NIACINAMIDE
THE MOST VERSATILE ACTIVE IN THE RANGE.
AND THE ONE WITH THE MOST MYTHS AROUND IT.
WHAT IT
DOES
NIACINAMIDE IS A FORM OF VITAMIN B3. IT REGULATES SEBUM PRODUCTION, CALMS REDNESS, SUPPORTS THE SKIN BARRIER AND HELPS EVEN OUT TONE. IT IS ONE OF THE FEW ACTIVES THAT OILY SKIN AND SENSITIVE SKIN TOLERATE EQUALLY WELL.
THE VITAMIN C
MYTH
“NEVER MIX THEM”: THE RULE COMES FROM OLD WORK CARRIED OUT AT HIGH TEMPERATURE, UNDER CONDITIONS NOTHING LIKE A FACE. AT THE CONCENTRATIONS AND TEMPERATURES OF ACTUAL USE, THE TWO COEXIST WITHOUT DESTROYING EACH OTHER. WHAT REMAINS TRUE IS THAT THEY DO NOT PREFER THE SAME pH.
SEPARATE,
SO TESTABLE
THAT IS THE POINT OF ONE BEAD PER ACTIVE: YOU DO NOT HAVE TO SETTLE THE ARGUMENT, YOU CAN TRY IT. BOTH THE SAME MORNING, OR ONE MORNING AND ONE NIGHT. WITH A JAR THAT ALREADY BLENDS THEM, THE DECISION WAS MADE AT THE FACTORY.
HOW LONG IT
TAKES
EIGHT TO TWELVE WEEKS FOR WHAT IT DOES TO SEBUM AND THE LOOK OF PORES, FOUR TO EIGHT FOR REDNESS. THAT IS SLOW, AND IT IS HONEST: ACTIVES THAT WORK IN THREE DAYS WORK ON APPEARANCE, NOT ON SKIN. NIACINAMIDE IS WELL TOLERATED DAILY, MORNING OR NIGHT. IF IT STINGS, THE SKIN BARRIER IS USUALLY ALREADY DAMAGED: REPAIR THAT FIRST RATHER THAN PUSHING THROUGH.