Can they be used together or can they not? Torn between which ingredient to pick, but they both seem irresistible? What if we told you that you don’t have to choose? Read on to find out how to use skincare’s holy grail ingredients- Vitamin C and Niacinamide together. What is Niacinamide? Niacinamide or Nicotinamide is one of the common forms of Vitamin B3 that is naturally found in various food sources. It isn’t synthesised by the human body and needs to be consumed through diet for healthy functioning of the body. Niacinamide is a water-soluble variant of Vitamin B3 that’s widely used as a skincare ingredient due to its numerous benefits. Benefits of Niacinamide

• Niacinamide helps repair a damaged epidermal barrier.
• It can help to diminish the appearance of fine wrinkles, which are frequently produced by harmful UV rays.
• It can help regulate sebum production.
• It has been associated with protection against sun damage.
• It moisturises the skin, improving skin’s elasticity and preventing the appearance of fine lines.
• It is said to prevent the dispersal of a pigment called melanin, which is responsible for hyperpigmentation.

What is Vitamin C? Vitamin C, also known as L-ascorbic acid, is a water-soluble vitamin that may be found in a variety of foods such as citrus fruits, green vegetables, and potatoes. Vitamin C is an essential nutrient because the human body does not produce it. Benefits of Vitamin C

• It acts as a tyrosinase inhibitor and works well in the treatment of hyperpigmentation.
• It has anti-inflammatory properties which may be helpful against acne.
• It is a potent antioxidant.
• It provides photoprotection.
• It may have anti-aging properties.

Can Niacinamide and Vitamin C be used together? The final verdict to the controversial question is in, Vitamin C and Niacinamide can be used together! While there’s some older research data that suggests otherwise, turns out it doesn’t hold validity anymore as products nowadays have a much stable variant of Vitamin C. The research concluded that using Ascorbic Acid (a form of Vitamin C) and Niacinamide at high temperatures could result in the release of nicotinic acid, which has the potential to cause irritation. With the market flooding with Vitamin C and Niacinamide options, you can now have your pick of the two and use them together in your routine. How to use Niacinamide and Vitamin C in your routine? Now that we’ve established that Vitamin C and Niacinamide CAN actually be used together, let’s get down to how you should be using them. You could look for formulations which combine the two ingredients together, which eliminates the trouble of layering them and makes your job easier. If you choose to use separate products containing Vitamin C and Niacinamide, it’s better to use Vitamin C first. Vitamin C tends to have a much unstable formula which is best left uninterrupted until absorbed. Besides, Vitamin C happens to be acidic, and as a general rule of thumb, acidic products are meant to be used first while layering your skincare. You can follow up with your Niacinamide serum or moisturiser once the Vitamin C is absorbed. Deconstruct’s Range of products with Niacinamide and Vitamin C Deconstruct Clearing Serum with 2% Alpha Arbutin + 5% Niacinamide This serum consists of 2% Alpha Arbutin and 5% Niacinamide which makes it a beginner-friendly serum. The combination of Alpha Arbutin and Niacinamide helps diminish dark spots and pigmentation while protecting the skin from further damage. Deconstruct Brightening Serum with 10% Niacinamide + 0.3% Alpha Arbutin With 10% Niacinamide, this serum could be the perfect choice if you’re looking to add Niacinamide into your routine. This serum consists of Niacinamide which aids in barrier repair, moisturises the skin, fades spots and the Alpha Arbutin in the serum helps tackle pigmentation, dark spots and dullness. Deconstruct Brightening Moisturiser with 5% Niacinamide + 1% Kojic Acid This moisturiser with a unique formulation combines two potent ingredients to deliver instant results for the skin. Niacinamide protects the skin from damage while Kojic Acid acts as a tyrosinase inhibitor and tackles hyperpigmentation. Niacinamide Brightening Face Wash with 2% Niacinamide and 2% Licorice Root Extract This one-of-a-kind face wash with 2% Niacinamide and 2% Licorice root extract hydrates and brightens the skin whilst cleansing away any impurities. The Niacinamide protects the skin barrier and the Licorice root extract acts as a skin lightening agent. Deconstruct Vitamin C serum with 10% Vitamin C + 0.5% Ferulic Acid If you’re in the market for a Vitamin C serum, what better than one with Ferulic Acid. Ferulic Acid and Vitamin C create an excellent duo where the Vitamin C brightens the skin, provides protection against photodamage and the Ferulic Acid stabilises the formulation and boosts the efficacy of Vitamin C. Conclusion While there’s a lot of debate to it, it has been found that Niacinamide and Vitamin C can be used together. Both of these ingredients offer a multitude of benefits which can be combined in the same routine to achieve optimum results. Just follow the precautions while using these two ingredients together and using them will be a piece of cake. FAQs

• Is it safe to use Vitamin C and Niacinamide in the same routine?

Not only is it safe, it can even be beneficial to use Vitamin C and Niacinamide together. Using these two ingredients together allows you to tap into the wide range of benefits each of these ingredients has to offer.

• Should Niacinamide and Vitamin C be used in the morning or night?

Long story short, yes. Vitamin C is known for its ability to protect the skin against photodamage and we know that Niacinamide helps in repairing the epidermal barrier. Hence, using these products in the morning can protect the skin against various kinds of damage.

• What to apply first, Niacinamide or Vitamin C?

While layering these ingredients, apply Vitamin C first and allow it to absorb completely before applying Niacinamide. Doing so allows the Vitamin C to work unhindered and minimises the risk of any irritation.