A popularly used ingredient in many skincare formulations, niacinamide has a myriad benefits ranging from acne to anti-aging. There are so many people that swear by the power of niacinamide, that it has its own cult following. Ok, so I must admit I am late to the party. With so many new brands on the market offering products containing niacinamide, I thought I’d give it a try. Maybe it could help with some of my skincare concerns. So I purchased a niacinamide serum from a reputable brand, and I can attest that after 48 hours of using the product I now see what all the hype is about. WHAT DOES NIACINAMIDE DO?
WHAT ACTIVES WORK WITH NIACINAMIDE?Niacinamide works well in combination with AHAs, BHAs, hyaluronic acid, peptides and antioxidants (such as vitamin C in the the form of ascorbyl glucoside, not pure vitamin C). HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO SEE RESULTS?According to experts, you should see results after 2-4 weeks when used on a consistent basis (at least 1-2 times daily). It may even take up to 6 weeks to see the full benefits. Please keep in mind results will vary depending on the concentration of the product, and the severity of your skin concern. Niacinamide can cause skin irritation when used in high doses. So its better to start off with a lower concentration and work your way up to avoid problems such as dermatitis and PIH. Some studies suggest that niacinamide 5% concentrations are effective at treating hyper pigmentation and sun damage. Skincare formulas containing 2% concentrations of niacinamide are excellent at easing the inflammatory symptoms with eczema and similar conditions. NIACINAMIDE PRODUCTS THAT WORKI do occasionally have break outs with one large pimple in the same place, usually just before my menstrual cycle. Dealing with hyperpigmentation is a problem that plagues me. It normally takes about a month for the hyperpigmentation to subside after the initial breakout. After hearing much about niacinamide and all it’s wonderful benefits, I decided to give it a try. After careful consideration, I settled on Paula’s Choice 10% Niacinamide Booster. Initial Reaction I will say that it almost immediately reduced the inflammation I was experiencing. After 48 hours of usage applying once daily, I noticed that pimple had reduced in size, and the tenderness/redness had disappeared. I’m not saying that this is a miracle product. But there is obviously some truth to the power of niacinamide. I haven’t experienced any of the other benefits as yet (it’s too early to tell). But I will keep using this product, and see if the long term benefits bear any fruits. Post Reaction This serum definitely refined the texture of my skin to my amazement, after about a week or so. My skin took really well to this product. So, there is definitely some truth to the anti-aging benefits.
After a few weeks of usage, I started to experience some brightening of the skin and a reduction of hyperpigmentation. This serum is formulated with ascorbyl glucoside (a form of vitamin C) which helps boost the brightening effect. The only thing I didn't like was the consistency and the price point. The serum is quite watery making it difficult to apply, and very easy to waste product. The 20ml bottle is priced at about 50€, which I think is a bit excessive. Would I by this product again? Yes. Overall it's the best niacinamide serum that I've tried. I've gone on since to try a few others, and they don't measure up. Paula's Choice Niacinamide Booster 10 is definitely my top pick. The journey towards peace and a healthy lifestyle may not always be a linear path. Sometimes being open to new methods of healing can lead us to our breakthrough. At first glance meditation may not seem to be your cup of tea. But if you take a closer look, you’ll see that the benefits of meditation are persuasive enough to make you start practicing. I’ve been practicing meditation on and off for years, and have recently picked the habit back up during the early days of the pandemic. And I can attest that it’s been nothing short of a life saver. The Benefits of MeditationMeditation is the practice of training your mind to focus by rediecting your thoughts and attention while the body is in a state of relaxation. Meditation is practiced in numerous religious traditions. In recent years meditation has become increasingly popular due to the countless health benefits, many of which can be felt almost immediately.
Psychological stress can also provoke symptoms in chronic inflammatory disorders. In a research article published in Science Direct, A comparison of mindfulness-based stress reduction and an active control in modulation of neurogenic inflammation, studies show a reduction of inflammation brought on by psychological stress after 8 weeks.
Meditation is also beneficial when dealing with job-related anxiety. In one study published by the National Library of Medicine, employees who used a mindful meditation app for 8 weeks experienced a decline of stress levels in the work place with an improvement in overall wellbeing, in comparison with those in a control group. In another study published by the Journal of Clinical Psychology, researchers found that mindfulness meditation reduced the symptoms in people with generalised anxiety disorder, improved coping mechanisms and reaction to stress after 8 weeks.
In the research article, Does mindfulness attenuate thought emphasising negativity, but not positivity?, researchers discovered that people who completed a meditation exercise experienced fewer negative thoughts in response to viewing negative images, when compared with those in a control group.
In a 2019 study, Brief, daily meditation enhances attention, memory, mood, and emotional regulation in non-experienced meditators, researchers concluded that daily meditation decreased negative mood states, enhanced attention, working memory, and recognition memory as well as a decreased state in anxiety.
In a study published in 2015, Stress, Meditation, and Alzheimer’s Disease Prevention: Where The Evidence Stands, researchers proved that Kirtan Kriya (a type of meditation) is effective in treating people with memory loss. Evidence shows that the regular practice of Kirtan Kriya by people with age-related memory loss helped improve performance during neuropsychological testing.
In the article, A Randomized Controlled Trial of Mindfulness Meditation for Chronic Insomnia published in 2014, researchers found that people who meditated stayed asleep longer and had improved insomnia severity, compared with those who had an unmedicated control condition. There are a variety of meditation techniques that can be used to help improve sleep patterns. Intergrating mediation into your lifestyle can shorten the time it takes to fall asleep, as well as increase sleep quality. HOW TO MEDITATEThere are various meditation techniques. Finding the one that is right for you may seem overwhelming as a beginner. Starting off with simple breath-focused meditation is a great way to begin. It involves using the breath as the centre of focus. Breath-focused meditation has several cognitive benefits such as improved attention span, enhanced focus, and increased positive emotions.
Simple Meditation For Beginners
In the beginning try to practice for a minimum of 5 minutes, and then try it for longer periods of time as you progress. |