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If your skin has ever felt like it’s one wrong product away from complete rebellion — tight, irritated, and suddenly reacting to everything — then you’ve probably looked for something that actually repairs. And lately, one of the claims I’ve seen pop up additionally in combination with that is this idea of “NAD+ boosting” skincare. So in this Dr Sam’s Flawless Moisturizer Intense Review I want to look at whether this is actually something new — or just a barrier cream with better marketing.
Because this one does feel good on the skin, especially if you’re using retinoids or dealing with irritation. But the real question is:
Does it actually do more than a standard moisturizer — or is that where the story ends?
What the Dr Sam’s Flawless Moisturizer Intense claims
Our first NAD⁺-boosting barrier repair moisturiser and winner of 10 awards in 2 years.
For sensitive, red, dry, eczema-prone or acne-prone skin, Flawless Moisturiser Intense goes beyond hydration by restoring the barrier and helping boost NAD⁺, your skin’s “cell battery.”
This makes it a daily essential for skin longevity. Lightweight yet deeply nourishing, it absorbs in a flash.
Facts about the Dr Sam’s Flawless Moisturizer Intense
Prize and size
There are two different sizes available, 50 ml (which is the one I have) that is available for 43 € on the website here or 100 ml for 74 €. All Dr Sams products are vegan and fragrance free. (More info: Is fragrance in your skincare bad for you?)
Texture and smell
When I hear lightweight, I expect a lotion-like texture, which this one definitely has not. It is a slightly more firm texture, something with substance that you can feel on the skin when you spread it, and that feeling lingers on the skin,.not in a heavy, suffocating way though. As it is fragrance-free, it doesn’t really have a strong scent, just a plain and subtle whiff you don’t really notice on your face.
How to use the Dr Sam’s Flawless Moisturizer Intense
In general it is suitable for both morning adn night time use, which one is best for you will depend on your skin type. My skin isn’t as oily as it used to be, but I still reach for it more at night. I like it especially well before my Tretinoin (I buffer, so I apply moisturizer first and then Tret – I explain why here), but for testing purposes I tried it in the mornings before sunscreen as well, which worked fine. It doesn’t pill with the different sunscreens I use, it is just that I prefer the texture at night.
Even if you are not on Tretinoin, you might enjoy it after exfoliating, especially if it is one of the stronger ones.
Unless you are very dry and are outside a lot in cold harsh climate, I don’t think you’ll need to top it up with anything else like an oil as it is nourishing enoughon its own. (More info: How to prevent dry, flaky skin in winter)
Ingredients of the Dr Sam’s Flawless Moisturizer Intense
sii|h 0 0, Panthenol 
so|h 0 0, Prunus Armeniaca (Apricot) Kernel Oil emo 0 1–2, Oleic/Linoleic/Linolenic Polyglycerides emo, Cetearyl Olivate emu, Xylitylglucoside h, Ectoin aox|so|h, Squalane sii|emo 0 1, Anhydroxylitol h, Sorbitan Olivate emu, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate emu|surf, Phenoxyethanol pres, Carbomer vc 0 1, Glyceryl Stearate emo|emu 0 1, Jojoba Esters so|emo|h, Benzyl Alcohol pres|perf|solv|vc, Maltodextrin, Xylitol h, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate emu, Butylene Glycol h|solv 0 1, Disodium Stearoyl Glutamate surf, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Wax emo, Sodium Hydroxide buff, Madecassoside aox|so, Lactobacillus Ferment so|pres, Ethylhexylglycerin pres, Dehydroacetic Acid pres, Ceramide NP sii, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Sprout Extract, Ceramide AP sii, Phytosphingosine sii|cci|aacne|amic, Cholesterol sii|emo 0 0, Polyglycerin-3 h, Xanthan Gum vc, Sodium Benzoate pres, Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract so|aox|h, Ceramide EOP siiHover the mouse over an ingredient for short explanation. Read more on INCIDecoder.
It is called NAD boosting, so you might look for NAD+ in the ingredient list. If you’ve read my article on topical NAD+ in skincare already, you’ll know that this is because it is very unstable and rarely used in formulas itself. What you most commonly find is a precursor, Niacinamide for example, so I was surprised that this one wasn’t on the list either. What is responsible for the NAD+-boosting claim is Sunflower Shoot Extract (Sunflower Sprout Extract on the ingredient list), which according to the brand and the manufacturer „helps the skin recycle and produce“ NAD+. Dr. Sams are not the only brand repeating this claim, Sunflower Shoot Extract is also used by brands like Pai skincare and is listed as ingredients for that purpose on the Paula’s Choice ingredient glossar. Outside these sources I didn’t find much in terms of literature though, which of course doesn’t mean it isn’t a valid claim. It just means that I can’t comment on it and that personally I’d stick with Niacinamide if NAD+ boosting was a goal in building my skincare routine.
Outside the NAD+, what are the strengths and weaknesses here? Well, for barrier repair you get basically everything that you’d expect. Skin identical lipids, Ceramides, Panthenol for soothing and Ectoin used in eczema care and very popular right now. I have covered most of them individually already: The benefits of Ceramides in your skincare explained, The benefits of Panthenol in your skincare explained and The benefits of Ectoin in your skincare explained. Outside these well-established ones there is also Centella Asiatica Extract with extra Madecassoside, also soothing and repairing, and fermented ingredients that claim to help repair as well. Both are covered in depth here: The benefits of Centella Asiatica Extract in your skincare explained and The benefits of fermented ingredients in your skincare explained.
You also get a few humectants like Glycerin and Squalane for its emollient properties.
More info: How to read the ingredient list in your skincare products
Does it live up to its claims?
Well.
I have mentioned it above, I have doubts about the NAD+ boosting claim, or at least about it being superior for NAD+ compared to a moisturizer containing Niacinamide. The rest, barrier support and deeply nourishing, are claims I would sign.
How does it compare to…
La Roche Posay Cicaplast Baume B5
This is the OG barrier repair balm you’ll see referenced everywhere, so I knew immediately Ihad to compare them. While both are similar, there are enough differences that could influence your decision. The first one is the texture: La Roche Posay is thicker and less cosmetically elegant – I can’t think of many occasion where I’d wear it during the day with my skin type. The next one is the effect I observed: If my skin was really upset, so preventing irritation was no longer the point, but the irritation was already there, La Roche Posay worked better for me, probably because it is even heavier and more exclusive. The third is NAD+ boosting, which isn’t something La Roche Posay claims to do. There is also no Niacinamide and no Sunflower Shoot Extract in the formula, so not even a chance of working for that. And the last one, which could influence your decision as well, is the price. La Roche Posay is more affordable, around half the price for a similar amount. Which one of these things is the most important for you is a personal decision, for me La Roche Posay will stay as „emergency cream“ in my stash, while Dr. Sam’s is really lovely, but one of a few I could pick for buffering my Tretinoin.
You can read my full review of the La Roche Posay Cicaplast Baume B5 here.
First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream Intense Hydration
Another barrier repair cream, but this time one that didn’t work as well for me. I know that this is a very popular one, which once again showas that skincare is very subjective, but texture (quite heavy and to me feeling greasy) aside, I didn’t like the addition of Eucalyptus Essential Oil. I said before I am not against fragrance and fragrant components in skincare in general, quite on the contrary. But if my skin barrier is compromised (and this one specifically says eczema on the tube), I prefer to avoid it. Other than that this one has Colloidal Oatmeal, very good at soothing, but again nothing to specifically boost NAD+. I didn’t enjoy it particularly – it was one that ended up being used as hand cream – so out of the two I’d get the Dr. Sams’s one.
You can read my full review of the First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream here.
Would I repurchase and which skin types do I recommend the Dr Sam’s Flawless Moisturizer Intense to?
I enjoyed the Dr Sams Flawless Moisturizer Intense a lot, it was very good at keeping my skin calm and happy through a very cold winter with regular Tretinoin use. If I’d recommend it depends on what is your main focus. For those on a budget there are similar products out there that are just as good in keeping the skin calm, and quite a few of them also contain Niacinamide, which would cover the NAD+ boosting. If on the other hand NAD+ boosting is your main concern and you already have Niacinamide in your routine and want something extra, it might be a good option and justify the, compared to other brands, higher price tag.
Regarding skin types it is not for those that are very oily and in general is probably aimed at people using strong actives and or have more mature skin – if you are in your twenties, your NAD+ is probably great on its own.
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