Why Does Niacin Make Your Skin Turn Red?
If you have used a warming cream with niacin or methyl nicotinate and watched your skin go pink, that is the flush working as intended. It looks dramatic the first time, but it is a normal, temporary reaction.
What the flush is
Niacin is a form of vitamin B3. Nicotinates such as methyl nicotinate and benzyl nicotinate are related compounds made for use on the skin. Applied to the skin, they temporarily widen the tiny blood vessels in its top layer. More blood near the surface makes the skin look pink to red and feel warm to the touch.
How long it lasts
Methyl nicotinate works fast: the flush usually shows within a few minutes. Benzyl nicotinate comes on more slowly and carries the flush longer. In OCTANE Pre the flush fades on its own, while the sustained warmth from the capsicum resin carries on.
Normal flush or a reaction?
Normal: even pink or red skin limited to where you applied the cream, warmth, and a fade over time.
Not normal: hives, swelling, blistering, or redness and irritation that spreads or does not fade. If that happens, wash the area with soap and water and stop using the product. A patch test on a small area before the first full use is always a good idea.
Tips
Do not apply to broken skin. Keep it off your face and eyes, wash your hands right after applying, and do not put a heating pad or tight wrap over the area. If you want more warmth, add another thin layer rather than a heavy one, up to 3 layers a day with OCTANE Pre.
For external use only. Cosmetic product. Patch test before first use, and stop use if irritation persists.