, with panthenol and Ceramide NP among its highlighted ingredients. Compare the whole formula and the exact tube version.
50 mL
Ingredients, directions & buying options ↗Brand photo & product source ↗Compare Dynasty Cream and 345 Relief Cream →
Brand product photographs. Texture descriptions and directions are on the linked product pages.
- Beauty of Joseon · Glow Serum: Propolis + Niacinamide
- Beauty of Joseon · Glow Deep Serum: Rice + Alpha-Arbutin
- Beauty of Joseon · Ginseng Essence Water
- COSRX · The 6 Peptide Skin Booster Serum
- PURITO SEOUL · Wonder Releaf Centella Serum Unscented
- Anua · Peach 70% Niacinamide Serum
- Anua · Niacinamide 10 TXA 4 Serum for Brightening and Dark Spots
- BIODANCE · Bio Collagen-Real Deep Mask
- celimax · The Vita A Retinal Shot Tightening Booster
- EQQUALBERRY · Vitamin Illuminating Serum
- numbuzin · No.9 NAD+ BIO Lifting-sil Essence
- numbuzin · No.5+ Glutathione Vitamin Concentrated Serum
- VT Cosmetics · Reedle Shot 100
- Dr.Melaxin · Peel Shot Exfoliating White Rice Ampoule
- medicube · PDRN Pink Collagen Jelly Gel Mask
- SKIN1004 · Madagascar Centella Tea-Trica B5 Cream
- PURITO SEOUL · Azelaic Acid 10 Kojic Tea Tree Serum
- MEDIHEAL · Madecassoside Essential Mask Blemish Repair
- COSRX · PDRN EXOSOME Skinplaning Glaze Mask
- medicube · PDRN Pink Collagen Capsule Cream
- TIRTIR · Milk Skin Toner
- medicube · PDRN Pink Peptide Serum (Salmon DNA PDRN)
- d'Alba · White Truffle First Spray Serum
- medicube · Kojic Acid Turmeric Capsule Serum
- SKIN1004 · Probio-Cica Intensive Ampoule
- Anua · Rice 70 Glow Milky Toner
- medicube · Collagen Niacinamide Jelly Cream
- medicube · Triple Collagen Cream
- COSRX · The Peptide Collagen Lifting Glow Hydrogel Mask
- medicube · PDRN Pink Peptide Ampoule Mask
Common questions
Does more niacinamide mean better results?
The cited trial tested 5%, not a range of concentrations. Use the stated formula and directions when comparing products; do not rank them by percentage alone.
Is nicotinamide different from niacinamide?
They are two names for the same vitamin B3 form used in cosmetics. Niacin is a related but different form. Check the exact INCI name rather than assuming all vitamin B3 ingredients are identical.