It helps skin retain moisture, fade dark spots, soften fine lines and wrinkles, correct redness, combat dullness, calm acne and even minimize the appearance of pores. Paula’s Choice 10% Niacinamide Booster, $42, available here.
If you’re interested in an in-depth explanation of what, exactly, niacinamide is and why it’s such a skin-care miracle worker, you can read all about it here.
But the main thing you really need to know about the ingredient is that it’s one of the best multitaskers of the skin-care realm. It’s a form of vitamin B3 that’s been shown to help skin retain moisture, improve skin tone (see ya, dark spots), soften fine lines and wrinkles, correct redness, combat dullness, calm acne flare-ups and even minimize the appearance of pores. Needless to say, any time I see it on a skin-care label, I’m immediately on board.
One of my favorite nicinamide-containing products – and there are quite a few I really like – is this simple “booster” from Paula’s Choice. The thin, waterweight serum comes with a medicine dropper that allows you to easily dispense it into your palms for easy combining with other skin-care products (that’s the “booster” concept), like moisturizers or heavier creams.
But I typically use it straight, simply by dispensing a few drops right onto my face every morning, before following it up with a slightly thicker antioxidant serum, a lightweight moisturizer and (of course) sunscreen.
The 10 percent concentration of niacinamide is an impressive dose, and I’ve noticed real results in my skin from using it. Though I’ve found that my face particularly loves it, this product is a solid choice for just about any skin type, because it addresses so many different skin concerns – and does so incredibly gently.
Paula’s Choice 10% Niacinamide Booster, $42, available here.
