3 Major Beauty Supplement Red Flags According To A Nutritionist
We’ve entered a new era of beauty—one that’s informed by the knowledge that the skin, hair, and nails are directly impacted by what you eat, how you move, the amount you sleep, and other lifestyle habits.
“Most folks have the basics of skin, beauty, and overall wellness,” says certified holistic nutritionist Jennifer Hanway on this episode of mindbodygreen’s beauty podcast Clean Beauty School. Now that we have the basics, she goes on to say, now it’s about what we can up-level and tailor to the individual.”
How to level up your beauty routine: A targeted approach
In the episode, Hanway gets into the nitty-gritty about the world of beauty supplements—starting with how the formulas you’re taking must be informed by your personal needs.
“[It’s about] looking at a client’s or patient’s blood work and then developing a diet, supplement plan, lifestyle routine, and sleep routine to fit their body’s cellular needs,” she says. “That’s when it gets exciting. What I find most fascinating is how we can approach beauty and wellness on a cellular level.”
In fact beauty practitioners who aren’t considering blood work and supplements as a core part of your skin health routine aren’t doing their jobs. “My dermatologist [NYC-based top dermatologist Jennifer Russak, M.D.] gave me this advice: If your derm isn’t talking to you about blood work, diet, or supplements—it’s time to get a new dermatologist,” she says.
So first things first: Speak with a professional, get your blood work done, and get into the specifics.
And once you start looking for supplements to add to your routine, keep an eye out for these red flags:
Red flag 1: Beauty supplements that aren’t considerate of full body health
When you take a supplement, it impacts the entire body—so it’s important the brand considers overall health along with skin needs. Look for brands that create holistic formulas and consider the skin to be part of the bigger picture of health.
“It’s not as if we take a supplement and it goes directly to the skin without influencing any other system,” says Hanway.
The truth about skin supplements is the nutrients may not even make it to the skin, hair, or nails. That’s simply not how the body works. In fact, as the outermost layer of the body and a non-essential organ, these get nutrients the last.
This may sound like knock on beauty supplements—but it’s actually all the more reason to make sure you’re getting enough antioxidants, proteins, fatty acids, and other nutrients to support the full body. Because if the other parts of the body are sufficiently nourished, then the skin will thrive as well.
Red flag 2: Supplement claims that rival professional treatments
Be skeptical of any brand that directly states or implies their product can do it all—including preventing skin cancer or replacing professional treatments.
“Diet can help with skin cancer prevention, but you still have to wear SPF and seek shade,” Hanway says. “Supplements and diet are always a great complement, but they’re never the be-all and end-all.”
Take collagen, for example. “I love collagen—I’ve been taking it for years and will never stop—but I recently saw an ad that claimed collagen could replace Botox and neurotoxins. No, it can’t. They work through completely different mechanisms,” she says. “That doesn’t mean one is bad and the other good; they’re complementary.”
The bigger picture: Beauty supplements can play an important role, but they should sit alongside other evidence-based habits and treatments.
“We need to start thinking about beauty supplements as complements to diet, skin care, and treatments. You can’t out-supplement a bad diet, and you can’t out-supplement skipping skincare,” she says.
Red flag 3: A supplement that doesn’t consider specific life stages
“One-size-fits-all supplements are always a red flag to me,” Hanway says. “There are some nutrients everyone should have, but my supplement routine in my twenties looks very different than it does in my forties.”
Your nutritional needs evolve with age, hormones, stress levels, and lifestyle. For example, younger adults may benefit from nutrients that support collagen production and antioxidant defenses, while those in their forties and fifties may need more targeted support for hormonal changes, bone strength, or cardiovascular health.
Again, it goes back to personalization, per Hanway's first point. What you need at one life stage won’t always serve you at the next, she notes.
Tune in:
Listen to our entire episode here: