Relationships with Niacin and Menthol

The potential mild Niacin-flush can be avoided or further minimized in two ways:

• Decreasing the concentration of Nicomenthyl 20 in the formulation, down to 0.5% or even less.
• Formulating a more “anhydrous” composition, with less glycols and more oily ingredients (such as waxes), to slow down the skin penetration of menthyl nicotinate. This will extend the time-release absorption and prevent the flush effect or make it almost unperceivable, still maintining an optimal detox efficacy.

The menthylic (from menthol) moiety of the menthyl nicotinate molecule acts as a kind of controller or modulator of the flushing effect caused by the nicotinic (from niacin) moiety. Occasionally however, skin care or hair care products containing Nicomenthyl 20, depending on the concentration and the type of formulation, may cause a light beneficial flush in the application area and a kind of slightly “tingling” subcutaneous sensation, that will disappear in a short time.

Absolutely not. Some people misinterpret the Niacin flush (vasodilation) as an allergic reaction. There is a similarity but they are not the same. The flush caused by an allergy may be due to a local release of histamine into the epithelial tissues, triggered by the presence of allergens. The Niacin-flush instead is the result of a complex cascade of chemical reactions which, apart from activating some specific skin thermoreceptors, produce substances known as prostaglandins (PGD₂ e PGE₂), responsible for a temporary skin vasodilation.

No. It just means skin cells are being cleansed by the beneficial enhancement of blood circulation and toxins flushing from your body. It is completely harmless and usually lasting only ten minutes or so.

Niacin flushes your system by increasing blood flow. It causes small veins, called capillaries to dilate, allowing blood to flow more freely.

Thorough in vitro testing has confirmed that Nicomenthyl 20 is not sensitizing.
As a precaution however, considering that Nicomenthyl 20 slowly releases Menthol into the skin, we advise the subject allergic to that substance to test first the cosmetic product containing Nicomenthyl 20 by applying a small quantity of it inside the forearm.

Menthol exerts an essential balsamic and soothing activity. The simultaneous, equi-molar and slow release of menthol into the skin prevents the niacin-flush effect that is usually observed with other nicotinate-based formulations, without however inhibiting its biochemical and vitaminic functionality.

Scientific studies have revealed that, in 24 hours, the quantity of Niacin released in the skin is about 18% of the total niacin contained in the original dose of Nicomenthyl 20.

Niacin plays an essential metabolic role throughout the animal kingdom.

None. Nicotinic acid and Niacin are synonyms, both terms indicating the same molecule. Nicotinic acid = Niacin = Vitamin B3 = Vitamin PP (Pellagra Preventing). Deficiency of Vitamin B3 is the cause of Pellagra, a dreadful desease, characterized by the famous 4 “D”s:  dermatitis, diarrhea, dementia and death.

In 1873 the Austrian chemist Hugo Weidel managed to synthetize it by oxidizing nicotine with nitric acid. This has been the only reason this substance was then called “Nicotinic” acid, even though it was not biochemically or toxicologically related to the well-known tobacco alkaloid.

NO, there is no functional relationship between Menthyl nicotinate and Nicotine. Niacin or Vitamin B3 was originally given the name of Nicotinic acid by Austrian chemist Hugo Weidel in 1873. Having obtained it by oxidizing Nicotine he called it “Nicotinic acid”.