Looking for smoother skin, minimized pores and a healthy skin barrier? You’ve come to the right place!
I tried two new niacinamide products from Paula’s Choice and will explain how they can benefit your skin, how to add them into your skin care routine and how they worked for me!
*both products were gifted by Paula’s Choice. This post contains affiliate links*
Tip: Before you shop at Paula’s Choice, be sure to sign up for a free Rakuten account and get 3.5-7% cash back on your online purchases. Find out how Rakuten works in my detailed post here.
What is Paula’s Choice Niacinamide Used For?
Niacinamide is a form of vitamin B3 that has a long laundry list of benefits for the skin. It is safe for use on all skin types and has a very low risk of irritation. It is also one of my most favourite skin care ingredients and something I would recommend to anyone to include in their skin care routine because niacinamide can:
- help to smooth skin and treat bumpy skin texture
- reduce discolouration
- help minimize pore size and oil output
- reduce the look of fine lines
- brighten dark spots
- treat blemishes and post-blemish spots/scars
- maintain a healthy skin barrier for a healthy, balanced complexion
I’ve had great results from including niacinamide in my skin care routine; it has been a regular ingredient for me for the last 5+ years and the low risk of irritation means it is an ingredient anyone can use with great results. It’s also safe for use during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
Niacinamide can also be mixed with other skin care treatments such as alpha and beta hydroxy acids, antioxidants, peptides and retinols without negative side effects or reducing its potency, making it easy to add into any skin care routine.
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Paula’s Choice 20% Niacinamide Treatment
The 20% Niacinamide Treatment is a concentrated niacinamide (vitamin B3) serum that works to minimize the look of pores and rough bumps caused by age or sun damage. It also works to reduce the appearance of acne scars or orange-peel texture and helps to improve uneven skin tone, dark spots and post-blemish marks.
This niacinamide treatment comes in a opaque bottle with a dropper/pipette to dispense the product. It is unscented and comes in the form of a clear, amber-tinted runny gel. This serum is the first ever to contain niacinamide at a safe, effective 20% concentration, which helps to smooth even the most tenacious bumps and texture. It can be used up to twice per day.
Paula’s Choice also has 10% Niacinamide Booster if you want to start smaller and work your way up to a higher dose over time.
Ingredients: In addition to niacinamide, this treatment includes licorice extract for its antioxidant benefits and skin brightening properties, as well as vitamin C to reduce fine lines and improve skin texture.
How I Paula’s Choice Niacinamide In My Routine
This treatment can be incorporated into your morning and/or night time skin care routine. Personally, I have used this in both my morning and night time skin care routine and it was easy to add into both.
I like to apply 2-3 drops onto my face and neck after I cleanse, exfoliate, tone and apply my essence and save it for nights when I’m not using my Paula’s Choice 1% Retinol Treatment. The Niacinamide Treatment applies and absorbs easily into the skin and doesn’t pill or interfere with any of the products in my skin care routine. You can also add it into your existing skin care products such as your essences, serums or moisturizers.
Results? Yes, this does help to minimize pores and smooth my skin. My skin feels smooth and plump when I use it and I love that there is a higher concentration of niacinamide in this treatment as compared to the brand’s 10% Niacinamide Booster for anyone (like me) looking to amp up the benefits of their niacinamide.
As I mentioned earlier in this post, I’ve used niacinamide in my skin care routine for many years and after regular use in an effective skin care routine, my skin has been way less oily and my pores have significantly reduced. I also no longer experience any redness or dry, flaky bits.
However, it’s important to remember that this treatment will only be as effective as the remainder of your skin care routine; that means following a routine that includes a gentle cleanser, exfoliation (only as much as your skin can tolerate), as well as moisturizing and using sunscreen to protect skin from damage whenever you are exposed to UV light.
Note: As with any serum, you should expect to use the Paula’s Choice 20% Niacinamide Treatment consistently for at least three months to see the full benefits of the product.
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Paula's Choice 10% Niacinamide Booster
Looking to reduce the look of pores, blemishes, dark spots or bumpy skin? The Paula's Choice 10% Niacinamide Booster might be just what you need.
Paula’s Choice 5% Niacinamide Body Serum
The brand’s body serum comes in a bottle with an easy to use pump. The serum itself is a lightweight, white lotion that is unscented and applies easy to the skin. This serum is supposed to help even skin tone and addresses discoloration, restores the skin’s moisture barrier and can also help with irritation on the skin from hair removal ( e.g. waxing/shaving).
I use this serum exclusively on my upper arms, where I suffer from keratosis pilaris – those annoying red bumps that have made me self conscious about my upper arms since I was young.
How I Use The Paula’s Choice Niacinamide Body Serum In My Routine
I like to apply this serum after exfoliating my upper arms with a dry brush (I shower after dry brushing) or after using an exfoliating body toner. The lotion spreads easily and is super lightweight on the skin.
I also like to apply this niacinamide serum on my chest, since that’s an area that can easily show signs of aging (I’m 41 years old now – yikes!). Again, I like to cleanse and exfoliate my chest area before applying the body serum for optimal results.
Results? I like how this body serum helps to reduce the redness and red bumps I get on my upper arms. While keratosis pilaris cannot be cured, you can reduce it by regularly exfoliating the area and keeping it moisturized. The 5% niacinamide body serum not only keeps this area moisturized, but the addition of the niacinamide helps to further treat the bumpiness and redness. Love it!
Note: Like any skin care treatment, an optimal skin care routine will provide you with the best results, which means that regular cleansing, exfoliation and sunscreen (where applicable) are required to allow the Niacinamide Body Serum to do its thing and improve the condition of your skin.
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How To Get Rid Of Keratosis Pilaris For Smooth Skin
Suffer from, small red bumps on the back of your arms and thighs? These are called keratosis pilaris and I'm going to tell you how to get rid of them!
You can browse more of my Paula’s Choice skin care reviews here.
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