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I really like writing these ingredient matchup posts! Today’s post will compare niacinamide serum vs hyaluronic acid, so you can decide if either or both is appropriate for your skincare routine. 

This is a great one for me because they’re both already part of my routine and I feel like they’re two low-maintenance  ingredients with big payoff for your skin as long as they’re right for you. 

So: in this post, we’ll go over what each ingredient is and what it does, and then we’ll dig into the best choices for acne (with a separate section for Accutane) aging, rosacea, and dryness. And I’ll give some product recommendations in there too. 

This is going to be another one of those ingredient matchup posts where I keep saying “they’re both great!”. But let’s get into choosing the combo that makes the most sense for you and your skin type.

What is niacinamide? 

Niacinamide is a form of vitamin B, so you can actually get it from your diet as well as in a topical product!  Niacinamide is one of the active ingredients that can be used every day because it’s very gentle, but it does a lot! 

Niacinamide serums will help you out with skin texture, skin elasticity, uneven skin tone or dark spots, and will reduce the appearance of pores. It has anti-inflammatory properties that can soothe acne breakouts, and it reduces excess oil in the skin. It’s also hydrating because it  will build up your skin barrier. 

So this is a lot!! Niacinamide is a skin-nurturing active that will kind of have something for everyone! Different skin types will benefit from this product because it does so many different things in promoting healthy skin. To me, the role it plays in creating a healthy skin barrier leads to a lot of these benefits.

So, a lot of people are going to benefit from niacinamide, even sensitive rosaceans like me! Even thought it’s an active ingredient, it’s very gentle and doesn’t have to be spaced out like glycolic acid or other exfoliants. 

What is hyaluronic acid?

Hyaluronic acid is a naturally occurring substance in your body that appears in your skin, your joints, and your tissues. Within the skin, it holds water and moisture in. 

(Many dermal fillers are made of hyaluronic acid! But for the purposes of this post, we’re talking about topical niacinamide skincare products.)

That has the dual benefit of hydrating the skin and also plumping it up, reducing the appearance of fine lines. It’s not making any structural changes to the skin, but it leads to near-immediate visual improvements. 

Hyaluronic acid has got to be one of the most popular ingredients in the world of  skincare these days. If you’ve ever used a sheet mask, hyaluronic acid was probably the first ingredient. 

Some people say they don’t need hyaluronic acid because their skin isn’t dry, but improved skin hydration can improve a lot of conditions. It’s not just dry or aging skin that needs hyaluronic acid!

Which is better for acne, hyaluronic acid or niacinamide?

If you’re experiencing acne, niacinamide is almost certainly going to help. It’ll reduce inflammation in the breakouts you have right now. Then, the improved skin barrier and texture improvements will make you better able to resist acne bacteria. You should pair this with an acne-fighting active that will actually reduce acne bacteria. Maybe benzoyl peroxide, if you don’t have rosacea: I wrote about that here. Azelaic Acid v Benzoyl Peroxide: Benefits + Who Should Avoid

A lot of acne sufferers think that hyaluronic acid won’t help them at all because their skin is oily. I would encourage any acne sufferer who’s never tried hyaluronic acid to give it a shot. Sometimes very oily skin is actually caused by the skin overproducing oil to compensate for a lack of water. Well-hydrated skin needs both water and oils in it! 

It might not help your acne, and if you’re younger than 25, you might not see any skin texture improvements either. But for acne-prone skin, one bottle of anything is worth a shot.

So, if you have acne and you’ve never tried a hyaluronic acid for it–pick up a cheap one and give it a shot. 

Verdict: both are good and work together, but if you can only pick one, pick niacinamide. 

What about Accutane?

And if you’re on Accutane — niacinamide is not for you right now. You don’t want anything further speeding up your cell turnover.  Your body is going through a lot–do not add actives, even gentle ones. 

However, hyaluronic acid is a great idea for Accutane. The key benefits of hyaluronic acid are the things that you most need right now: hydration, hydration, hydration. Accutane can be brutal! And hyaluronic acid work s to add water back to your skin when you need it so badly!  You might consider adding either a very heavy moisturizer or an oil at night to lock that moisture in.  (Obviously in the morning you’re using SPF!)

Verdict: hylauronic acid ONLY, no niacinamide

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Which is better for anti-aging, hyaluronic acid or niacinamide?

Both ingredients are a good choice for anti-aging in different ways. 

Niacinamide is doing the long-term work for you here! The benefits of niacinamide are basically all anti-aging benefits: build up your barrier, speed skin turnover to prevent sagging, improve texture through collagen production, and create a more even skin tone. It’s not going to have a next-day wow effect, but used consistently over a month, you’re going to see a difference. More radiant skin!

Niacinmaide plays well with others. Most people will be able to safely combine it with retinol serum or tretinoin. My current evening routine comes from my beloved Beauty Pie: ABC SPF! A retinol (vitamin A), niacinamide (vitamin B), and a vitamin C serum at night, then niacinamide, Vitamin C, and SPF in the morning. I add hyaluronic acid, ceramides, and jojoba oil to the mix because they’re soothing…. My point here is that you can combine niacinamide easily with what you’re already using.

With that said .. hyaluronic acid will give you immediate best results. You can use hyaluronic acid together with anything, and it will plump up your skin and address moisture loss and skin issues related to dryness. It’s sensitive skin friendly and can be used with any other skin care products. (It should come after your actives, but before any heavier hydrating products. 

Verdict:  ​both! But if you gotta pick one, it depends on your goals. 

Which is better for rosacea?

​Rosacea sufferers already know the answer to this, lol: it depends. 

For me, personally, as a telangiectasia type, niacinamide is terrific. For some people, it’s going to be a huge irritant. You know this already! I’m sorry to tell it to you though. 

If you’re going to try it, follow the regular rosacea rules. Patch test, then introduce every three days. If I’m applying a new product to my entire entire face skin’s surface, it’s a Friday night just in case it flares me. So you know the life. It’s an inexpensive enough product to be worth trying. 

Niacinamide doesn’t make a significant difference in my rosacea either way–I just use it for the anti-aging benefits. Some people do see benefits from the anti-inflammatory aspect. 

Hyaluronic acid — same thing, believe it or not! Even though it’s a natural substance that your body creates for itself, you still gotta patch test this. Some rosaceans flare from it (some rosaceans flare from anything.) 

The vast majority of us are going to tolerate it fine, and if your skin runs to dryness, this may address some of that and help you! I feel like hyaluronic acid helps my redness. The best way to find out will be to patch test the simplest serum you can find with the fewest added ingredients. The one I linked below is very simple and probably one of the best hyaluronic acid serums for rosaceans. 

Verdict: sorry, it depends. 🙁

Which is better for dry skin? 

Both of these skincare ingredients support dry skin! 

Hyaluronic acid is going to give you an instant plump and a more radiant complexion. If you only use it once, that’ll go away as soon as you wash your face again. But with consistent use, you’ll start to see lasting improvements in skin hydration. 

​Niacinamide also supports skin hydration! It will help your skin keep water in by helping it produce ceramides. Building up your skin’s barrier in this way helps support long-term hydration in your skin. (There’s also the whole other range of benefits like skin elasticity! That’s a big deal for dry skin as we age.)

If it’s possible to do both, consider doing both! You can get both products pretty inexpensively, and they both add to skin hydration on different levels. You’ll also get the psychological benefit of immediate hydration from the hyaluronic acid, and then the slow build in skin health from the niacinamide!

If you can only pick one, it depends on your goals: an immediate benefit, or building skin health long-term even if it takes a while. 

Okay, that’s a wrap on this ingredient matchup! Let’s do another one soon. 🙂