Ingredients

Niacinamide (vitamin B3)

Niacinamide is a water-soluble form of vitamin B3 widely used as a cosmetic ingredient in dermocosmetic skincare. It is well tolerated, stable in formulation across a broad pH range, and is one of the most common active ingredients in modern moisturisers and serums sold in parapharmacies.

At a glance

INCI name

Niacinamide

Common synonyms

Nicotinamide; vitamin B3 amide

Chemical name

Pyridine-3-carboxamide

CAS number

98-92-0

Regulatory class

Cosmetic ingredient (Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009); also food substance and authorised form of niacin in food supplements under Directive 2002/46/EC

Cosmetic function

Skin-conditioning, smoothing

What it is

Niacinamide is the amide of nicotinic acid (niacin). Both compounds are forms of vitamin B3 — an essential micronutrient required by the human body for the synthesis of the coenzymes NAD⁺ and NADP⁺, which mediate hundreds of cellular redox reactions. Nicotinic acid (the carboxylic acid form) and niacinamide (the amide) interconvert metabolically and share most of their nutritional effects, but they differ pharmacologically: nicotinic acid at high oral doses causes a characteristic skin flush mediated by prostaglandins, whereas niacinamide does not.

In cosmetic formulation, niacinamide is a white crystalline solid, highly water-soluble, and stable across the pH range typical of skincare products (roughly pH 4 to 8). It is compatible with most other common cosmetic actives, although stability and aesthetic compatibility with low-pH acid systems should be tested case by case during formulation.

How it is used in parapharmacy products

Niacinamide is used in leave-on dermocosmetic products — moisturisers, serums, lotions, eye products — and in some rinse-off products. Concentrations commonly cited in cosmetic formulation references and product labels range from 2% to 10%, with 4% and 5% being typical for products marketed for textural concerns and tone-related concerns. Higher concentrations are sometimes used but offer no clear added benefit and may increase the risk of transient irritation or warmth in sensitive users.

It is listed in the European Commission's CosIng database with the cosmetic functions of "skin conditioning" and "smoothing". CosIng is the European Commission's information database for substances and ingredients used in cosmetic products; an entry in CosIng is not in itself an authorisation but rather a record of the substance's reported use.

Regulatory status

Niacinamide is not subject to a specific concentration restriction in Annexes II to VI of Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009. As with any cosmetic ingredient, its use is subject to the general safety requirement of Article 3 of the Regulation: a cosmetic product must be safe for human health under normal or reasonably foreseeable conditions of use, taking into account, in particular, its presentation, labelling and instructions for use. The responsible person must include niacinamide in the safety assessment for any finished product containing it.

Nicotinamide is also an authorised form of niacin under Annex II of Directive 2002/46/EC on food supplements, meaning that food supplements containing nicotinamide as the source of vitamin B3 are permissible at national level, subject to the national rules on maximum levels.

Evidence summary

Niacinamide is one of the more extensively studied dermocosmetic actives. Published research, summarised in reviews in the dermatological literature, supports several effects when applied topically as part of finished formulations: reduction in transepidermal water loss (i.e., barrier-supportive effect), reduction in the visible irregularities of skin tone associated with diffuse pigmentation, reduction in surface sebum, and a smoothing effect on skin texture. The strength of evidence is best characterised as supported by multiple controlled clinical studies, although individual outcomes vary by study design, concentration, vehicle and the population studied.

The mechanism most often invoked for the pigmentation effect is interference with the transfer of melanosomes from melanocytes to keratinocytes, observed in vitro. Mechanisms for the barrier effect are often attributed to induction of ceramide and free fatty acid synthesis in cultured keratinocytes. These are biological-plausibility statements supported by in-vitro work; they should not be over-interpreted as proven clinical outcomes for any individual user.

This site does not provide product recommendations and does not interpret evidence as a basis for treatment decisions. For questions on the management of a specific skin concern, the appropriate advice is from a pharmacist or a physician (dermatologist).

Safety and known considerations

Niacinamide has a long history of cosmetic use and is generally well tolerated. Transient erythema and warmth at the application site have been reported in a minority of users; these are usually mild and resolve quickly. Allergic contact dermatitis to niacinamide is reported but is uncommon relative to its widespread use. There is no specific Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) opinion restricting cosmetic use of niacinamide.

A practical formulation note that occasionally appears in technical literature is that niacinamide can, under certain conditions, hydrolyse to nicotinic acid, which is the form responsible for the flushing effect. In well-formulated, pH-balanced finished products manufactured to standard cosmetic GMP (EN ISO 22716), this is not a routine concern.

Last reviewed: May 2026.