The Role of NAD+ Skincare in Skin Barrier Repair and Anti-Aging

Biological aging occurs when free radicals overtake the body’s natural antioxidants, leading to an imbalance of reactive oxygen species (ROS) to antioxidants. This imbalance causes a degradation of skin matrix molecules, including diminished and disorganized collagen and degraded elastic fibers. These changes result in visible signs of aging such as fine lines and wrinkles. The most significant cause of this degradation is age-related oxidative stress.

The first step in preventing cellular oxidative stress is to strengthen the skin barrier repair. The second step is to reduce and eliminate oxidative damage through an effective antioxidant. The most effective and scientifically-backed antioxidant is methylene blue. This innovative ingredient is at the core of our revolutionary anti-aging skincare line, Bluelene(r).

Methylene blue works by targeting and neutralizing ROS through a unique, cell-specific mechanism. Unlike more general ROS scavengers, which only reduce ROS in the mitochondria, methylene blue (MB) has an internal effect that targets ROS directly in cells without harming healthy cells1.

In a four-week test, methylene blue was shown to significantly slow—and potentially reverse—visible signs of aging, including fine lines and wrinkles, in primary human skin fibroblasts from middle-aged normal and HGPS patients2.

Our patented skincare line combines methylene blue with a proprietary blend of other highly potent science-backed nutrients for a total skin rejuvenation. The two products, Renue Blue Serum and Renue Blue Cream, combine a proprietary form of liposomal methylene blue with NAD+ Complex (NAD+, NMN and NR), Apocynin, Glutathione and Hyaluronic Acid to restore the skin’s barrier function and increase its strength and elasticity.

During aging, fibroblasts exhibit decreased proliferation and migration as well as degraded collagen and elastin in the ECM. Our study showed that MB treatment can promote fibroblast migration and increase the thickness of the dermis in an in vitro 3D human skin tissue model, while also upregulating elastin expression in these same cells. It is hypothesized that these effects may be attributed to MB’s ability to alter the expression of key genes involved in antioxidant defense, cell cycle and DNA repair pathways. The results demonstrate that methylene blue can slow and potentially reverse the most common visible symptoms of aging, while also promoting wound healing.