Type: Ingredient entity — regulatory & claim record
Topic: Niacinamide (나이아신아마이드) — cosmetic functional ingredient (K-Beauty)
Evidence basis: MFDS functional cosmetic notification (No. 2009-165), MFDS current regulation text (law.go.kr), KCIA ingredient list (INCI confirmation), PubChem (CAS 98-92-0)
Last Verified: 2026-05-19
This page does not make treatment, disease prevention, or efficacy claims. See the Evidence Boundaries section below for what this record explicitly does not assert.
What Is Niacinamide?
Niacinamide (INCI: NIACINAMIDE; CAS: 98-92-0) is a water-soluble form of Vitamin B3, chemically known as nicotinamide. In the Korean cosmetic regulatory framework, niacinamide is listed as a notified functional ingredient for skin brightening under the MFDS Standards and Test Methods for Functional Cosmetics (Annex 2). Cosmetic products containing niacinamide at 2–5% concentration may undergo the simplified reporting process (보고형) to obtain functional cosmetic status for skin brightening claims.
Niacinamide is also used as a general cosmetic ingredient below 2% or above 5%, in which case no functional cosmetic reporting is required, but brightening-related claims are not permitted. This regulatory distinction — functional cosmetic vs. general cosmetic — is one of the most frequently misunderstood boundaries in Korean cosmetic marketing, and is the central reason this ingredient record exists.
A common source of confusion is the relationship between niacinamide and niacin. Both belong to the Vitamin B3 family, but they are chemically distinct compounds with separate regulatory treatment in Korean health functional food standards. Niacin (nicotinic acid, CAS: 59-67-6) is the notified functional ingredient in Korean health functional food regulations for energy metabolism. Niacinamide is not independently listed as a functional ingredient for skin benefits in health functional food regulations. These two entities are managed separately in this database.
Ingredient Snapshot
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Ingredient Name | Niacinamide |
| Korean Name | 나이아신아마이드 / 니코틴아마이드 |
| INCI Name | NIACINAMIDE |
| Synonyms | Nicotinamide, Vitamin B3 amide, Pyridine-3-carboxamide, Nicotinic acid amide |
| CAS No. | 98-92-0 |
| Ingredient Type | Vitamin (water-soluble B3 — nicotinamide form) |
| Cosmetic Role | Skin brightening (functional cosmetic, MFDS-notified); general cosmetic ingredient |
| Supplement Function | Not applicable as niacinamide in Korean HFF regulations — see Niacin entity |
| Status | To Review (regulatory data confirmed; claim classification pending human review) |
Regulatory Records
| Record Type | Jurisdiction | Issuing Body | Record Number | Scope | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Functional cosmetic notified ingredient — skin brightening | Korea | MFDS | No. 2009-165 (Annex 2) | Skin brightening; 2–5% concentration; reporting-type (보고형) eligible | Active | MFDS 기능성화장품 기준 및 시험방법 고시 |
| Functional cosmetic notified ingredient — brightening + anti-wrinkle combination | Korea | MFDS | Annex 5 (combination with Adenosine) | Skin brightening + wrinkle improvement; niacinamide + adenosine combined formulation only | Active | MFDS 기능성화장품 기준 및 시험방법 (법제처 현행본) |
| General cosmetic ingredient | Korea | MFDS | N/A | Usable below 2% or above 5% as general cosmetic ingredient; functional claims not permitted | Active | MFDS 화장품 성분 규정 |
| Health functional food — niacin (related entity) | Korea | MFDS / 식품안전나라 | HFF Code notified ingredient | Energy metabolism claim applies to niacin; separate entity from cosmetic niacinamide | Active | 식품안전나라 건강기능식품 기능성 원료 정보 |
Claim Safety Matrix
Note: Claim Type classifications below reflect the current review status as of 2026-05-19. All Allowed classifications are pending final human review confirmation.
| Claim Text | Claim Type | Why It Matters | Safer Alternative Wording | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 피부에 멜라닌 색소가 침착되는 것을 방지하여 기미·주근깨 등의 생성을 억제하고 피부의 미백에 도움을 줌 | Allowed (conditional) | This is the official MFDS-notified expression for niacinamide skin brightening. Permitted only for functional cosmetic products that have completed the MFDS reporting/review process with niacinamide at 2–5%. Using this expression on general cosmetics without functional cosmetic status constitutes false or exaggerated advertising under Korean cosmetic law. | Use the official MFDS wording verbatim. Do not shorten or paraphrase. Condition: functional cosmetic reporting completed. | MFDS 기능성화장품 기준 및 시험방법 고시 (Annex 2) |
| 기미·주근깨를 케어합니다 | Caution | This expression sits at the boundary between permitted functional cosmetic claims and general cosmetic marketing. Without functional cosmetic status, it implies a brightening efficacy that cannot be claimed for general cosmetics. | 피부 톤 정돈에 도움을 줍니다 (general cosmetic context only) | 화장품 광고자문 기준 및 해설서 2023 (KCIA) |
| 피부 미백에 도움을 줍니다 (건기식 라벨) | Prohibited | Korean health functional food regulations list niacin’s permitted function as energy metabolism only. Skin brightening is not a recognized functional claim for niacin or niacinamide in the health functional food framework. | Do not use. For energy metabolism context only: 체내 에너지 생성에 필요 (applies to Niacin entity only) | 식품안전나라 건강기능식품 기능성 원료 정보 (나이아신 고시) |
| NAD+를 증가시켜 세포 에너지를 높입니다 | Avoid | NAD+ upregulation is a mechanistic research finding, not a permitted functional expression in Korean cosmetic or health functional food regulations. This type of claim may imply pharmaceutical-level efficacy. | Remove from product claims. May be used in educational context with explicit source citation and regulatory disclaimer. | 식품안전나라 건강기능식품 공전, MFDS 화장품 표현 기준 |
Evidence Boundaries: What This Page Does Not Claim
The following claims are outside the scope of this ingredient record:
Disease treatment or prevention. Niacinamide is not recognized as a drug ingredient for skin disease treatment in this regulatory context. No claim on this page implies therapeutic efficacy for conditions such as melasma, acne, or eczema as medical diagnoses.
Individual efficacy guarantee. The regulatory records on this page describe permitted claim frameworks, not individual product performance. Actual product outcomes vary and are not within the scope of this ingredient entity record.
Health functional food skin benefits. Niacinamide does not have a recognized functional claim for skin brightening or skin health in Korean health functional food regulations. The energy metabolism claim belongs to the separate Niacin entity.
Off-label cosmetic ingredient claims. Claims such as “pore reduction,” “sebum control as treatment,” or “cellular regeneration” are not supported by the regulatory sources used in this record.
Related Entities
Related Ingredients
- Niacin (나이아신) — health functional food notified ingredient; energy metabolism; separate entity
- Adenosine — functional cosmetic notified ingredient; wrinkle improvement; combined formulation with niacinamide for brightening + anti-wrinkle
Related Product Types
- Functional cosmetic (brightening) — lotion, cream, serum, sheet mask with niacinamide 2–5%
- General cosmetic — products with niacinamide below 2% or above 5% (no functional claim)
- Combined functional cosmetic (brightening + wrinkle) — niacinamide + adenosine formulation
Related Claims
- Skin brightening — MFDS notified expression (Allowed, conditional on functional cosmetic reporting)
- Energy metabolism — niacin notified expression (applies to Niacin entity only)
Related Regulatory Concepts
- 기능성화장품 보고형 (Functional cosmetic reporting process)
- 건강기능식품 고시형 원료 (Notified functional ingredient — health functional food)
- 화장품 광고자문 기준 (Korean cosmetic advertising guidance)
Source Transparency Note
| Source | Role | Authority Scope | Limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| MFDS 기능성화장품 기준 및 시험방법 고시 | Regulatory | Permitted functional claims, concentration limits, reporting eligibility | Cosmetic context only |
| 법제처 행정규칙 현행본 (law.go.kr) | Regulatory (current text) | Current legal text of functional cosmetic standards | Cosmetic context only |
| 식품안전나라 건강기능식품 기능성 원료 정보 | Regulatory | HFF notified ingredient scope and permitted expressions | Health functional food context only |
| KCIA 화장품 성분사전 | Naming | INCI name, Korean name, synonym confirmation | Naming reference only — not a basis for functional or medical claims |
| PubChem (CID 936) | Chemical identity | CAS No. 98-92-0, molecular structure, chemical synonyms | No regulatory or claim information |
| 화장품 광고자문 기준 및 해설서 2023 (KCIA) | Advertising guidance | Permitted and prohibited expressions in cosmetic marketing | Guidance document; industry standard |
KCIA is used for ingredient naming and INCI confirmation only. KCIA alone is not a basis for functional or medical claim classification.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is niacinamide a regulated functional ingredient in Korean cosmetics?
Yes. Niacinamide is listed as a notified functional ingredient for skin brightening in the MFDS Standards and Test Methods for Functional Cosmetics. Cosmetic products containing niacinamide at 2–5% are eligible for functional cosmetic reporting. Without this process, brightening claims are not permitted.
What claims are allowed for niacinamide in Korean functional cosmetics?
The MFDS-notified permitted expression is: “피부에 멜라닌 색소가 침착되는 것을 방지하여 기미·주근깨 등의 생성을 억제하고 피부의 미백에 도움을 줌.” This must be used verbatim. Niacinamide alone does not have a wrinkle improvement claim — only a combined formulation with adenosine qualifies for both brightening and wrinkle claims.
Can niacinamide claim skin brightening on health functional food labels in Korea?
No. In Korean health functional food regulations, niacin is recognized only for energy metabolism. Skin brightening is not a recognized functional claim for niacinamide in health functional food regulations.
What is the difference between niacinamide and niacin in Korean regulations?
Niacinamide (nicotinamide, CAS 98-92-0) and niacin (nicotinic acid, CAS 59-67-6) are both Vitamin B3 compounds but treated as distinct entities. Niacinamide is the notified functional ingredient for skin brightening in cosmetics. Niacin is the notified ingredient in health functional food regulations for energy metabolism. Their regulatory claims must not be interchanged.
Does niacinamide have any pharmaceutical claims in Korea?
This record covers niacinamide in cosmetics and health functional foods only. High-dose oral niacin for lipid management or pellagra treatment falls outside this record’s scope. No pharmaceutical efficacy claims are made on this page.