Can You Use Vitamin A Serum and Niacinamide Together?
There are a few ingredients that become a skin dream team when combined in your skincare routine. Niacinamide and vitamin A, also known as retinol, is one duo that can have a positive impact on the overall health and appearance of the skin. Today we will be investigating further into how to use vitamin A serum and niacinamide together, I’m sure you’ll be impressed with the results!
Let’s have a quick recap about each of the ingredients and how they benefit the skin.
What are the benefits of Vitamin A, also known as retinol?
Prevents wrinkles and other signs of ageing developing as well as reducing the appearance of existing fine lines and wrinkles.
Increases the speed of skin cell turnover resulting in the complexion looking vibrant, glowing, and healthy.
Improves the skin texture sloughing away the build-up of dead skin cells and smoothing out the skin.
Helps to regulate sebum production and minimise the frequency of breakouts.
Reduces the appearance of dark spots, sunspots and hyperpigmentation resulting in an even skin tone.
If you wanted to know more about retinol, check out this blog post over on the Beauty Insiders.
What are the benefits of Niacinamide?
Acts as a humectant meaning it is able to draw moisture in from the area surrounding the skin and locking it into the skin. This helps keep the skin plumped, hydrated, and healthy.
Helps to regulate the amount of oil the sebaceous glands produce keeping the skin balanced.
Provides protection from oxidised stress to the skin caused from exposure to free radicals such as smoke, pollution, harsh climates, and other environmental aggressors.
Targets dark spots and hyperpigmentation by lighten the darker areas and increasing collagen production.
Keeps the lipid barrier of the skin at its healthiest state ensuring it can protect itself from environmental stresses.
Minimises the appearance of pores ensuring the pores remain clear and looking less visible over time.
There are more benefits to niacinamide that you can find out more about in our dedicated blog post.
Ok, so now you’ve brushed up on our skincare knowledge, let’s move on to finding out more about using vitamin A and niacinamide together.
What serum can I use with niacinamide?
The beauty of niacinamide is the fact it is versatile and compatible with many skincare ingredients. Even actives as potent as retinol, salicylic acid, and glycolic acid will benefit from a joint application with niacinamide. This is because of the humectant traits enable it to lock moisture into the skin surface. This not only helps keep the lipid barrier healthy but can also counteract the drying effects that can often occur when using such potent ingredients as the ones I have previously mentioned.
You find that there is some confusion around using niacinamide and vitamin C together. This is due to a misconception of teaming both ingredients together because of outdated data. The facts found in the data date back several years when some forms of vitamin C were unstable once blended into formulations. It was considered that applying niacinamide on top would result in a counteractive result on the skin limiting both ingredients to work and deliver their optimal results.
Fast forward to more recent years and this is not the case in a most formulas, but if you still have a concern with layering the ingredients, wait for about ten minutes in between applications to avoid any unwanted side effects.
What can you not mix with niacinamide serum?
As I have already mentioned, niacinamide is an allrounder and effective skincare ingredient. But there is still a little misunderstanding surrounding how to use both niacinamide and vitamin C effectively in your daily routine.
Both ingredients are effective antioxidants and are both found in a great number of skincare products. To get the most out of these actives, there are some dos and don’ts, here are some examples of how many users apply niacinamide and vitamin C.
Ensure when using both ingredients in the same routine that you leave 10 minutes in between applications. This allows the skin’s pH levels to rebalance and prepare for the next ingredient on the skin without the worry of a flare-up or irritation.
Try applying vitamin C in the morning and niacinamide in the evening, this will result in you receiving the benefits of both ingredients and their antioxidant properties. The vitamin C will provide protection throughout the day, and niacinamide will repair any damage that had occurred in your evening routine.
Can I use vitamin A and niacinamide?
Yes, you certainly can use the vitamin A and niacinamide together. Layering the two together helps the skin remain balanced and healthy, whilst benefiting from two powerhouse ingredients delivering impressive results.
Whilst the vitamin A works at rejuvenating the skin, ridding it of dead skin cells, dirt, and bacteria build-up, niacinamide helps to hydrate and counteract the drying effects of retinol. You can choose to use each ingredient separately or combined in one formulation. Whichever you decide to choose I would still recommend consulting with a doctor or dermatologist to ensure these ingredients will be suitable for your skin.
Is vitamin A or niacinamide better?
Although they provide similar benefits to the skin, retinol is much stronger than niacinamide. With this, however, comes some side effects of dryness, irritation, and redness to the skin. It is important to introduce vitamin A (retinol) into your skincare routine to avoid too much irritation to the skin. You’ll also find that it should only be applied to the skin in the evening as exposure to sunlight will result in the powerhouse losing its potency. This is another difference between the two as niacinamide can be used twice a day without any worry of UV rays depleting how effective it is on the skin.
As I have already mentioned, combing both ingredients together are considered a potent skin reviving duo and can be done with ease and peace of mind you won’t be overloading or causing an imbalance to the skin’s pH levels.
There you have a little more information about vitamin A and niacinamide, don’t forget if you had any further questions, you can come and find one of our skincare experts on Instagram.
DQH Knowledge drop: In your 20s, your skin cell turnover decreases. (Cell turnover is a key component in keeping your skin youthful.) You know what else slows down? Your collagen production. Starting in your 20s, collagen decreases by about 1 percent per year. Should you want to prevent fine lines and wrinkles, start by eliminating behaviors that contribute to premature aging. “If it’s bad for you, it’s bad for your skin,” says dermatologist Michel Somenek.
“Cigarette smoking reduces blood flow to the skin and causes premature wrinkling and a dull skin texture. Making the repeated pursed motion to inhale can also cause smoker’s lines. Alcohol and recreational drugs are toxins for the skin that damage its cellular structure and DNA,” Somenek tells us. “The faster you eliminate vices while you are young, the better chance your skin and body have to recuperate.” Also, adopting an anti-aging routine in your 20s is key. After all, the best offense is a good defense. We spoke to Somenek and experts Joshua Ross and Audrey Kunin to find out more.
Keep reading for the best anti-aging products for your 20s, according to skincare professionals.
Sunscreen
“We all know that the sun is the number one cause of skin aging and starting the prevention in your 20s is very important,” Ross says. “The majority of your sun damage won’t start to appear until you’re in your 30s, so don’t wait until you see it surface or you’ll be behind the curve. Stay ahead of it with a good-quality zinc-based sunscreen worn daily.”
Farmacy Green Defense Daily Mineral Sunscreen
An invisible sunscreen with SPF 30, plus botanical extracts meant to protect skin with tons of antioxidants. Bonus: It’s clean and fine to use under makeup.
Bareminerals Complexion Rescue™ Tinted Moisturizer Broad Spectrum SPF 30
Although we recommend you use your SPF and moisturizer separately, we also understand moments when you don’t have time or energy for that extra step. For those times, this bareMinerals moisturizer is a great thing to have on hand.
Vitamin C Serum
“A great introduction to anti-aging is to start with a vitamin C serum in your morning skincare routine,” Ross says. “It’s a powerful antioxidant that will neutralize free radicals and brighten the skin.” He adds that it’s a great way to counteract the effects of the sun’s harmful rays, which, as previously mentioned, are among the biggest causes of premature aging.
Drunk Elephant C-Firma™ Vitamin C Day Serum
The Drunk Elephant C-Firma is a lightweight serum that promises to give skin a glow by combining the brightening powers of vitamin C with ferulic acid, l-ascorbic acid, and vitamin E. The included sodium hyaluronate is meant to replace hydration loss, so you shouldn’t have to deal with any irritation.
Sunday Riley C.E.O. Rapid Flash Brightening Serum
This potent serum is jam-packed with vitamin C (15 percent, to be exact), which means it’s a potential superstar at both brightening skin and dousing it in antioxidants.
Peptides
Using peptides on your skin has many benefits, says Somenek. “The skin barrier is what defends the body against pollution, UV rays, bacteria, and toxins. It can be damaged by several everyday factors. Using topical peptides aids in building a stronger barrier,” he says. “Peptides comprise elastic fibers, which are a type of protein. These fibers help to make skin appear taut and firm. Peptides can also help repair damaged skin, relieve inflammation, and even out skin tone. Some peptides can kill acne-causing bacteria that is common in 20-somethings.”
Kunin agrees, saying, “Peptides are an excellent entry point for supporting collagen.” She recommends looking for face and eye treatments that contain these collagen-boosting powerhouses.
Charlotte Tilbury Magic Eye Rescue Cream
This Charlotte Tilbury super-emollient eye cream has a base of coconut oil and shea butter (read: it’s incredibly hydrating). Botanicals plus peptides are meant to help reduce dark circles and boost collagen, respectively.
This creamy moisturizer serves up potent collagen-boosting peptides and pycnogenol, and antioxidant-rich vitamin C. “Instead of sitting on top of the skin, peptides penetrate the outer layer so they go deep. The ‘signals’ they send tell the cells to produce elastin and collagen, which are needed for youthful-looking skin,” explains Somenek.
At-Home Peel Pads
Remember that skin cell turnover fiasco we talked about earlier? One way to help support it is by exfoliating. “Exfoliation is important to help keep skin fresh and luminous,” Kunin says. She recommends using at-home peel pads as an easy and effective way to exfoliate.
“The goal in your 20s is to fight the slowing pace of cell turnover. It is wise to use products that gently exfoliate, yet still remove oil and other impurities. Products that have Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHA) or Beta Hydroxy Acids (BHA) are a good choice.”
According to Somenek, you should only exfoliate two to three times a week. “People of all ages are guilty of over-exfoliating and that can be too much of a good thing,” he says.
Dermadoctor Kakadu C Intensive Vitamin C Peel Pad
A few swipes of this Derma Doctor powerful peel pad promise to leave your skin glowing and smooth, thanks to the seven (yes, seven) types of chemical exfoliants, including AHA and BHA. It also contains vitamin C via Kakadu plum extract for added brightening and antioxidant protection.
KEY INGREDIENTS Kakadu plum extract is sourced from the Kakadu plum, a fruit grown in northern Australia. It contains vitamin C, which restores the skin’s natural barrier, increases collagen production, and soothes irritation.
Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Alpha Beta® Universal Daily Peel Pads
These are the gold standard of peel pads, with a cult following and over 900 five-star reviews on Sephora. They’re easy to use and contain a blend of anti-aging exfoliating acids.
Emollient Night Cream
“In your 20s, you need to start upping the hydration in your skincare routine. You may have been cautious of over-moisturizing because of acne in your teens, but as you enter your 20s, your skin transitions and becomes drier,” Ross says. “I recommend an emollient night cream added into your evening skincare regimen.”
“Twenty-somethings need to make sure that they are not using creams that will clog their pores and cause excess oil production,” says Somenek. Opt for non-comedogenic products.
Cerave Skin Renewing Night Cream
One great choice is the CeraVe Skin Renewing Night Cream, which is a non-comedogenic night cream that leaves skin soft and glowy. It combines the moisturizing powers of ceramides and hyaluronic acid.
RoC Retinol Correxion Max Hydration Creme
“The best night cream ingredients contain retinol, benzoyl peroxide, and/or salicylic acid or hyaluronic acid. The goal is to moisturize, yet remove excess oil,” says Somenek. This Roc Retinol Correxion cream fits the bill as it contains both hyaluronic acid and retinol so it promises to moisturize while also being non-comedogenic.
