10% Niacinamide Booster
- Routine step
- Serum (serum)
- When
- Morning and evening
- Skin types
- Combination, Normal, Oily
- Pairs well with
- Azelaic Acid, Salicylic Acid, Heartleaf, Retinol
Apply a pea-sized amount to clean, slightly damp skin before your moisturizer. Start with a few nights a week if it contains an active you are new to.
Ingredient research in this formula
These are ingredient-level research links, not evidence that this exact product has been clinically tested.
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
A gentler, more stable form of vitamin C. Same brightening benefits with less chance of stinging.
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
A gentler, more stable form of vitamin C. Same brightening benefits with less chance of stinging.
Takada A et al., Treatment with Ascorbyl Glucoside-Arginine Complex Ameliorates Solar Lentigos, International Journal of Molecular Sciences 2024: significantly reduced solar lentigo hyperpigmentation without adverse effects
Muller B et al., A Bayesian network meta-analysis of 14 molecules inhibiting UV daylight-induced pigmentation, Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology 2024;38(8):1566-1574: network MA including ascorbyl glucoside 2% among depigmenting agents
Jacques C et al., Ascorbic acid 2-glucoside: An ascorbic acid pro-drug with longer-term antioxidant efficacy in skin, International Journal of Cosmetic Science 2021: comparable antioxidant protection to higher-dose ascorbic acid with better stability
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.
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.