The best skin brightening ingredients are very likely Niacinamide and Vitamin C. If you want to brighten your skin, get a more even skintone and smoother skin, is a ‘more is more’ approach actually useful? Should you immediately reach for a product with a higher percentage if you want to see results?

Are you tempted to change up your 10% Niacinamide product for one with 20%? Well, would you think that a green smoothie with 20% cayenne pepper is ‘better’ than one with 1%? Or would you drink and enjoy it? Let’s look at the recommended amounts of both Vitamin C and Niacinamide in skincare.

You’ll have seen it around: boosters, serums and masks with incredibly high percentages of active ingredients. 20% niacinamide (Paula’s Choice), 25% Vitamin C (again, PC), 15% niacinamide (Revolution Skincare), and, of course, various DIY powders (Vitamin C/ Niacinamide) to mix into your toners and serums.

While some of these get sprinkled into skincare products liberally because they’re so cheap (The Ordinary’s powders), there’re also products getting more and more expensive, the higher the amount of actives get (Paula’s Choice). But it’s misleading to think that more money will get you better products – although in both cases, you might throw money out of the window.

How much Vitamin C does your skin need?

Vitamin C for skin

Vitamin C can tackle hyperpigmentation, help to build collagen and is a powerful antioxidant.

Vitamin C comes in many different forms. Stability is key, because it’s extremely reactive and can oxidise quickly. That’s even more important than the amount of Vitamin C in your product: air-tight and dark packaging to avoid oxidisation. L-ascorbic acid works best at a concentration between 10 and 20%. More can easily lead to irritation, and that’s one of the problems with Vitamin C powders. Imagine mixing it with your toner (like I do) and using a whole scoop of the cute little spoon: how much toner would you need to get an approximate amount of 10% to 20%? Isn’t it more likely you’ll end up with nearly 50%?

How much of Vitamin C derivatives should you use?

skin brightening ingredients
The best skin brightening ingredients for me are Vitamin C and Niacinamide.

Vitamin C derivatives, such as sodium ascorbyl phosphate, ascorbyl palmitate, retinyl ascorbate, tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate, and magnesium ascorbyl phosphate work by releasing pure Vitamin C into the skin when they come into contact with it. The amount of Vitamin C released is lower. For example, if you have 10% of a derivative, the amount of Vitamin C released might then be 3%. Each of those derivatives has a preferred medium (some are water-, some are oil-soluble). Derivatives tend to come in higher concentrations, but are usually not as potent. They’re, though, usually much gentler and don’t tend to irritate your skin.

Also, pH is important: for optimal absorption, look for a pH of around 3.5. (This, of course, is only valid for water-based Vitamin C products.) A product can be gentler if it has a pH of around 5 to 6.

Vitamin C products we reviewed and like:

Which amount of Niacinamide is most effective?

Niacinamide for skin

This form of Vitamin B3 is the swiss army knife of skincare, because it does it all. Anti-aging properties? Check. Acne-fighting? Check. Antioxidant? Check.

Niacinamide is apparently an uncomplicated skincare ingredient, because it gets added to all kinds of products. It’s in toners and moisturisers, serums and masks. If you’re using an additional Niacinamide Booster, check if there’s niacinamide in other products in your routine! It’s also rather well researched: studies show that concentrations of 2.5% help against breakouts, and concentrations of 4-5% help with hyperpigmentation. At that level it’s as effective as hydroquinone without the side effects.

According to Cosmeceuticals and Cosmetic Practice, it “can be used at high doses topically (at least up to 5%) and is generally well tolerated.”

The Skincareedit

Please note that ‘high doses’ are already considered around 5%. And yes, higher concentration CAN lead to irritation.

Niacinamide products we liked and reviewed:

Your skincare doesn’t do anything? Make it more effective!

skin brightening ingredients
Honorable mention: Paula’s Choice’s Ceramide-Enriched Firming Moisturiser isn’t a brightening product per se, but includes some brightening ingredients nevertheless (also, I love it). Good Molecules Discoloration Correcting Serum is still on my untried pile, but includes a derivative of tranexamic acid and 4% niacinamide.

You don’t need to succumb to the higher, faster, more of the skincare world. If you want to give your products already in your stash a boost, here’s how.

Apply the product you want to reap the most benefits from (let’s say a brightening serum with niacinamide) directly on damp skin, either directly after a toner or, if you don’t use one, on still damp (not wet!) skin after cleansing. This will help the product to penetrate quicker. THEN, you seal that in with an occlusive moisturiser that is either rich in silicones, oils or mineral oil that won’t let all those precious actives evaporate into thin air.

You don’t always need a new product, sometimes it works well to try new application methods for the ones already in your stash.

Please note that this review is not sponsored in any way. We buy products ourselves, with our own money, and don’t accept exchanging goods, or money, for reviews. We are completely independent, and our reviews reflect that.