The idea that beauty isn’t skin deep is nothing new, but the concept has never been more relevant than it is now. A new-wave of beauty supplements is taking over, promising glowing skin, healthy nails and luscious locks in one fell swoop. Sure, a healthy and balanced diet is non-negociable if you’re hoping to achieve the above, but beauty vitamins can help to support what you eat with a punchy injection of concentrated good-for-skin ingredients. Think collagen, vitamins and biotin.
Celebs have long been taking beauty supplements to get *that* glow – the ever-radiant Jennifer Aniston is said to be a fan of Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides while Kate Moss and Angelina Jolie favour Lumity’s Day & Night Nutritional Supplements – but the rest of us have been a tad slow off the mark. Until now. Things are changing, interest is spiking and we’ve sent searches for beauty supplements skyrocketing.
Need proof? Whether it’s to help maintain healthy hair, give skin an added dose of collagen or to promote normal nail growth, Boots UK has seen a huge surge in the number of customers stocking up on beauty supplements of late. In fact, searches for collagen supplements on boots.com have increased by a staggering 96,088% ahead of summer, while searches for hair vitamins rose by 1,000% and skin vitamins by 729%. Want in? Here’s everything you need to know about beauty supplements, plus the best beauty supplements for glowing skin ready for you to *add to cart*.
First up: do beauty supplements actually work?
Yes, they can. Anecdotally, you’ll for sure remember waking up with angry, puffy and broken-out skin after a bank holiday weekend of one-too-many vinos and burgers. Which is proof (ish) that our diet plays an intrinsic role in the health of our skin. What we ingest can have a positive (or negative) effect on the way our complexion looks, and nourishing the gut with targeted, active ingredients will influence our skin.
Your first port of call should always be your diet and lifestyle, because actually, if you’re not already getting the nutrients you need from food, anything ingested in supplement form will be used up by essential functions like heart and liver. For good skin, hair and nails, you need plentiful amounts of nutrients in the body. Enter: beauty supplements, which provide you with an additional provision of nutrients that your body might require for certain functions. If you can’t get everything you need from your diet, beauty supplements can be a great “top-up” and help you avoid deficiencies.
And which nutrients do we need to boost our skin, hair and nail health?
Different nutrients play different roles. Vitamins like A, C and E help to maintain good skin health (Vitamin C, for example, helps protect cells from oxidative stress and supports normal collagen formation), while vitamin B is an excellent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory. Collagen helps the skin preserve its firmness and elasticity, in turn helping to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, while Zinc contributes to normal DNA synthesis. You’ll find out more in our guide to what vitamins do what.
Where to start with beauty supplements
If you’re new to supplements, the best place to start is with multivitamins and probiotics. Past that, you might take additional supplements that target specific concerns you might have. Think of the multi-vits and the probiotics as the moisturiser, and the additional beauty supplements as the facial serum that specifically targets ageing with retinol or dryness with hyaluronic acid.
After some more specific supplements guides? Here are the best collagen supplements, over here for the best supplements for brain function and in this direction for the best hair supplements. We’ve also got the best skin supplements and a big old supplements guide.
For more from Glamour UK Commerce Writer Sophie Cockett, follow her on Instagram @sophiecockettx.