Niacinamide + Vitamin C?

[HoneyJaxx]

Hello all, First question here. Can you layer Ole Henriksen’s Truth Serum with The Ordinary’s Nicinamide 10% + Zinc 1%? I’ve seen/ heard conflicting advice on YouTube and google. Thanks in advance!

[Nadigm]

I can't speak directly to those two products but I've heard that it is the L-asorbic acid firm of vitamin C that can mix weirdly with other products although I'm pretty sure niacinamide plays nicely with mist ingredients. Good Molecule even has a toner with both ingredients.

[sprocketta]

@HoneyJaxx @RGbrown I've been confused about this for a while. These are from the The Ordinary website.

I prefer to do everything at night and use the Farmacy Vitamin C serum and this has stopped me from trying the niacinamide.

[WinglessOne]

@sprocketta  @HoneyJaxx  I don’t know why The Ordinary still says that about niacinamide and vitamin C. Maybe THEIR specific niacinamide and vit C serums don’t play nice together, I dunno. But those 2 ingredients don’t contradict each other or render each other ineffective. 

There used to be concern about a very bad byproduct of a niacinamide and vit C combo. Turns out that badness can’t be produced except by very high heat. I’m sure no one does their skincare routine while sticking their face inside a 500+ degree oven 😄 so there’s no cause for concern. 

[sprocketta]

@WinglessOne @HoneyJaxx @@RGbrown 

Thanks folks! I've read the articles and excited to try this combo now. Where in my routine would this go? I do cleanse, bha, aha, vitamin c, moisturizer. Should i put it before the vitamin c or after? I know thinner goes on sooner, but I haven't seen the specific TO product.

ETA: it says on the Sephora product listing not to use this with vitamin c. I'm guessing its something in this particular product. Do either of you have another product to recommend at a lower price point as well? I'm think $20 or less.

[WinglessOne]

@sprocketta  You can apply a niacinamide serum either before or after vitamin C. Some folks recommend applying vit C first, but there’s no hard requirement there. 

I’ll second @RGbrown ‘s recommendation of e.l.f. Hydrating Water Essence. That’s been my biggest daily dose of niacinamide for, I dunno, a year or so? I usually use that “essence” as a hydrating toner. Lately I’ve been applying it a bit later in my PM skincare routine, either before or after a sheet mask, because I’ve incorporated a cica toner into my routine. 

I don’t use The INKEY List Niacinamide Oil Control Serum 1 oz/ 30 mL but I know someone who does, and he has no complaints about it. 

[sprocketta]

@WinglessOne I'll try the elf hydrating essence since you've both recommended it. I do not know anything about essences. Does this go before the exfoliants or after?

[WinglessOne]

@sprocketta  An essence is meant to prep skin to more easily accept serums and is supposed to be applied after toners... I don’t do the Korean [pick a number]-skin method of skincare or strictly follow that order of application. I usually treat the elf Hydrating Water Essence like a hydrating toner: I apply it directly after washing my face as my toner step, before anything else (including exfoliants). 

Since I started using another toner, I sometimes apply the elf essence immediately before or after a sheet mask, or after an exfoliant. In these ways, I treat it more like an essence or a hydrating serum. 

[RGbrown]

@sprocketta 

I'd assume the info on the Sephora listing was authored by TO, so it makes sense it'd be on the product listing since that's the official TO stance. In any case...alternate niacinamides:

I'm using Valjean Labs I picked up at TJM (not terribly helpful right now lol); I've seen the brand at either Anthropologie or Urban Outfitters as well, can't remember which. Retail is something like $15 IIRC (or $6-7 at TJM)

ELF Hydrating Essence is a nice source of niacinamide ($10)

At Ulta, check Revolution Skincare (essence $7 or 15% serum $14) or Fourth Ray Beauty $16. For Sephora, maybe check Inkey?

[RGbrown]

@sprocketta 

I'm kinda surprised to see that from TO; they're normally with it on the science. But...check out these three articles I'm using as my source of info

kindofstephen dot com/can-you-use-niacinamide-and-vitamin-c-ascorbic/

beautifulwithbrains dot com/use-vitamin-c-niacinamide-together/

paulaschoice dot com/expert-advice/skincare-advice/myths/can-niacinamide-and-vitamin-c-be-used-together.html

[sprocketta]

@RGbrown thank you for these articles! I'll read them. I would love to use them together. I was so bummed when I saw that on the TO website.

[RGbrown]

@HoneyJaxx 

Anyone saying you can't mix vitamin c and niacinamide is using outdated (and incorrect) info. You can use them together. 😊