Everyone loves a skincare multitasker: An ingredient that makes others perform better, streamlines your routine, and buffers irritating anti-agers. Thatβs niacinamide, and its ease of use, gentle nature, and varied benefits has given it βitβ status as far as trendy ingredients go. Niacinamide (also known as nicotinamide) is a form of vitamin B3. You eat niacin in the form of foods, like chicken breast, marinara sauce, salmon, and brown rice, and consuming this vitamin helps your body convert the food you eat into energy, she says.But benefits abound when you smooth it onto your skin.