Vitamin C & Niacinamide

[jazzie09]

Can someone please tell me what they think about using Vitamin C and Niacinamide together. Both are great anti-aging ingredients and great for the skin, but I've read that one cancels out the other or that it's dangerous. I've also read that it isn't true and it's completely safe. So, to stay on the safe side I never use them at the same time. I use one at night and the other for the day...but I would love to use them both together. Should I? Can I?

[concreteroads]

As @RoamingHoliday mentioned, the reaction in question only occurs between niacinamide and the L-ascorbic acid (L-AA) form of Vitamin C. Vit C derivatives should be fine with niacinamide. 

When L-AA and niacinamide are mixed, the results are not dangerous! It's just that they will form a temporary complex (one molecule of L-AA associates with one molecule of niacinamide) which may theoretically reduce the effects of the two compounds. The side reaction you may get from this is flushing, but that is benign and temporary, as the chemical reaction is reversible. If you want to use both products but play it safe, I would just apply them maybe 20-30 minutes apart. 

[KateWest]

I never mixed the two as I also heard the advice that they cancel one another out and potentially irritate skin. BUT I just wrote a post on this forum about the topic. Apparently the advice to not mix the two is based on old, outdated science. Check out my post! It's got tons of great info about why it's actually okay.

[RoamingHoliday]

Hey there, just saw this post! This actually prompted me to get around to joining.

If the Vitamin C is L-ascorbic then yes, it shouldn't be mixed with niacinamide, BUT if it's a vitamin C derivative it can be used with niacinamide. 

For example, the Ordinary Vitamin C suspensions, either 23% or 30%, should NOT be used with niacinamide, but the Ascorbyl Glucoside, Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmytate and MAP should be good to go with Niacinamide, just layer Niacinamide first and give it a few minutes before putting the next step on.

Hope that helps clarify this better. 

[amparks]

Wishtrend did a Youtube video to explain this.They have a series called do & don't mix these

[JiMi2006]

I ise a serim that has both ingrdedients in it and it works beautifully on my smin. aesop's lucent concentrate. Pricey though!