CLINICAL 20% Niacinamide Treatment
What it's good for
Key actives from our research database. Click any to read the full evidence dossier.
A multitasker that calms redness, evens out skin tone, and helps oily skin balance out. One of the safest do-a-little-of-everything ingredients.
Good for: Brightening, Barrier repair, Anti-inflammatory
Brightens dull skin and helps fade dark spots. Also defends against everyday UV and pollution damage when worn under sunscreen.
Good for: Brightening, Antioxidant
A gentle Asian-skincare brightener derived from licorice root. Fades dark spots and calms redness, and it's a pregnancy-safe alternative to stronger fade ingredients.
Good for: Brightening, Anti-inflammatory
Evidence behind the ingredients
Real citations from our research database, one per tracked active in this product. Click any ingredient name to read its full evidence dossier.
A multitasker that calms redness, evens out skin tone, and helps oily skin balance out. One of the safest do-a-little-of-everything ingredients.
Moro F et al., Skin Cancer Prevention and Antiaging: Role of Nicotinamide, International Journal of Molecular Sciences 2026
Passeron T et al., An Investigator-Blinded, Randomized Trial of a Broad-Spectrum Sunscreen Containing Sclareolide and Niacinamide, Dermatology and Therapy (Heidelberg) 2026
Vergilio MM et al., Topical Formulation with Niacinamide Combined with 5 MHz Ultrasound for Improving Skin Ageing, Current Medicinal Chemistry 2025
Brightens dull skin and helps fade dark spots. Also defends against everyday UV and pollution damage when worn under sunscreen.
Krutmann J et al. PINGing Sunshine: A Review of the Evidence for Adding Non-Filtering Photoprotective Ingredients to Sunscreens. Photodermatol Photoimmunol Photomed. 2025;41(6). — Review of Photoprotective INGredients (PINGs); L-ascorbic acid (vitamin C) identified as a top-ranked PING demonstrating efficacy across multiple photodamage endpoints.
Pullar JM et al., The roles of vitamin C in skin health, Nutrients 2017;9(8):866 — concluded topical efficacy "poorly understood"; supports dietary vitamin C
Lee JH et al., Effects of VitabridC12 on Skin Inflammation, Annals of Dermatology 2017
A gentle Asian-skincare brightener derived from licorice root. Fades dark spots and calms redness, and it's a pregnancy-safe alternative to stronger fade ingredients.
Glabridin Inhibits Melanogenesis and Melanin Transfer via Wnt/beta-Catenin Pathway and Rho Family GTPase-Mediated Dendritic Formation Suppression, Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2026;19(3) — glabridin (the licorice-root active) suppressed melanin synthesis and keratinocyte melanin transfer in vitro via Wnt/beta-Catenin and Rho-GTPase dendrite suppression
Liu Y et al., Glycyrrhiza glabra extract as a skin-whitening agent: Identification of active components and CRTC1/MITF pathway-inhibition mechanism, Journal of Ethnopharmacology 2025;349:119948 — identifies glabridin as the principal active and maps skin-whitening mechanism via CREB/CRTC1/MITF suppression
Wang JY et al., Preparation of compound liquorice microemulsion gel and its pharmacodynamics evaluation, Zhongguo Zhong Yao Za Zhi (China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica) 2020;45(21):5193-5199 — compound licorice (Glycyrrhiza) microemulsion gel significantly reduced ear swelling and inflammatory infiltration in chronic eczema mouse model
Sources: 10 clinical journals and regulatory databases across the US, EU, Korea, Japan, and China. Every entry points to a specific document. See methodology for the full list and what each outcome label means.
Layering conflicts
Ingredients in this product that can react with common actives. Avoid stacking unless noted.
- Benzoyl Peroxidemedium
Benzoyl peroxide breaks down vitamin C, making both less effective. Use one in the morning and the other at night.
- Retinollow
Vitamin C and retinol work best at different pH levels. Use vitamin C in the morning and retinol at night.
Similar comparisons
Not medical advice. GlowPal is educational. Patch-test new products and talk to a qualified healthcare professional before changing your routine, especially if you're pregnant, nursing, or have a diagnosed skin condition. See our terms.