There’s a new conversation happening in skincare, and it’s centered around NAD.
In this episode, I sit down with Melisse Shaban, founder of Aramore, to break down why NAD is becoming such a powerful conversation in beauty, wellness, and longevity, and what it actually means for your skin.
At a basic level, NAD is what fuels your cells, and as those levels start to decline, your skin doesn’t function the same way. It becomes weaker, slower to regenerate, and more prone to the visible signs of aging.
What makes this conversation different is the shift in thinking.
Instead of focusing only on treating the surface; fine lines, discoloration and texture, this approach is about supporting the skin at the cellular level, where aging actually begins.
We get into:
• Why NAD decline plays a major role in how your skin ages
• What’s really happening beneath the surface in your 30s and beyond
• The difference between traditional skincare and cellular-focused skincare
• Why topical NAD is gaining so much attention right now
• And how this fits into a broader, longevity-driven approach to skin health
This isn’t about replacing everything in your routine. It’s about adding something that works differently, something that helps your skin function better over time.
If you’ve been curious about NAD and why it’s everywhere right now, this episode connects the science to what you’ll actually see in the mirror.
Sponsored by NewBeauty 💄
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Episode FAQ
What is Aramore and how is its approach to skincare different?
Aramore is a skincare line founded by Melisse Shaban that is built around NAD, a molecule tied to cellular energy and longevity. As she explained on The Dr. Randi Show, the line has five products: one ingestible supplement and four topical products. Rather than positioning itself as anti-aging, Aramore focuses on skin longevity, the idea of keeping skin cells healthy and energized over time. The guest describes the products as an added step that works alongside your existing routine rather than replacing a moisturizer or vitamin C, with the single job of stimulating cellular energy.
What is NAD and why does it matter for skin health?
On The Dr. Randi Show, the guest explained that NAD is a molecule that exists in the body and fuels cellular energy in every cell. She noted that skin cells are especially finicky, and that the healthier a cell is at the basal (deepest) level, the healthier it tends to be at the surface. Her view is that supporting NAD helps power the cellular energy skin relies on, which is why she considers it an important component of overall skin and body health.
How does NAD decline affect skin aging, and when does it start?
According to the guest on The Dr. Randi Show, the energy that helps skin cells migrate upward in a healthy way begins to diminish starting in the late twenties, and visible signs of aging often become noticeable in the mid thirties, sometimes around postpartum or perimenopause. She explained that as cells weaken they produce what we recognize as wrinkles and age spots, even though the change is really happening at the cellular level first. She considers NAD decline to be one of the main drivers of aging.
Can topical skincare actually affect NAD in the skin?
On The Dr. Randi Show, the guest said this is where Aramore’s strength lies, describing patented technology and clinical data around changes to the skin barrier. She explained that a topical supplement goes directly to the skin and penetrates the basal layer to do its job, rather than passing through the gut the way an oral supplement does. She also noted that the brand holds significant intellectual property in this area. These statements reflect her experience with her own brand.
Do topical NAD products and NAD supplements or IV drips do different jobs?
The guest on The Dr. Randi Show described believing in an inner and outer approach. She explained that oral supplements are digested and processed through the gut, while topical products act directly on the skin, and that she personally uses topicals, takes an NAD supplement, and gets IV infusions. She acknowledged there is less clinical trial data on oral NAD supplementation than on the topical side, but said she believes the combination is unlikely to hurt and that some people anecdotally report benefits such as stronger nails.
What does skin longevity mean in skincare?
On The Dr. Randi Show, the guest defined skin longevity as looking better for longer rather than simply living longer. She framed it as supporting your health span and skin span, and said the real goal is living well, with benefits she sees as psychological too, including joy, confidence, and looking forward to aging rather than fearing it. She also cautioned that the word longevity can be overused in the beauty industry.
What ingredients besides NAD does the Aramore line use?
The guest on The Dr. Randi Show named NAD, retinol, and sunscreen as the three things she considers most important in skin. She also pointed to antioxidants and hyaluronic acids as critical supporting ingredients that help with brightness and hydration. Her point was that these cosmetic ingredients support the results people look for, while NAD is what stimulates cellular energy.
Which Aramore products make up the routine and how are they used?
On The Dr. Randi Show, the guest walked through the core system: a daily energizing treatment she uses twice a day, a restoration product and a 1% retinol used at night, and an eye cream that contains NAD along with a little caffeine and retinol, plus the ingestible supplement. She noted that the NAD is not in the retinol, so those are used as a combination, and said the 1% retinol is formulated to avoid the peeling that stronger retinols can cause. If someone wants to start with just one product, she recommended the daily energizing treatment, used twice a day.
How long does it take to see results, and what changes first?
The guest on The Dr. Randi Show said results typically take about three to four weeks of consistent daily use. She said evenness of tone is what people tend to notice first, along with a shift in redness or rosacea, and eventually some improvement in fine lines and age spots. She emphasized that consistency matters and that the product is not a moisturizer, so it should be expected to do something different. These reflect the guest’s observations and anecdotal feedback rather than guaranteed outcomes.
What research and clinical data is Aramore built on?
On The Dr. Randi Show, the guest described the science behind Aramore as involving many assay experiments on skin in petri dishes, some punch biopsy work, ultrasound studies, and published data. She explained that the formula pairs NAD with a fatty lipid chassis that acts as a carrier to bring it into the cells, and that the work was led by academic scientists rather than commercial ones.
