When it comes to high strength niacinamide skincare, American brand Paula's Choice has made quite a name for itself. Lovers of the brand praise the 10% Niacinamide Booster for its ability to dramatically improve uneven skin tone and refine the appearance of pore size, skin texture and fine lines.
But coming in at around $49 USD ($70 AUD) it's not exactly the most budget friendly on the market.
Enter - K-Beauty and its vast array of high performance skincare for a fraction of the price of comparable western cosmetics.
Today, we're doing a roundup of some of the best Korean beauty swaps for Paula's Choice that also contain high concentrations of niacinamide as the star ingredient. But to start off, what exactly is niacinamide and why is it so good?
What is Niacinamide?
A form of Vitamin B3, niacinamide is a skincare ingredient that's best known for effectively brightening dull skin. But it has many other benefits that make it a staple in skin clinics as well. These include:
Improving skin tone and reducing the appearance of redness
Reducing the appearance of fine lines and enlarged pores
Measuring in at the same 10% of niacinamide as Paula's Choice, One Thing Niacinamide 10% (150ml) is a great, budget friendly swap.
Ideal for skin brightening, this versatile toner / essence can help reduce dark areas on the skin, leaving it clearer and more radiant.
Niacinamide is considered to be functional whitening ingredient by Korea's Ministry of Food and Drug Safety. It is a natural ingredient that is ideal to help control oil. In addition, it can tackle pore size and even out a poor skin tone.
ONE THING uses only 100% EWG green grade vegetable raw materials, and is a suitable option for vegans.
Unlike Paula's Choice, this product has a very watery texture, which makes it perfect to use in place of toner. Alternatively, you can mix it in with other products like modeling masks or even moisturisers. In Korea, some beauty fans like to mix it with their other toners too.
If 10% of niacinamide isn't enough for you - what about 15%?! While there may not be great data supporting the use-case for such a high content of niacinamide, COSRX has nevertheless delivered a powerful punch with this serum.
It helps to visibly brighten, tone, and diminish the look of pores. The supporting formula is quite different from Paula's Choice, containing Zinc PCA which assists with potential breakouts, Acetylglucosaminel, which helps to gently exfoliate the skin and Allantoin, which promotes skin regeneration.
Another great swap for Paula's Choice is TIAM Vita B3 Source (40 mL). Also measuring in at 10% niacinamide, this brightening serum aims to boost your skin's natural radiance, bounce and glow.
As an added bonus, this serum can also plump up your skin's natural bounce.
Plus, coming in at under $30 AUD it is a considerable saving when compared to Paula's Choice as well. If that's not enough to tempt you - did we mention that Tiam is COSRX's sister brand?
After slightly less niacinamide in your formula? We don't blame you! Such a high content of niacinamide isn't for everyone. It can be irritating for some and cause signs of over-exfoliation in others.
Plus, these days with so many skincare products containing a functional amount of niacinamide to begin with (hello, Jelly Ko Bubble Tea Steam Cream and Cherry Blossom Sleeping Mask) there's often no need to use such a high-strength product in addition.
Enter AXIS-Y Dark Spot Correcting Glow Serum. This 5% niacinamide serum (50ml) is perfect for dark spots with a lesser risk of irritation from niacinamide. Plus, the addition of plant-derived squalane means it helps the skin retain moisture.
If you are looking for a quality serum to keep skin glowing and healthy then AXIS-Y's Dark Spot Serum is a great pick!
