November’s launch marked Tru Niagen’s first dedicated move into nutricosmetics, with the supplement specifically formulated to be taken alongside the brand’s core Tru Niagen 300 mg and Tru Niagen Pro 1,000 mg products.
Tru Niagen brings cellular health positioning to beauty
“At Tru Niagen, our mission has always been to help people age better through the power of cellular health,” Dr. Andrew Shao, senior vice president of global regulatory and scientific affairs at Niagen Bioscience, told NutraIngredients. “As the science and consumer awareness around NAD+ continue to evolve, we saw a natural opportunity to extend those benefits to aesthetic wellness.”
That opportunity culminated in the Tru Niagen Beauty launch, which builds on “decades of NAD+ science to bring a truly inside-out approach to visible vitality.”
The brand is strategically positioning the release to translate its established NAD+ and healthy aging messaging into the growing ingestible beauty category, while maintaining a focus on cellular mechanisms rather than topical effects alone.
From cellular NAD+ support to visible skin, hair and nail outcomes
NAD+ (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide) plays a central role in cellular energy production, repair and stress response, functions that are increasingly cited in discussions of skin aging and barrier integrity. According to the company, age-related declines in NAD+ can affect cellular turnover and the skin’s ability to respond to environmental stressors.
The coenzyme is crucial for healthy cellular function, including energy production, repair, and immune resilience, which are all bodily processes that can impact skin, hair, and nail aging, Dr. Shao explained. “As we get older, NAD+ levels naturally decline, which can slow cellular turnover and reduce our skin’s ability to repair environmental damage, and skin is among the most heavily NAD+ -dependent organs,” he clarified.
The new supplement, therefore, is designed to set “the foundation for visible improvements in skin health and overall radiance when combined with our targeted beauty ingredients,” he said.
Formulation pairs Niagen with established beauty actives
Following a precision-based and science-led approach to the product’s formulation process, Dr. Shao explained, “we selected each ingredient to complement NAD+ restoration with targeted support for the skin barrier, collagen matrix, and hair and nail strength.”
Tru Niagen Beauty combines 100 mg of Niagen (nicotinamide riboside, a form of vitamin B3 and an NAD+ precursor) with a suite of ingredients commonly used in nutricosmetics for skin, hair and nail support. Each serving includes 120 mg of hyaluronic acid, 100 mg of grape seed extract, 5 mg of biotin, 30 mg of vitamin E and 4 mg of astaxanthin.
Each ingredient serves a different purpose, Dr. Shao said, with Niagen for cellular repair and energy production, hyaluronic acid and grape seed extract for skin hydration and elasticity, biotin to support healthy hair and nails, as well as vitamin E and astaxanthin for antioxidant protection.
“Together, these clinically studied ingredients work in harmony to nourish from within—combining the science of longevity with the art of beauty,” Dr. Shao said.
Differentiation in a crowded beauty-from-within category
The ingestible beauty segment continues to see new entries from supplement and cosmetic brands as consumers look for complementary oral and topical routines. Against that backdrop, Tru Niagen is emphasizing its NAD+ heritage and clinical data as primary points of differentiation.
“Most beauty supplements focus on surface-level results, while Tru Niagen Beauty starts at the source—cellular health,” Dr. Shao said. “Our patented Niagen ingredient is the only patented clinically proven form of nicotinamide riboside (NR) with a US FDA GRAS safety notification that effectively boosts NAD+ levels.”
Described as a “next-generation approach to support visible beauty and long-term cellular vitality,” the brand’s ultimate goal for the new product is to bring “unmatched scientific rigor and credibility to the beauty-from-within category,” he added.
Education and future pipeline
As NAD+ and cellular energy concepts move further into consumer-facing beauty language, the company is planning to invest in education around mechanisms and realistic expectations for outcomes.
“We know that NAD+ and cellular energy are still new concepts for many beauty consumers, so education is key,” Dr. Shao said. “Our goal is to bridge the gap between longevity science and everyday wellness through clear, accessible storytelling.”
The Tru Niagen Beauty debut may also signal a broader push into beauty-from-within, though the brand indicates it will move deliberately in new formats and concepts.
“This is the beginning of skincare health for us; however, take an incredibly thoughtful and careful approach to product innovation,” Dr. Shao said. “We’re looking forward to hearing feedback from our customers about Tru Niagen Beauty.”
