Dealing with active ingredients always poses a dilemma and can baffle one. As a commonly asked question to dermatologists, we are here to clear your doubts about Niacinamide and Hyaluronic Acid, which one is better and more beneficial to use?
These two are prevalent active ingredients, commonly confused for imparting hydration to the skin. Niacinamide has diverse and different properties than Hyaluronic acid. To help you decide, we conversed and gathered all the relevant information from our expert in-house dermatologist.
What is Niacinamide?
Niacinamide is a form of Vitamin B3, which is a powerful antioxidant ingredient, which protects your skin from harmful and stressful factors like the sun and foreign stressors. Niacinamide smoothens skin, brightens spots, provides even skin tone, firms wrinkles, and helps prevent loss of water in dry skin and the list goes on.
This active ingredient is a multi-acting skincare building block, as compared to hyaluronic acid whose potency is incredible but its properties are not very varied.
This water-soluble vitamin B active ingredient caters multiple benefits including
- Increasing the production of collagen
- Minimizing wrinkles and fine lines
- Fights Acne
- Reduction of inflammation
- Decreases oil & greasiness
- Skin brightening and reducing hyperpigmentation and dark spots
- Strengthening skin barrier while hydrating it
What is Hyaluronic Acid?
Hyaluronic Acid is a magic ingredient!
Hyaluronic Acid is naturally found in the skin, eyes, and joints. This acid is responsible for promoting plumpness and keeping the skin moisturized. However, with age, hyaluronic content starts to deplete. Topical use of hyaluronic acid is demanded by the skin, as we start to age
Hyaluronic Acid is known as a humectant, which draws water molecules from the deeper layers of your skin and provides it to the epidermis of your skin. Hyaluronic Acid is an ultra-hydrating active ingredient, which is a holy grail, for dry and dehydrated skin types. Hyaluronic Acid is suitable for all skin types, including sensitive skin types.
Although Niacinamide produces a fatty substance, proved to boost the hydrating ability of the skin, Hyaluronic Acid is hands down a better promoter of hydration for the skin. This helps the skin attain good skin health, visibly plumper and better-looking complexion.
To mention a few more, below are the benefits of Hyaluronic Acid
- Improves Skin Barrier
- Retains Moisture and Hydrates the skin
- Reduces wrinkles and fine lines (mostly transient effects, but they could grow stronger over time)
- Reduces inflammation
- Soothe and calms skin
- Boosts skin elasticity
- Reduces swelling and bacterial development to aid in the healing of wounds.
Which one is better?
It is difficult to comprehend and choose between the two which fall in the best category. Niacinamide and Hyaluronic Acid, both are unique in their properties. Although both of them have similarities and differences of their own, it is advisable to have them incorporated both regardless of your skin type and skin concern.
Niacinamide, and Hyaluronic Acid, both have anti-aging, anti-wrinkle, hydrating, and strong abilities to keep the skin barrier intact. The major difference however between Niacinamide and Hyaluronic Acid is that the former is a substance that comes from external sources like meat and fish and the latter is found in the body naturally.
Benefits and Properties of Niacinamide and Hyaluronic Acid
1. HydrationBoth Niacinamide and Hyaluronic Acid can help promote hydration. Although there is a significant difference between both. Hyaluronic acid is a humectant that retains moisture similar to your NMF (Natural Moisturising Factor,) which improves the hydration properties of your skin. Although Niacinamide promotes the improvement of fatty acids and ceramides.
While choosing products infused with these acids, Hyaluronic acid serums are one of the best picks for your skin. SkinQ’s Hydrate Elixir Serum is a dermatologist-formulated, moisture magnet for the skin. This also has Sodium Hyaluronate, which is a smaller molecule, in comparison to hyaluronic acid. This ensures ultimate hydration to the skin.
2. Improved Texture and ToneThe appearance and feel of the skin improve when we incorporate these ingredients into our skincare regimen. Niacinamide is popular for improving skin tone, while Hyaluronic Acid plumps skin and improves skin texture
3. Skin BrighteningSkin Brightening fundamentally falls under the properties of Niacinamide. Niacinamide Serums are one of the best finds when looking for it in a product. Apart from the serums, Niacinamide in moisturizers is also a wise pick.
4. Anti-AgingThe Anti-Aging ability of Hyaluronic Acid is proven in various types of research. It is because of the reducing hyaluronic acid in your skin, that there are issues of wrinkles and fine lines. Thus using hyaluronic treats them to a considerable amount. Niacinamide on the other hand improves collagen production which naturally improves the appearance of the skin, making it look much more youthful.
Concluding Points
Both the ingredients are highly effective and potent. Hyaluronic acid serums provide hydration, while Niacinamide serum cures acne, and pores, lightens scars and pigmentation and boosts collagen production. Each ingredient has exclusive properties. Using it individually or together, it will work to tackle your skin issues from within.
To add, while looking for these ingredients in any skincare line, it is crucial to ascertain that it is dermatologist formulated/tested/approved for best results.
