SKINCARMA-HatMark.jpg

Welcome to Skincarma.

These are the musings of Carmine Montalto, NYC-based writer, skincare junkie and brand guru. The former copywriter at Kiehl’s, Carmine has more than 25 years of experience in beauty. Through the Skincarma Blog, he puts all of his product wisdom to work demystifying the ever-evolving world of skin care. 

You can change your skin’s destiny.™

PRODUCT REVIEW: THE ORDINARY 100% NIACINAMIDE POWDER – BEST TREATMENT FOR CLOGGED PORES AND BRIGHTENING SKIN

PRODUCT REVIEW: THE ORDINARY 100% NIACINAMIDE POWDER – BEST TREATMENT FOR CLOGGED PORES AND BRIGHTENING SKIN

THE ORDINARY | 100% NIACINAMIDE POWDER

IMG_1259.jpg

I haven’t been this eager about a new product launch from The Ordinary since the Squalane Cleanser!

But, in the midst of what seems like non-stop madness with the pandemic, there have been a few real moments of joy for me — and two of them came just days apart this week.

I brought Orpheus to his annual check-up at the vet on Thursday — in what was actually his first check-up in 18 months.

I was scared as hell that there was gonna be something wrong. He’s getting up there (14 years!) and I’ve long been worried about kidney disease, the number one ender of a cat’s life. And guess what! He’s 100% healthy!! Phew.

The second moment of pure joy came with the arrival of The Ordinary’s new 100% Niacinamide Powder. Yeah, I know they’re hardly comparable, but that’s the depth of my affinity for skin care products.

IMG_1297.jpg

Niacinamide is one of the best actives for the skin — and one of the most multi-beneficial. It can brighten the complexion, clear out pores to prevent clogging and acne, and acts as a potent antioxidant that prevents environmental damage and skin aging.

At higher levels, as with the Paula’s Choice 20% Niacinamide Treatment, it can even smooth out rough skin texture.

What is Niacinamide?

Every time I talk about Niacinamide, I feel the duty to impress upon Skincarma readers the indispensable qualities of Niacinamide and the remarkable benefits that Vitamin B3 can have for the skin.

And, of course, nobody knows more than the experts of the Paula’s Choice Research Team:

“Also known as vitamin B3 and nicotinic acid, niacinamide is a very effective skin-restoring ingredient that offers multiple benefits for aging and blemish-prone skin. Among these benefits is the ability to visibly improve the appearance of enlarged pores, uneven skin tone, fine lines, dullness, and a weakened skin surface.

Niacinamide can also mitigate and to some extent help visibly repair damage from UV light and offset other sources of environmental attack, including the negative impact of various types of airborne pollutants. Unlike many beneficial ingredients, niacinamide is stable in the presence of heat and light.”

IMG_1260.jpg

If you’re wondering how to mix it, what to mix it with, and at what level to achieve the right concentration of Niacinamide for your skin, Deciem has an in-depth “Mixing Guide” on the 100% Niacinamide Powder product page on their site.

In terms of their own products, Deciem recommends mixing it with any of the following: Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5, Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA, “Buffet” + Copper Peptides 1%, Matrixyl 10% + HA and Argireline Solution 10%.

I’ve been mixing a 1/4 teaspoon (the one provided with the product; do not use a regular kitchen teaspoon) with my fave Argireline Solution from The Ordinary every night for the last 3 nights.

In fact, the 100% Niacinamide Powder melts right into the serum in a matter of seconds.

Once it’s melted completely, I spread it over my face. There’s always a bit of a tingling effect, which is actually normal when using both Vitamin B3 and Vitamin C.

So far, so good. No irritation. And I love the versatility of the 100% Niacinamide Powder — if you want more potency, use a bit more powder. But you don’t have to guess. Deciem explains it rather well, I think.

Here’s what the product page displays:

“Given the powder format of the product, one may wonder how much Niacinamide is in the resulting mixture. From a theoretical standpoint, if ¼ scoop of the powder consists approximately of 0.05g Niacinamide, then when mixed with 4 drops of the selected base, the resulting mixture is estimated to yield a 10-15% concentration of Niacinamide.”

More to come as I settle into using it. Stay tuned…

SHOP THE BLOG: Purchase The Ordinary’s 100% Niacinamide Powder for $5.80 here.


The Ingredient List of The Ordinary’s 100% Niacinamide Powder:

Niacinamide.

MY SUMMER EMPTIES – THE BEST ANTI-AGING MOISTURIZERS, CLEANSERS AND SERUMS FROM PAULA'S CHOICE, THE ORDINARY, BEAUTY STAT AND MORE!

MY SUMMER EMPTIES – THE BEST ANTI-AGING MOISTURIZERS, CLEANSERS AND SERUMS FROM PAULA'S CHOICE, THE ORDINARY, BEAUTY STAT AND MORE!

PRODUCT REVIEW: THE ORDINARY GRANACTIVE RETINOID 2% IN SQUALANE – ONE OF THE BEST ANTI-AGING SERUMS WITH RETINOL

PRODUCT REVIEW: THE ORDINARY GRANACTIVE RETINOID 2% IN SQUALANE – ONE OF THE BEST ANTI-AGING SERUMS WITH RETINOL