Product Review: The Ordinary Niacinamide 5% Face & Body Emulsion
Can I use Niacinamide everyday?
Look, I’m not a big user of body lotions or creams of any kind. I can guarantee you that if The Ordinary were to introduce their new Niacinamide 5% Face & Body Emulsion as just for the body, I wouldn’t even have bothered with it.
Product marketing is funny like that. I come across products all the time that are marketed and packaged for one thing, but perfectly fine as a “hack” for some other need.
If a body product is well formulated and not too greasy, there’s no reason why you can’t use it on your face. Of course, you wouldn’t want to use a heavy body cream as a facial moisturizer – unless your skin is very dry or it’s cold as hell outside.
But The Ordinary’s Niacinamide 5% Face & Body Emulsion is not a heavy cream and the brand had the customer in mind when they opted to market it for both the face and the body. Think of it as a very, very light lotion. In fact, “emulsion,” while weird, is spot on. It literally melts into your skin!
Like most of The Ordinary’s products, it’s simple, ingredient focused and well-formulated. TBH there’s nothing more noteworthy in the formula than Niacinamide and a few hydrating humectants. That’s The Ordinary!
Oh and of course, it’s super accessible – just $14.
Can I use Niacinamide everyday?
Yes, you can use Niacinamide everyday. And, you should! Niacinamide should be thought of as one of the best anti-aging ingredients – and one of the most beneficial to your skin health. Even sensitive skins can use Niacinamide daily as one of its benefits is to calm irritation.
The range of benefits that the form of Vitamin B3 offers to skin is lengthy. Among the most important:
Strengthens the skin barrier. Niacinamide helps to thicken the skin barrier by reinforcing skin lipids, which help skin hold moisture and prevent trans-epidermal water loss.
Minimizes irritation. Niacinamide helps to reduce inflammation and redness due to acne, eczema and other forms skin conditions.
Minimizes pore size. Nothing can technically shrink your pores, but actives like Niacinamide and Salicylic Acid help to keep them clear, reducing how prominent they appear.
Regulates surface oil. Niacinimide can also help regulate the amount of oil that is produced and secreted by your sebaceous glands, reducing surface oiliness and shine.
Protects against environmental damage. As a powerful antioxidant, Niacinamide helps to defend skin from free radical attacks and oxidation – a leading cause of skin aging.
Minimizes hyperpigmentation. At higher concentrations and with regular use, Niacinamide can be very effective at minimizing and even eliminating dark spots in the complexion, helping to unify skin tone.
Explore my picks of the best products from The Ordinary on the Skincarma Blog here.
Sources: Paula’s Choice: Niacinamide for Skin; Healthline: Everything You Should Know About Niacinamide
So many products come across my desk (and my kitchen counter, dining room table, and bathroom sink!) that unless one is truly excellent or fills a specific purpose, I generally try it for a time and either use it up or give it away.
I’ve got lots of lightweight summer moisturizers and sunscreens that I’m obsessed with. But I didn’t have anything like The Ordinary’s Niacinamide 5% Face & Body Emulsion.
And even more rarely do I like a new product enough that I immediately restock it. In the past six weeks, I’ve already had to replace the Niacinamide 5% Face & Body Emulsion. I intend to grab a few of them during the brand’s annual “Slowvember” sale when everything is 20% off or more.
It’s such a pleasure to use. It soaks right into skin, delivering the kind of ultralight hydration I want on a warm day. It’s perfect as a lightweight moisturizer before bed – or before sunscreen in your AM routine.
Whether you use it on your face or your body, The Ordinary really nailed it with this one. Six weeks and it’s already in my regular rotation.
Pros & Cons
What I like about it: The Ordinary Niacinamide 5% Face & Body Emulsion is such a pleasure to use. It’s the perfect way to get more Niacinamide into your routine; you can’t have enough! I love the light as air texture that makes it ideal for a warm day. And the ease with which it layers under a facial sunscreen is notable.
What I don’t like about it: I like everything about it.
Who it’s for: All skin types, including oily skin.
SHOP THE BLOG: Want to try it for yourself? Purchase The Ordinary Niacinamide 5% Face & Body Emulsion for $14 here.