This potent B vitamin enhances skin and hair in several ways.

Niacin, also known as vitamin B3 or niacinamide, is the multitasking ingredient you didn't know was in your skin and hair products. It has the ability to speed up cell metabolism and cell turnover (a process that slows down with age), revealing younger skin. It also helps heal wounds, repair sun damage and hyperpigmentation, and strengthen the skin barrier, making skin better able to retain moisture.

In addition, studies show that topical niacin reduces fine lines and wrinkles, red blotchiness, elasticity, and even acne. Other research shows that niacinamide in a moisturizer provides substantial improvements in rosacea symptoms. Rosacea is a chronic, incurable skin condition that causes red facial skin, flushing, and red bumps. Scientists are also looking at niacin for the prevention of skin cancer.

Niacin is one of eight water-soluble B vitamins found in many foods including yeast, meat, fish, milk, eggs, green vegetables, beans, and cereals. Niacin is needed for the proper metabolism of fats and sugars, and to help maintain healthy cells. It plays an important role in ridding the body of toxic and harmful chemicals. It also helps the body make various sex and stress related hormones in the adrenal glands, and improves circulation and reduces blood cholesterol levels.

The repair and maintenance of healthy skin is dependent upon a supply of essential nutrients to the cells, as well as the removal of waste products, such as carbon dioxide. Niacin increases capillary dilation, which increases circulation-carrying nutrients in and toxins out. And niacin is stable in the presence of heat and light, so it doesn't readily loose its strength or viability in topical products for skin and hair.