These NAD+ Skincare Products Could Be The Secret To Ageing Backwards
The longevity movement sweeping the wellness world is easy to get behind — after all, who doesn’t want to live a longer, healthier life? At the heart of the conversation is NAD+, or nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide. Celebrities like Gwyneth Paltrow, Jennifer Aniston, Hailey Bieber and Kendall Jenner swear by NAD+ infusion therapy for helping them feel their best. Naturally, the ingredient’s appeal has expanded beyond IV drips to the broader wellness scene — first through supplements and now via skincare.
Vogue’s favourite NAD+ skincare products
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Ultimately, the best ways to boost your body’s NAD+ levels are by living a healthy lifestyle — sleeping well, eating nutritious foods, exercising regularly (both cardio and strength training) and avoiding UV exposure, as well as using supplements and having IV drips that contain NAD+.
But if you’re interested in experimenting with the topical stuff, read on to shop some of the bestselling NAD+ skincare formulas on the market.
Best overall: Numbuzin No.9 NAD+ Bio Lifting-sil Essence
No.9 NAD+ BIO Lifting-sil Essence
- Why we love it: This Korean essence was the first NAD+ skincare product to capture our attention over a year ago. Dr Reszko notes that the combination of actives in the formula makes it best for those seeking firming benefits, and the ingredients are impressive — in addition to NAD+, there are a whopping 50 peptides as well as humectants like hyaluronic acid and tremella-mushroom extract. But what’s most memorable about this essence is its truly unique texture: It’s oddly stretchy, almost like a snail-mucin formula, yet it isn’t remotely sticky and absorbs beautifully into the skin. Despite the lengthy ingredient list, Numbuzin’s NAD+ essence is gentle (and fragrance-free), making skin look plumper, smoother and lifted with consistent use.
- Key ingredients: NAD+, niacinamide, tremella-mushroom extract, peptides
Best with vitamin C: Dr. Sam’s Flawless Vitamin C NAD+ Serum
Dr Sam’s
Flawless Vitamin C NAD+ Serum
- Why we love it: A lot of vitamin C serums are runny, sticky or stinky, but not this one, which combines the potent antioxidant with NAD+ and NAD+ precursors to help firm and brighten skin, says Dr Reszko. The vitamin C here is tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate, an oil-soluble form of the active that’s more stable than traditional L-ascorbic acid. Not only is it better able to penetrate the skin, it’s gentler — and for good measure, the formula also contains fellow free-radical fighters ferulic acid and ectoin. The latter helps soothe, repair and defend against environmental stressors. The result? Healthy, glowing skin.
- Key ingredients: NAD+, vitamin C, ectoin, ferulic acid
Best for wrinkles: Medik8 Advanced Pro-Collagen+ Peptide Cream
Medik8
Advanced Pro-Collagen+ Peptide Cream
- Why we love it: The ultimate night cream, this new Medik8 formula harnesses NAD+ to boost collagen production and address the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. As well as a 45 per cent increase in collagen production, trials showed that it took just seven days for users to notice visible firmness, lift and wrinkle depth reduction, noting that their skin looked a little less tired. And we could all do with a bit of that.
- Key ingredients: NAD+, peptides (carnosine), growth factors, polyglutamic acid, endonuclease
Best refillable: Codeage Maison Rouge NAD+ Face Serum
Numbuzin Maison Rouge NAD+ Face Serum
- Why We Love It: According to Dr Kahn, this silky formula contains NAD+ as well as one of its precursors (niacinamide), vitamin C, and plant extracts to address signs of ageing. One such extract is seaweed extract, specifically Irish moss, which is shown to have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties as well as offering UV protection and dark-spot-fading benefits. As the serum works to positively impact skin health by repairing and protecting, the packaging minimises your impact on the environment: The bottle features an internal chamber that can be removed and replaced with a refill.
- Key Ingredients: NAD+, niacinamide, seaweed extract, vitamin C
Best splurge: Biologique Recherche Cocktail d’Actifs Régénérants
Biologique Recherche Cocktail d’Actifs Régénérants
- Why we love it: If your skin is sending out SOS signals and you’re prepared to splurge on a solution, consider this set of concentrates from iconic French skincare brand Biologique Recherche. The ingredient list boasts all 20 amino acids found in the human body (the building blocks of protein, including collagen and elastin), multiple peptides, numerous vitamins and NAD+ to boost the vitality of even the most depleted complexions, per Dr Kahn. You’ll receive 10 vials; for best results, use half of one each day for 20 days, pressing the formula into your skin to maximise absorption. You’ll need to refrigerate the half-used vial once it’s been opened to keep the serum inside at maximum potency. After you’ve used them all up, you’ll see smoother, healthier-looking skin that’s almost impossibly glowy, making this a worthy treatment to try ahead of a major event.
- Key ingredients: NAD+, peptides, amino acids, retinol, vitamin C
“NAD+ is a molecule found in every cell that helps convert nutrients into energy and supports essential cellular functions like DNA repair, cell signalling and maintaining a healthy metabolism,” explains board-certified dermatologist Anetta Reszko. But much like collagen, our natural NAD+ levels decline with age — dropping by nearly 50% by the time we reach 40, notes Amanda Kahn, a board-certified internist and longevity expert. This sharp decline contributes to oxidative stress, inflammation and decreased cellular energy production, also known as ATP.
What does NAD+ do for the skin?
With less ATP, your cells begin to age more rapidly, and all tissues start to deteriorate sooner — something that’s particularly noticeable in the skin. “Research suggests that NAD+ helps maintain skin elasticity by promoting collagen and elastin synthesis, improving tissue hydration, and supporting the skin’s microvasculature to ensure adequate nutrient delivery,” explains Dr Kahn. NAD+ can also help reduce skin inflammation, protect against DNA damage (including that caused by UV exposure), and may even help to reverse visible signs of ageing.
Does NAD+ skin care actually work?
Considering NAD+ can help boost collagen production and optimise skin health, function and appearance, it may be surprising that the ingredient is just starting to get top billing in topical products. But there’s a reason: NAD+ skincare needs to be developed carefully to work. “Topical NAD+ has limited utility because the molecule is large and unstable, making skin penetration challenging,” says Dr Reszko.
While you may still see localised benefits from cosmetic formulas that contain NAD+, the most effective NAD+ skincare products tend to contain NAD+ precursors, or ingredients that your body can turn into the buzzy active. One of the most effective NAD+ precursors happens to be one of the most popular ingredients used in skin care today: niacinamide.
Others include nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) and sunflower-sprout extract. “A 2022 study found that sunflower-sprout extract increased cellular ATP production and protected DNA from damage by UV rays, likely by increasing an enzyme that happens to help cells recycle NAD+,” explains Dr Kahn.
Meet the experts
- Anetta Reszko is a board-certified dermatologist in New York.
- Amanda Kahn is a board-certified internist and longevity expert in New York.