Why your skin feels tired and what science is doing to change this

There are some basic, incontrovertible facts about ageing into our middle years. From the age of 40 skin becomes tired, literally. Skin thins as we produce less collagen and elastin, and we lose the plumping effect of subcutaneous fat and moisture. Over the years we have exposed our skin to UV rays, which also damages collagen and elastin fibers and there are of course the lifestyle factors to take into consideration - smoking, poor nutrition, and alcohol consumption can accelerate the degradation of skin components (although I know all my lovely skin clinic clients would NEVER fall into this category!)

And, just like us, our skin cells are running low on energy - they certainly don’t have the same vim and vigour of our 20s, but then, neither do we! Inside the skin, natural processes that repair damage and keep everything functioning begin to slow down. It’s wholly natural, a wind-down to old age. So should we just shrug our shoulders and get on with life? No, not at all - current skincare conversation in labs across the globe is beginning to change in a very interesting way. For decades the industry has focused almost entirely on the surface of the skin: smooth the texture; increase hydration; reduce the appearance of lines, etc. These are absolutely still worthwhile goals, but they do not address the deeper biological reality of how skin ages.

What we are now seeing in advanced laboratories and clinics across the UK is the emergence of a more intelligent question. Instead of asking how to polish the skin, clinicians are starting to ask how to restore the energy systems inside the cell itself.

Every cell in the skin requires energy to perform its basic tasks. Fibroblasts must manufacture collagen and elastin. Keratinocytes (the primary cells in the epidermis) must move through their renewal cycle and become corneocytes to form a resilient skin barrier. Immune cells must calm inflammation and protect the skin from environmental stress. All of these processes rely on the availability of cellular energy in the form of ATP (Adenosine triphosphate) - and one of the critical molecules that supports this system is NAD+.

NAD⁺ plays a central role in cellular metabolism and DNA repair. It helps activate the enzymes responsible for correcting damage within the cell, and it supports the energy transfer that keeps the cell functioning efficiently. When NAD+ levels decline, which it naturally does as we enter our 40s, the entire repair network begins to slow.

I see many clients in my skin clinic who tell me they just think their skin is looking tired. What we now know is that their skin actually is tired - it quite literally lacks the energy of youth. Now, however, there is something we can do about that.

Boosting NAD+ levels in our skin cells will help boost their energy levels to support all the things they need to be doing. But how do we boost NAD+? There is an ingredient called NMN (nicotinamide mononucleotide), a cutting-edge active shown to support NAD+ production. I did a bit of a deep dive on this, but it’s just too science-y to regurgitate here! Suffice to say that NMN activates enzymes that stimulate synthesis of NAD+. NAD+ supports the production of ATP - the energy source for our cells’ various processes.  You can learn more about it in an earlier post of mine.

My Power DNA Overnight Serum is built around NMN, a clinically intelligent molecule that supports the skin’s ability to produce NAD⁺.

NMN supports a wide range of NAD⁺ related processes within the cell, but I have taken this one step further. The formula also includes Helianthus Annuus Sprout Extract, which has been shown to actively boost NAD⁺ levels.

By supporting NAD⁺ more directly, we enhance the skin’s natural DNA repair mechanisms. Cells are better able to correct damage, which helps soften the visible signs of ageing over time. At the same time, cellular metabolism becomes more efficient, meaning the skin can function with greater clarity and consistency.

There is also a direct impact on the mitochondria, (the cells’ little battery packs). When these are properly supported, the skin has the energy it needs to maintain structure, resilience and tone.

The result is not surface level improvement, but a deeper, more meaningful change in how the skin behaves. Stronger, more responsive, and visibly more vital.

Love, Penny xxx