How much niacinamide do you need? 2%+

What niacinamide percentage is effective?

Every vehicle-controlled reading sits at 2 to 5%.

Is 10% niacinamide too much?

Nobody has measured it: no published dose comparison sets a ceiling for niacinamide, so 10% is above the 2% floor the trials used, not above a measured maximum, and the trials say nothing about whether more does more. The highest dose tested in leave-on use was 10% in a melasma cream with 5% magnesium ascorbyl phosphate and 5% hyaluronic acid (Barbosa 2024), and it was tolerated.

No published dose comparison sets a ceiling for niacinamide. A declared percentage above 2% is above the trials' floor, not above a measured maximum: the trials say from 2% it works, and say nothing about whether more does more.

What does the niacinamide percentage on a label tell you?

A name that states a percentage ("Niacinamide 2%") is the only amount a cosmetic label ever declares, so it is the one number that can be read against the trials: at or above the 2% floor, or below it.

A name without a percentage leaves the position. The rules make a brand list ingredients in descending order of amount down to 1%, and in any order below it, so niacinamide above the 1% line is at least 1% and niacinamide below it can be any trace the brand likes. The floor the trials worked from is 2%, and a position alone cannot tell you whether a label reaches it.

The niacinamide percentages in our catalogue

2 labels declare a percentage on the name, read against the trials:

• Anua Niacinamide 10% + TXA 4% SerumNiacinamide is declared at 10%: above the 2% the trials used.
• The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%Niacinamide is declared at 10%: above the 2% the trials used.

25 labels carry it without a number, so the position is all there is:

• CeraVe Acne Foaming Cream CleanserNiacinamide sits 13th of 28, below the 1% line; the label does not say how much, and the trials worked from 2%.
• Round Lab Birch Juice Moisturizing Sun CreamNiacinamide sits 7th of 40, above the 1% line; the label does not say how much, and the trials worked from 2%.
• Medicube Collagen Night Wrapping MaskNiacinamide sits 5th of 26, above the 1% line; the label does not say how much, and the trials worked from 2%.
• Cetaphil Daily Facial CleanserNiacinamide sits 7th of 13, above the 1% line; the label does not say how much, and the trials worked from 2%.
• La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo+ MNiacinamide sits 5th of 35, above the 1% line; the label does not say how much, and the trials worked from 2%.
• CeraVe Eye Repair CreamNiacinamide sits 2nd of 41, above the 1% line; the label does not say how much, and the trials worked from 2%.
• CeraVe Foaming Facial CleanserNiacinamide sits 7th of 25, above the 1% line; the label does not say how much, and the trials worked from 2%.
• Cetaphil Gentle Skin CleanserNiacinamide sits 5th of 10, above the 1% line; the label does not say how much, and the trials worked from 2%.
• Beauty of Joseon Glow Deep SerumNiacinamide sits 8th of 32, above the 1% line; the label does not say how much, and the trials worked from 2%.
• Beauty of Joseon Glow Serum: Propolis + NiacinamideNiacinamide sits 6th of 30, above the 1% line; the label does not say how much, and the trials worked from 2%.
• Avène Hydrance BOOST Concentrated Hydrating SerumNiacinamide sits 7th of 17, above the 1% line; the label does not say how much, and the trials worked from 2%.
• CeraVe Hydrating Mineral Sunscreen Face Lotion SPF 30Niacinamide sits 15th of 44, above the 1% line; the label does not say how much, and the trials worked from 2%.
• La Roche-Posay Lipikar Baume AP+MAXNiacinamide sits 5th of 28, above the 1% line; the label does not say how much, and the trials worked from 2%.
• Cetaphil Moisturizing CreamNiacinamide sits 11th of 25, above the 1% line; the label does not say how much, and the trials worked from 2%.
• Cetaphil Moisturizing LotionNiacinamide sits 7th of 16, above the 1% line; the label does not say how much, and the trials worked from 2%.
• Medicube PDRN Pink Peptide SerumNiacinamide sits 3rd of 40; the label does not say how much, and the trials worked from 2%.
• CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing LotionNiacinamide sits 4th of 24, above the 1% line; the label does not say how much, and the trials worked from 2%.
• OLAY Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream (US formula)Niacinamide sits 5th of 30, above the 1% line; the label does not say how much, and the trials worked from 2%.
• Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun: Rice + Probiotics SPF50+Niacinamide sits 8th of 42, above the 1% line; the label does not say how much, and the trials worked from 2%.
• CeraVe Resurfacing Retinol SerumNiacinamide sits 5th of 33, above the 1% line; the label does not say how much, and the trials worked from 2%.
• CeraVe SA Smoothing CleanserNiacinamide sits 5th of 24, above the 1% line; the label does not say how much, and the trials worked from 2%.
• CeraVe Skin Renewing Retinol SerumNiacinamide sits 15th of 37, below the 1% line; the label does not say how much, and the trials worked from 2%.
• Celimax The Vita A Retinal Shot Tightening BoosterNiacinamide sits 6th of 32, above the 1% line; the label does not say how much, and the trials worked from 2%.
• La Roche-Posay Toleriane Purifying Foaming CleanserNiacinamide sits 9th of 15, above the 1% line; the label does not say how much, and the trials worked from 2%.
• Medicube Zero Exosome Shot 2000Niacinamide sits 6th of 27, above the 1% line; the label does not say how much, and the trials worked from 2%.

Read on

• Niacinamide: the glossary page what it does, who it suits, where it fits
• Niacinamide vs Vitamin C (LAA)
• Niacinamide vs Retinol
• Niacinamide vs Retinal
• Niacinamide vs Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate
• Niacinamide vs Retinyl Palmitate
• Niacinamide vs Retinyl Acetate

Other actives with a dose the trials pinned:

• Vitamin C (LAA) 5%+
• Retinol 0.075 to 0.3%
• Salicylic acid (BHA) 0.5%+
• Lactic acid 8%+
• Glycolic acid 5%+
• Retinal 0.05 to 0.1%
• Retinyl Retinoate 0.06%+
• Tretinoin 0.025%+
• Adapalene 0.1%+
• Tazarotene 0.045%+
• Azelaic Acid 15%+
• THD Ascorbate 1%+
• Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate 5%+
• Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4 0.0003%+
• Caffeine 2%+
• Benzoyl Peroxide 2.5 to 5%
• Tea Tree Oil 5%+
• Hydroquinone 4%+
• Bifida Ferment Lysate 10%+
• Thiamidol 0.2%+
• Cysteamine 5%+
• Menthol 0.1 to 5%
• Peppermint Oil 0.5%+
• N-Acetyl Glucosamine 2%+
• Alpha Lipoic Acid 5%+
• Ammonium lactate 12%+
• Acetylated Hyaluronic Acid 0.1%+
• 4-n-Butylresorcinol 0.1%+
• 4-t-Butylcyclohexanol 0.4%+
• Sphingomonas Ferment Extract 2%+