It was a bitterly cold travel day from New York to Chicago with a slew of new skincare products tucked away into my suitcase, ripe for the testing, that created the perfect storm on my skin. My plans of cold-turkey testing this new product line (which shall go unnamed) quickly devolved into an eczema rash and a jumble of angry, pimple-like blemishes, enticed by new formulas and biting Midwest winds.
My skin remained in variations of this all-hell-broken-loose appearance until I had a sit-down with Trinny Woodall, the founder of the chic British beauty brand Trinny London, where the makeover maven took a good look at my skin. It was here that she diagnosed me with a beaten-down microbiome due to constant product-testing and prescribed me with a new skincare regimen—making me take out my phone and record her explanation of which products to use and when. This kind of behavior doesn’t usually sway me into swapping my whole routine, but for some reason, Woodall convinced me—and the results were almost instant…almost miraculous.
Three products quickly became my morning and night heroes: The Energise Me Niacinamide Moisturizer (daytime), the Bounce Back Intense Peptide Moisturizer (nighttime), and the Plump Up Peptide HA Serum (before everything). But the one that had me hooked and quickly became my dearest travel companion was the Energise Me moisturizer—a lightweight, skin-soothing lotion that calmed my rosacea-stricken skin, smoothed over my dry patches, and gave me an all-day glow that started earning me compliments, even with no makeup on.
The Hero Product
Trinny London
Energise Me
Trinny London’s niacinamide moisturizer is one I’ll reach for year-round, even when the late-winter winds have subsided, thanks to its ultra-light formula that feels more like a serum than a lotion. Though I’m often skeptical of light formulas when my skin is so desperately vying for a thick slather, this formula worked overtime to inject my barrier with the recharging nutrients it so desperately needed and locked in the hydration with one fell swoop. Its product description says it’s “perfect for stressed and tired skin,” and that couldn’t have described my product-exhausted skin more perfectly.
What are The Benefits of Niacinamide Cream?
Its skin-loving formula is a concoction of niacinamide (duh), succinic acid, and a compound called asiaticoside—but if you think I just spoke Latin, I have a translator for you.
“Niacinamide is an excellent ingredient for reactive skin because it helps to soothe the skin barrier and support radiance,” explains board-certified dermatologist Dr. Elyse Love. “This increases skin hydration, supports barrier health, and potentially decreases redness, burning, and other signs of irritation.”
Fellow board-certified dermatologist Dr. Marisa Garshick seconds this, saying that this combination of benefits is “especially important for those with eczema.”
While you may think of niacinamide for acne-prone, oily skin versus dry, dermatologists know that there’s more to this ingredient than blemish-busting. “It also supports the skin barrier, reducing moisture loss and providing hydration,” Dr. Garshick adds. Its anti-inflammatory properties are not only good for eczema, but prime this ingredient as an “excellent choice for individuals with acne or rosacea-prone skin.”
Though niacinamide may be the main act, there are a few other key players that take this formula to the next level.
“Succinic acid acts as a gentle exfoliant and also offers antiinflammatory and antimicrobial benefits,” Dr. Garshick explains. “It has antioxidant properties which help to protect the skin from free radical damage.” After a winter bouncing between the cold, urban environments of New York City and Chicago (and testing every serum, moisturizer, and cleanser known to man), this sounds like a winter skin savior to me.
The third and final key ingredient is one that I had to lean on my dermatologists for to get a clearer understanding. Asiaticoside is a component in many wound-healing topicals, hence its ability to patch up my irritated spots. “Asiaticoside has been shown to have anti-inflammatory and skin soothing benefits,” Dr. Garshick continues. “It also has antioxidant benefits and may help to boost collagen production, offering great anti-aging benefits as well.”
What I Liked About Trinny London’s Niacinamide Cream
It sounds dramatic, but when I squashed all three of the products mentioned above together, I saw smoother, happier skin the very next day. These days, my skincare regime has become a ritual—I cleanse my face, press two pumps of the Plump Up serum into my skin for a dewy, deeply hydrating base, and seal everything in with the Energise Me moisturizer. I follow the same steps for the evening, just swapping the niacinamide moisturizer for the thicker Bounce Back night cream.
As I said before, I saw results from the very first use, but what were they, exactly? Well, the scaly eczema patches that stung when other products touched it were quickly smoothed, leaving a clean barrier where there once were dry, makeup-catching splotches. My redness is rosacea-triggered, so while it never fully goes away, the intensity of those red spots along my chin start to fizzle once the moisturizer sinks into my skin (which, by the way, only takes about two minutes).
Those little pesky sebum-filled spots that would sprout when my skin reacted to an unsavory product? Gone, save for a few constants around my chin that never seem to fully disappear. (I still blame my rotating collection of beauty products.)
And the best part? It absorbs so fast that I can launch straight into makeup after a quick application—a rushed city girl’s dream.
All in all, I’ve tried two moisturizers that made my mouth hang open in shock after a night of testing (this and Dr. Diamond’s Metacine Instafacial Emulsion, all $350 of it), and I now can’t imagine my skincare routine without this cutely packaged pink moisturizer. (Which, by the way, is refillable for $50.) Join me as we say in unison, “Thank you Trinny London!”
Shop More Niacinamide Creams
PanOxyl
PM Balancing Repair Lotion
Dr. Garshick recommends this niacinamide–infused moisturizing gel-cream for those with acne-prone skin due to its sebum-controlling properties. The formula also “incorporates ceramides, hyaluronic acid and Cica to help moisturize and soothe the skin,” she adds.
Aestura
AtoBarrier365 Face Moisturizer with Ceramides and Niacinamide
Ideal for normal, dry, and combination skin, this formula uses a blend of niacinamide, ceramides, and a triple lipid complex to soothe and hydrate dry, uneven skin.
EltaMD
UV Clear Face Sunscreen SPF 46
For a hydrating SPF, try this product on for size. “This is a great sunscreen for those with oily or acne-prone skin as in addition to offering broad-spectrum UV coverage, it also contains niacinamide, which calms and soothes the skin, reducing inflammation and redness that may be associated with acne flares,” says Dr. Garshick. “It is also oil-free and noncomedogenic, so it won’t clog the pores or leave the skin looking greasy.”
The Ordinary
Niacinamide 5% Face & Body Emulsion
This lightweight moisturizer-serum hybrid is great for uneven skin, utilizing a niacinamide-infused formula to minimize the appearance of dark spots and amplify the skin’s natural glow.
The Outset
Restorative Niacinimide and Bakuchiol Night Cream
Formulated with two revitalizing skincare ingredients, this rich night cream from Scarlett Johansson’s beauty brand smooths fine lines and claims to hold moisture within the skin barrier more efficiently than hyaluronic acid.
Who’s Who
- Dr. Marisa Garshick, MD, FAAD, is a board-certified dermatologist and clinical assistant professor at Cornell based in New York and New Jersey.
- Dr. Elyse Love, MD, FAAD, is a New York City-based board-certified dermatologist at GlamDerm and host of the podcast BeautyCurious
- Alyssa Brascia is an associate beauty editor at Who What Wear with nearly four years of skincare testing experience. She experiences seasonal dryness and eczema, making her the perfect test subject for this product.