Niacinamide
Active (vitamin B3) · INCI: Niacinamide
Reviewed by Elysiana Aguilar, master esthetician
How we read it
Not a pore-clogger. Considered safe for acne-prone skin.
Is Niacinamide comedogenic?
No. Niacinamide isn't considered pore-clogging, and we read it as safe to use on acne-prone skin. That doesn't make it right for everyone, but congestion isn't the thing to watch for with it.
Why we read it this way
Niacinamide is a water-soluble form of vitamin B3, used in serums and moisturizers to even out tone, support the skin barrier and help oily skin look less shiny. It brings no oil or wax of its own, so we read it as clear for acne-prone skin.
The nuance
Stronger serums can leave some skin red or stinging, which is irritation and a different question from pore-clogging. When a niacinamide product seems to bring on breakouts, the rest of the label is where we would look first.
Where it shows up
Serums, toners, lightweight moisturizers and sunscreens, often as the headline ingredient in products made for oily or uneven skin. Eye creams and body lotions carry it too.
Names we read the same way
- Vitamin B3
- Nicotinamide
Related ingredients
One ingredient rarely tells the whole story. The acne ingredient checker reads everything in a product at once, and there is more on what comedogenic means. Also in the guides: The types of acne lesions.