Niacinamide in Korean skincare, and where it sits

Niacinamide is the amide form of vitamin B3. It is water-soluble and found in many Korean serums, creams and masks. It is also called nicotinamide.

What the research says

A 2021 review in the journal Antioxidants looked at the mechanisms and the clinical evidence for topical niacinamide. It reports that applying it, alone or with other active ingredients, slowed the progression of skin ageing and hyperpigmentation in clinical trials (Boo 2021, Antioxidants).

One example is a small, double-blind trial of 27 people with melasma. Over eight weeks, a 4% niacinamide cream was compared with 4% hydroquinone, one on each side of the face, with sunscreen worn throughout. Both sides improved, and the colour measurements did not differ significantly between them (Navarrete-Solís 2011, Dermatology Research and Practice).

Two cautions. First, trials use a stated percentage, and most products we track don’t publish theirs. Second, melasma and other pigmentation conditions are medical issues, so see a pharmacist or dermatologist rather than choosing a product from a list. We write about cosmetics, not treatment.

How to read the table below

Ingredients are listed from most to least, so a product with niacinamide in 4th place has more of it than one with niacinamide in 9th. The position is not a percentage. An earlier place only means a larger share than the ingredients below it.

Two products stand out in our data. COSRX BHA Blackhead Power Liquid lists Betaine Salicylate third and niacinamide fourth in a list of only 10. The Biodance mask lists niacinamide fourth of 34. In several serums and creams, niacinamide sits between 5th and 9th. Beauty of Joseon’s Relief Sun is a sunscreen, so it links to the brand page and not to a store, as with all sunscreens (see why).