How to combine niacinamide and salicylic acid in a skincare routine
This guide will demystify the use of this pair of useful ingredients, explaining how to combine them optimally for best results. Benefits... Application tips... Precautions... We’ll cover all of that to help you target common skin concerns like blemishes, oily skin, and large pores—without overwhelming your skin.
Pairing salicylic acid and niacinamide together in a skincare regimen can deliver enhanced results to revitalise your skin.
Niacinamide helps diminish the appearance of enlarged pores and balances out uneven skin tone, while salicylic acid (a beta hydroxy acid and chemical exfoliant) specialises in exfoliating both the skin surface and deep within pores, to reduce blemishes and breakouts.
But before you rush off to upgrade your skincare regimen by adding these two into the mix, let's work through how best to use them together effectively. Be aware of potential risks as well as the substantial benefits you get from using niacinamide and salicylic acid consistently.
Let's look at each component individually to understand their individual contributions as well as how they synergise together.
What is Niacinamide and how does it benefit the skin?
Niacinamide (also known as nicotinamide) is a form of vitamin B3 and an extremely versatile skincare ingredient.
For starters, it helps strengthen the skin's moisture barrier function and enhances natural ceramide production to help with moisture retention.
It also visibly reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and improves skin elasticity by promoting collagen production.
Then there's the antioxidant properties that improve the skin's resilience to external and environmental stressors.
And it reduces visible redness...
And it helps regulate excess oil production...
And it reduces the visible appearance of large pores...
And it helps diminish hyperpigmentation (including dark spots caused by the sun and post-blemish marks) to promote a more even complexion.
See? A skincare multi tool! One of the few areas that niacinamide doesn't help with is exfoliation—which is where salicylic acid comes in:
What is salicylic acid and what are the benefits to the skin?
Salicylic acid is a type of exfoliant called a beta hydroxy acid (BHA). In addition to gentle surface exfoliation, it's oil-soluble and able to penetrate deep into the pores to both regulate oil production and exfoliate dead skin cells from within. This makes it really good for anyone with oily or mild acne-prone skin.
In fact, the benefits of salicylic acid extend to all skin types. Those exfoliating benefits also help promote skin cell turnover and improve skin texture, so it can be used to address other concerns such as rough, bumpy skin, dull complexion, dark spots, and some other pigmentation issues.
So, What About Niacinamide and Salicylic Acid Together?
Niacinamide and salicylic acid can work in harmony in a skincare regimen to clear the complexion whilst promoting brightness. Both of them can help regulate oil production, reduce the visibility of large or clogged pores, and perform a bit of 'hyperpigmentation housekeeping', but tackle the issues in different ways. And if you develop any irritation and dryness when you first start using salicylic acid, niacinamide can help with that, too.
How to Combine Niacinamide and Salicylic Acid
Harnessing the combined advantages of niacinamide and salicylic acid means knowing how to apply them correctly.
Mixing together a salicylic acid product and one containing niacinamide—or layering one on top of the other at the same time of day—isn't recommended. And that's mainly because the two ingredients are most effective at quite different pH (acidity) levels:
- Salicylic acid products are formulated on the acidic side, with a pH between 3 and 4, for optimal absorption and effectiveness.
- Niacinamide works best at a more neutral pH - around 6.
Mixing the two together or layering one straight on top of the other compromises their penetration ability and performance. So, what to do?
Option 1: The 30 minute rule
Apply salicylic acid first, then wait for 30-45 minutes for full absorption and to allow your skin’s pH to return to normal before applying niacinamide. Salicylic acid is all about pore-penetrating ability, so applying it straight after cleansing and before other serums or moisturisers etc makes sense.
Remember, when you're layering multiple products, the rule of thumb is always to work from the lightest consistency product to the heaviest, so serums—being lightweight and quickly absorbed—sit between cleansing/toning and moisturisers).
Option 2: Daytime, night time
Apply them at different times of day by slotting one into each of your morning and evening routines. An exfoliant like salicylic acid is better applied in the evening, when most people have more time to allow time for full absorption before adding a moisturising night cream.
Niacinamide can then be used in the morning. Its more neutral pH requirement matches those of most moisturisers and sunscreens, so you won't affect its performance or need to wait before applying them. Result: you're out the door faster!
Option 3: Taking it in turns
An alternative recommendation is to apply salicylic acid and niacinamide on alternate days, remembering niacinamide for mornings and salicylic acid at bedtime.
So many options!
How often you use these ingredients and which of these options will best suit you does of course need to take into consideration your skin type. And your skin sensitivity.
Determining Your Skin's Tolerance
Start off with low-concentration formulas of niacinamide and salicylic acid, gradually increasing the strength based on your skin's response. If you do tend to have reactive skin or a sensitive skin type, we recommend doing a patch test on a discreet area of skin before going all in. A little caution can prevent potential skin irritation.
Apply them sparingly to start with as well, increasing the frequency of use as your skin develops its tolerance. It's a good idea to adopt the alternate day routine at first.
Timing of Application
Although there's nothing preventing you from applying either of these two ingredients at any time of day, our recommendation is to use salicylic acid at night time and niacinamide in the morning, for the reasons mentioned above.
That way you respect their individual pH (acidity) requirements, and give salicylic acid time to fully penetrate those pores.
The Importance of a Balanced Skin pH
Speaking of pH, preserving its balance on the skin surface helps promote a robust moisture barrier. So, when you're using active ingredients such as salicylic acid and niacinamide, you need to respect the acidity requirements to avoid upsetting the natural equilibrium of the skin.
Can I combine niacinamide and salicylic acid for Oily and Blemish-Prone Skin?
Salicylic acid and niacinamide make a great combination for targeting oily and blemish-prone skin. As we've noted, both are adept at regulating excess sebum production on the surface or inside pores (sebum being the skin's natural oils). Niacinamide reduces the visibility of enlarged pores, whist salicylic acid gets into clogged pores to exfoliate both there and on the skin surface.
And to cap it off, niacinamide helps reduce visible skin redness, fade any post-blemish marks, and strengthen the protective skin moisture barrier.
Details? Sure...
Regulating Excess Sebum Production
Both salicylic acid and niacinamide play roles in regulating sebum production, which helps to minimise clogged pores and the development of blemishes. Niacinamide achieves this by enhancing the function of the epidermal lipid barrier on the surface of the skin; salicylic acid through its action both on the skin surface and within the pores. End result: less oily conditions without excessive dryness. —making it an adept remedy for regulating skin oiliness.
Niacinamide also helps reduce the visible appearance of enlarged pores once they've been unclogged with the salicylic acid.
How Does Salicylic Acid Help Eliminate Excess Oil, Dirt, and Dead Skin Cells
As an oil-soluble compound, salicylic acid excels at blending with the naturally oily sebum on the surface of the skin and within the pores to act on surplus oil without overly drying the skin. Its exfoliating action also extends deep into the pores to clear out dead skin cells and help prevent clogging. On the surface of the skin that same exfoliating action helps clear away accumulated dirt and dead skin cells, leaving skin looking clear and smooth.
Addressing Other Skin Concerns with Niacinamide and Salicylic Acid
Niacinamide and salicylic acid also work well as allies in addressing a range of skincare concerns beyond oily and blemish-prone skin. Integrating these two into your daily skincare routine can address multiple issues simultaneously, which is what makes them such a popular pairing.
Fading Dark Spots and Improving Skin Tone
Salicylic acid promotes skin cell turnover by exfoliating dead skin cells from the surface, some of which are pigmented. In doing so, it helps diminish the appearance of dark spots.
A niacinamide serum helps to lighten areas of hyperpigmentation, including post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH) and dark spots, and enhance the complexion’s overall brightness.
Together, they contribute to a more uniform skin tone by lessening dark spot visibility.
Supporting Anti-Ageing Efforts
With its skin-brightening and antioxidant qualities, niacinamide also gets into the ring against ageing. Enhancing natural ceramide and collagen production helps with moisture retention and improves skin elasticity, both of which contribute to plumper, smoother skin with diminished appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
Salicylic acid chips in here as well - regular exfoliation also minimises the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and enhances suppleness.