Do niacinamide and vitamin C cancel each other out?

Niacinamide and vitamin C do not cancel out at cosmetic temperatures.

Evidence

Source:: Wohlrab J, Kreft D. Skin Pharmacol Physiol. 2014;27(6):311-15
Applies to:: Formulations containing niacinamide
What this does not establish:: How a given product performs on your skin. Finished-product pH and concentration are rarely published, so this describes the chemistry, not a measurement of any specific product.
Last reviewed:: 2026-09-26

In practice

The idea that these two cancel each other out comes from 1960s research where the pair was heated to high temperatures, forming nicotinic acid, which can cause transient flushing. Those conditions do not occur in a finished skincare product at room temperature, and the combination is widely used without issue. If your skin flushes, that is a personal sensitivity response, not the ingredients neutralising one another.

Dermasift analyses skincare formulations against published cosmetic science. This is information, not medical advice — for a diagnosed skin condition, speak to a dermatologist.

Check this against a product’s ingredient list

Do niacinamide and vitamin C cancel each other out?

Niacinamide and vitamin C do not cancel out at cosmetic temperatures.

Evidence

Source:: Wohlrab J, Kreft D. Skin Pharmacol Physiol. 2014;27(6):311-15
Applies to:: Formulations containing niacinamide
What this does not establish:: How a given product performs on your skin. Finished-product pH and concentration are rarely published, so this describes the chemistry, not a measurement of any specific product.
Last reviewed:: 2026-09-26

In practice

Dermasift analyses skincare formulations against published cosmetic science. This is information, not medical advice — for a diagnosed skin condition, speak to a dermatologist.

Check this against a product’s ingredient list