The ESK blog

Using Niacinamide With Retinal and Vitamin C

04 October 2022

Dr Ginni Mansberg

How do you get the most out of your skincare with niacinamide? Which ingredients should be used together? Which should be separated? Do they need to be layered in a certain order?

Also known as Vitamin B3 or Nicotinamide, Niacinamide is a great all-rounder with benefits for aging, pigmented, inflamed, rosacea or acne prone skin.

Niacinamide acts as an antioxidant, and assists in repair of cell DNA. It improves skin barrier function, and decreases moisture loss so it’s a favourite for managing dry skin conditions, including eczema. When it comes to skin ageing, niacinamide increases skin elasticity, reduces fine lines and wrinkles, reduces blotchiness and general sallowness. Niacinamide also reduces pigmentation. Plus it has evidence for reducing the risk of skin cancer!

In terms of acne, it reduces pimples, and is not only anti-inflammatory, but reduces oil production as well. And not only can it help with all of these skin conditions, but it is really well tolerated too!

Most studies have niacinamide serums or creams applied either once or twice daily. And it has evidence for between 2 and 5% concentration.

Niacinamide is a skincare no brainer but when formulating it, you need to know about its chemistry and it has one potential shortfall. If formulated poorly, it can break down into Nicotinic acid which can cause skin irritation in some people. Niacinamide is a water-soluble ingredient, which means every product it’s in will have a pH.. The optimum pH for stability of Niacinamide is 6 but it is pretty stable at between 4 and 6. At more acidic levels, It can break down and form nicotinic acid..

The process by which that happens though is quite slow.. What this means in practice is that Niacinamide should not be formulated together with Vitamin C or AHA based products. Concentration of AHAs like Glycolic acid above about 3% will drop the pH of the product below 4 and Vitamin C needs to be formulated below a pH of 3.5 to remain stable and be absorbed by the skin. But you should be able to happily layer a Vitamin C or an AHA product before or after Niacinamide..

But apart from that concern, Niacinamide is really stable and isn’t known to interact negatively with other common cosmeceutical ingredients and can be happily combined with them. Of course, top of the pile is retinal – the most well tolerated and effective form of vitamin A, which has evidence for helping manage many of the same conditions as Niacinamide. In clinical trials it has been successfully paired with many ingredients including peptides, and hyaluronic acid,. This means you don’t have to choose between your favourite skincare ingredients, and they can be used together!

As for whether a Niacinamide product should be used in the morning or at night. Again, it’s flexibility means you can safely use it any time of day or night.

There is no evidence about where in your skincare regime Niacinamide should be used. But we tend to go from the thinnest product (for example a serum) to thickest (for example a cream or moisturiser) but always finish with sunscreen in the mornings. So it’s not so much when to use the ingredient, as when to use the product that the ingredient is in.

With its wide range of abilities, its flexibility, stability and gentleness, it is no wonder that Niacinamide is widely considered the ultimate skincare all rounder.

Shop ESK Pigmentation Collection

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C Forte

C Forte Morning Serum is packed with 16% L-ascorbic acid, the purest form of Vitamin C, combined with vitamin E and ferulic acid for maximum results. Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid) is an anti-oxidant helping neutralise free radicals (associated with exposure to the sun). The result? A brighter, firmer, plumper looking skin with fewer fine lines apparent and a more even skin tone. Formulated at the ideal pH (2.5-3.5) and housed in airless, opaque packaging, C Forte ensures stability and effectiveness, delivering radiant skin with every use.

Featuring;

- Evidence based ingredients and formulations for superior efficacy.

- Potent skin brightening ingredients

- A plumper, more hydrated and even toned skin.

Note: C Forte can exacerbate acne and may be too strong for irritable skin.

Enlighten Gold

Meet your new secret weapon against uneven skin tone. Enlighten Gold is a lightweight moisturiser designed to help reduce the appearance of pigmentation.

We've blended high strength 4nB (a gentle, and highly effective pigmentation fighter) with PHAs (think of them as a soft exfoliant that plays nice with sensitive skin) and niacinamide to support your skin’s barrier to effectively improve your skin. Whether your skin is oily, dry, or somewhere in between, this pigmentation moisturiser fits right in.

Why you'll love it:

Fades dark spots and uneven tone without irritation.
Lightweight and hydrating, works on all skin types, including sensitive skin.
PHAs gently exfoliate while 4nB targets pigmentation.

For best results, use Enlighten Gold in the morning and Ultimate A Gold at night (available together in our Golden Duo). This AM/PM approach targets pigmentation while supporting long-term skin change.

Ultimate A Gold

Ultimate A Gold: the most effective and gentle ingredients that evidence based cosmeceutical skincare has to offer, in one revolutionary formula.

The game-changing night cream developed in partnership with Selma Blair - combines our most potent hero ingredients to effectively and gently tackle the most common skin concerns – in one product.

Tackling the signs of aging skin including fine lines, skin elasticity, impaired barrier function, hydration, dullness and uneven skin tone. it is our most powerful product yet and yet it’s still ridiculously well tolerated.

Wake up to skin that's supple, smoother, and softer.

For the most irritable of skin, Ultimate A may be a better option, particularly when starting to use Retinal based products

*Ultimate A Gold (Retinal) may transfer onto white or light-coloured fabrics. For best results, we recommend using darker clothing or surfaces to avoid visible marks.

Updated 2nd December 2024

Frequently Asked Questions

Find answers to common questions about our product

Yes, the two concerns overlap significantly. Retinal accelerates cell turnover, helping shift pigmented cells out of the skin faster. L-Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C) helps neutralise the UV signal that triggers excess melanin production. Glycolic Acid, Lactic Acid as well as PHAs (Polyhydroxy acids) support surface renewal, improving uneven skin tone over time. Combining these actives with daily SPF gives you an approach that addresses both aging and discolouration simultaneously, which is why ESK's anti-aging products are also core to its pigmentation routines.

Mature and menopausal skin faces a dual challenge: accelerated collagen loss (driven by falling oestrogen) and a disrupted skin barrier which causes increased sensitivity and dryness. A strong routine includes a gentle cleanser, Vitamin C serum in the morning, a ceramide-rich moisturiser to support barrier function, retinal skincare product at night, and an SPF daily. ESK has dedicated collections for both Menopausal and Perimenopausal skin with products matched to these specific needs.

Yes, but choosing the right products for your skin is important. Sensitive skin doesn't mean you can't use evidence-based anti-ageing ingredients, it just means you may need to start with gentler formulations. For vitamin A, retinal (retinaldehyde) is generally better tolerated than retinol while still delivering excellent anti-ageing benefits. Many people can use retinal more comfortably, although those with very sensitive skin should still introduce it gradually. For vitamin C, L-ascorbic acid is the gold standard for improving photodamaged skin, but because it's formulated at a low pH, it can sometimes cause temporary stinging or irritation in sensitive skin. If your skin is more reactive, it might be better to avoid Vitamin C serums. The key to success is matching your skincare to your skin's current tolerance, not using the strongest products from day one. The ESK Skin Quiz can help identify the best anti-ageing routine for your skin type, sensitivity and experience with active ingredients.

The three ingredient groups with the strongest evidence for anti-aging are cell regulators, antioxidants and chemical exfoliants - in that order. In the cell regulator category, Vitamin A is by far the most studied and most effective ingredient across all anti-aging actives. Retinal (Retinaldehyde) is the form ESK uses because it is both highly effective (10-20x's more effective than Retinol) and non-irritating, even for sensitive skin. In the antioxidant category, L-Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C) and Niacinamide (Vitamin B3) have the strongest evidence. For exfoliation, Glycolic Acid and Lactic Acid have the best clinical support. And the emerging evidence for Polyhydroxy acids make them a great option for sensitive skin. Daily broad-spectrum SPF sits above all of these: UV exposure is the primary driver of premature skin aging, and no active ingredient can outwork unprotected sun exposure.

Skin ageing is driven by two main processes: chronological ageing (the natural ageing process) and premature ageing, also known as photoageing.

Chronological ageing happens naturally over time as the skin produces less collagen, elastin and hyaluronic acid, and its ability to repair and renew itself slows. This leads to thinner, drier skin, fine lines and a gradual loss of firmness.

Premature ageing is caused by external factors, particularly cumulative UV exposure, which is responsible for up to 80% of visible facial ageing. UV damage breaks down collagen and elastin, leading to deeper wrinkles, rough texture, uneven pigmentation and loss of elasticity. Smoking, air pollution, poor sleep and diet can also contribute to premature skin ageing.

While we can't stop chronological ageing, we can slow and even improve many of the visible signs of UV skin damage. Most evidence-based skincare ingredients, including sunscreen, vitamin A (retinal), vitamin C and niacinamide, work by helping to prevent or repair the effects of photoageing.

The only form of Vitamin C with strong clinical evidence for anti-aging is L-Ascorbic Acid. Most brands use bonded derivatives like Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate and still call it Vitamin C on the label. But there is no evidence those alternatives actually work. The challenge with L-Ascorbic Acid is stability: it degrades when exposed to light and air. ESK formulates its Vitamin C products in airless, opaque packaging specifically to maintain stability and ensure the ingredient is still active when it reaches your skin.

Both are forms of Vitamin A but they work differently. Retinol requires a two-step conversion process in the skin before it becomes Retinoic Acid, the active form the skin actually uses. Retinal is one step closer, meaning it converts more efficiently and delivers faster results at lower concentrations. Retinal is also significantly better tolerated than Retinol, making it suitable even for sensitive skin. It is more expensive to produce, which is why most brands stick with Retinol, but the evidence for Retinal is strong and the irritation profile is in a different league. It is the only form of Vitamin A ESK uses.