Q: Can I use Vitamin C and Niacinamide together?

In short: Yes, it’s been done many times – and everyone is still alive.

A small caveat: we’re not talking about homemade DIY serums, but about cosmetic products where you see both actives – niacinamide and vitamin C – in the ingredient list.

It seems the fear of mixing these ingredients originated from an old study conducted in the 1960s. The authors were concerned about two things: 1) the possible conversion of niacinamide to niacin (leading to itching and skin irritation) and 2) the formation of a complex between ascorbic acid and niacinamide that produces hydrogen peroxide and promotes premature cell death.

American biochemist and cosmetologist Paula Begoun rightly points out that the scientific studies from the past century referred to unstable forms of these components (particularly ascorbic acid, which required an acidic environment with a pH of 3.8, while niacinamide needed a pH of 4 to 5). Today, you can find different (stable!) forms of vitamin C in one product that thrive at higher pH levels. For example, MAP (sodium ascorbyl phosphate) or VC-IP (ascorbyl tetraisopalmitate).