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The 13 Best Beauty Supplements + How To Choose The Right One For You

Jamie Schneider
Author:
April 29, 2023
Jamie Schneider
Senior Beauty & Lifestyle Editor
By Jamie Schneider
Senior Beauty & Lifestyle Editor
Jamie Schneider is the Senior Beauty Editor at mindbodygreen. She has a B.A. in Organizational Studies and English from the University of Michigan, and her work has appeared in Coveteur, The Chill Times, and Wyld Skincare.
April 29, 2023
We carefully vet all products and services featured on mindbodygreen using our commerce guidelines. Our selections are never influenced by the commissions earned from our links.

As far as trending terms go, the buzzy "beauty supplement" is certainly rising in rank. Despite the hype, it's a bit of an elusive umbrella term—what makes a product so beneficial for beauty-minded folk? 

Well, by definition, beauty supplements are capsules, powders, gummies, or liquids with healthy ingredients for skin, hair, and nails.*

Sure, you can find many of the same ingredients formulated into topicals, but ingesting them can help your body enhance its natural antioxidant power.* Beauty from the inside out, as they say...

Join us as we walk through how to find the right beauty supplement for your skin and hair goals and the options we believe are the very best.* 

What ingredients should you look for?

"While there is no such thing as a miracle pill for skin or any 'skin glow' shortcut, beauty supplements usually contain ingredients we know to play important roles in skin functions and overall health,"* notes board-certified dermatologist Ava Shamban, M.D., founder of Ava MD Dermatology, the SkinFive and The Box by Dr. Ava.

Let's break down some of those vetted ingredients, shall we? 

1.

Antioxidants

The term antioxidants casts a rather wide net: You have your vitamin alphabet, with vitamins A (think beta-carotene), C, E, and so on, but you also have phytochemicals from loads of unique plants brimming with carotenoids and polyphenols, like astaxanthin and pomegranate extract

2.

Biotin

Ah, the famous B vitamin. It's believed to naturally promote healthy hair because it is involved in the production of keratin, or the main component of hair.*

Biotin also plays a key role in supporting healthy, strong nails: Biotin has been shown to support thickness and firmness of nails1 in several human studies; one, in particular, found that those who took biotin supplements had 25% thicker nail beds2 than the placebo group.* 

3.

Collagen peptides

Studies have shown that taking collagen peptides will support skin elasticity and hydration levels and promote youthful texture3.*

Especially type I, as this type is especially abundant in the skin, where it's "responsible for keeping it pliable and young-looking,"* says Gretchen Frieling, M.D., a board-certified dermatopathologist. 

In fact, one small study showed that when people took an oral supplement containing mainly hydrolyzed type I collagen3, after 60 days their facial lines and wrinkles appeared smoother, and the skin maintained healthy moisture levels.*

Collagen supplements also provide many of the amino acids and nutrients needed for hair growth.*

4.

Hyaluronic acid

Oral forms of HA have also been shown to support skin hydration and appearance.

In fact, research has shown that people who took 120 milligrams of hyaluronic acid a day for 12 weeks had help maintaining healthy skin aging4 compared with those who took a placebo.* 

5.

Fatty acids

Good fats are a staple in a balanced diet, and it turns out those beloved fatty acids can support your overall skin and hair health as well.

In fact, research suggests5 that omega-3 fatty acids can support your skin and hair health when they're taken along with other antioxidant supplements.* 

Specifically for skin, healthy fats—namely, alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) and gamma-linolenic acid (GLA)6—help seal in moisture, keeping your skin barrier strong.

Board-certified dermatologist Joshua Zeichner, M.D., agrees: "Natural fats maintain the integrity of the outer skin layer," he once told us about vitamin F in skin care

6.

Ceramides

On the topic of healthy skin lipids, we'd be remiss not to mention ceramides.

Ceramides are naturally present in your skin cells7, and they act like the glue that helps keep said skin cells together, keeping moisture in and environmental aggressors out.

They decline with age (and, thus, your skin barrier becomes weaker), which is why experts point to phytoceramide supplements (or ceramides derived from plants) to help your body promote its natural levels.*

7.

Probiotics

Given the research on the gut-skin axis8, optimizing your gut function can work wonders for your skin as well.

In fact, a comprehensive review has found probiotics to be a useful tool in supporting a balanced inflammatory response in the skin8; one of the studies reviewed even documents that a probiotic supplement improved skin appearance in 80% of the 300 participants. 

Now that you have a baseline knowledge of the best ingredients for beauty supplements, we can chat about which products fit the bill.

Below, find the best beauty supplements to buy, depending on how you want to approach your hair, skin, and nails.*

While there is no such thing as a miracle pill for skin or any 'skin glow' shortcut, beauty supplements usually contain ingredients we know to play important roles in skin functions and overall health.*

Ava Shamban, M.D.

The best beauty supplements

Best overall beauty supplement: mindbodygreen cellular beauty+

Save 10% with code:
MBG10
view on mindbodygreen | $90

Pros

  • Clinically backed ingredients at meaningful doses
  • Helps reduce the size of wrinkles and fine lines*
  • Supports skin hydration, elasticity and smoothness*
  • Photoprotective properties

Cons

  • Daily regimen needed for best results

Form:

Capsule

Dose:

2 capsules daily

Dietary:

VeganNon-GMOGluten-freeDairy-freeSoy-freeEgg-freeNut-freeFish-free

First up is the ultimate supplement for healthy aging, mbg's cellular beauty+. This vegan supplement contains potent doses of premium botanicals and phytochemicals clinically shown to support skin hydration, elasticity, smoothness, barrier function, and wrinkle reduction. In the cutting-edge formula, you'll find phytoceramides to support a healthy skin barrier structure; astaxanthin to preserve a healthy collagen layer; ubiquinol CoQ10 to promote skin cell "cleanup" (aka, getting rid of debris) and rejuvenation; and polyphenol-containing pomegranate whole fruit extract for photoprotection. These high-quality bioactives work together, and the result is nothing short of wow-worthy.* Plus, save 10% on your first order with promo code MBG10.

What our reviewers say:

"My skin literally began to transform before my eyes.* The first indication it was working: My mouth lines were fading.* And I wasn't the only one to notice either. Soon, those close to me began to notice too." — India Edwards

Read India's full review here.

Best for hair: Nutrafol Women

Pros

  • Features patented complex
  • Promotes faster-growing, thicker, fuller, and stronger hair*

Cons

  • Not suitable for vegans (contains fish)
  • 4 capsule serving size

Form:

Capsule

Dose:

4 capsules daily

Dietary:

Non-GMOGluten-freeDairy-freeSoy-free

Let's review: When it comes to supporting hair growth, much of the research points to biotin, as it is involved in the production of keratin (aka, the main component in your strands). This supplement features the beloved B vitamin, as well as a trove of other hair-healthy players: Marine collagen (FYI, collagen also makes up the building blocks of keratin), ashwagandha, curcumin...the list goes on.*

Best for glowing skin: HUM Nutrition Red Carpet

Pros

  • Helps nourish hair follicles & promotes skin hydration*
  • Formulated with plant-based fatty acids

Cons

  • Plastic bottle

Form:

Softgel

Dose:

2 softgels daily

Dietary:

VeganGluten-freeDairy-freeSoy-freeEgg-freeNut-freeFish-freeWheat-free

Let's say your primary concern is just the quality of your tone—and you're not looking to focus on sagging, hydration, lines, or the like. Well, you can by selecting this supplement. The star ingredients here are black currant seed oil and vitamin E—both of which can support your glow. The former is chock-full of GLA and ALA (healthy fats that are top-notch for vibrant skin), while the latter antioxidant can help fend off free radicals and add brightness.*

Best budget: Nature Made Hair/Skin/Nails Liquid Softgels

Pros

  • Essential nutrients to support healthy hair, skin, & nails*
  • Supports collagen production*

Cons

  • Long list of “Other ingredients”
  • Plastic bottle in cardboard box

Form:

Softgel

Dose:

1 softgel daily

Dietary:

Gluten-free

Not only does each softgel provide 2,500 mcg of biotin, but it also boasts vitamin A (in the beta-carotene form), vitamin C, copper, and zinc. If you're looking for a well-rounded, simple beauty formula that won't break the bank, this one's a winner.

Best powder: The Beauty Chef Glow Inner Beauty Essential

Pros

  • Features fermented nutrient blend
  • Promotes healthy hair, skin, and nails*
  • Boosts collagen production*
  • Easily dissolves in liquid

Cons

  • Requires refrigeration
  • Plastic container

Form:

Powder

Dose:

1 tsp daily

Dietary:

VeganNon-GMOGluten-freeDairy-freeSoy-freeEgg-freeNut-free

This powder is jam-packed with ingredients, including pomegranate fruit peel extract, probiotics, postbiotics, quinoa sprout, and flax, pumpkin, and sunflower seeds (to name a few). Blend it into smoothies and other beverages, or swirl it into yogurt bowls if you're feeling fancy.

Best gummies: Sports Research Biotin Gummies

Pros

  • Supports keratin synthesis to support your hair and nails*
  • Contains 5000 mcg of biotin

Form:

Gummy

Dose:

1 gummy daily

Dietary:

VeganNon-GMOGluten-freeSoy-free

Sweet, chewable, and oh-so-fun—what more can we ask for in a clean gummy? This is a high-potency biotin gummy (5,000 mcg of biotin), and each gummy also contains 45 milligrams of vitamin C, as well as a unique blend of six berry powders (strawberry, raspberry, blueberry, tart cherry, elderberry, and cranberry, to be exact). We can also get behind the clean gummy base featuring pectin, organic tapioca and cane sugar, natural flavors, and color from fruit and vegetable juice.

Best vegan: WelleCo The Super Elixir

Pros

  • Supports healthy immune and digestive systems*
  • Supports hair, skin, and nail health*
  • Multiple flavor options

Cons

  • 8 grams of carbs & 1 gram of sugar
  • Contains sugar alcohol & stevia

Form:

Powder

Dose:

2 tsp daily

Dietary:

VeganNon-GMOGluten-freeDairy-free

For those who follow a vegan diet, you'll want to be mindful that your supplements are vegan too. In this, you'll find biotin, pomegranate fruit powder, turmeric, acai extract, and a whole-food greens blend filled with veggie powders (spinach, spirulina, broccoli, etc.). And for those worried about a green bitter aftertaste—this powder yields a refreshing lemon-ginger flavor. It does include added ingredients (gums, stevia, xylitol), so keep that in mind if you're trying to avoid those players.

Best personalized: Nurish by Naturemade Personalized vitamins

Pros

  • Customizable vitamin subscription plan based on your nutrient needs
  • Multiple types of vitamins and minerals available

Cons

  • Must take quiz to see Supplement Facts for each

Form:

Varies

Dose:

Varies

Dietary:

Varies

Some companies let you craft your own supplement routine depending on your personal preferences. Nurish offers a wide range of beauty-related products in the lineup: Here, you can choose from biotin, alpha-lipoic acid (ALA), astaxanthin, CoQ10 (ubiquinone form), and more. However, crafting your own product can be confusing—especially if you have a wide range of goals or aren't certain about what your specific needs are—so be mindful when you create your routine that you are doing so with intention.*

Best on-the-go: Golde Skin Hydration Ade

Pros

  • Formulated with hyaluronic acid to support healthy skin*
  • Contains antioxidants to protect skin*
  • Easily dissolves in liquids

Cons

  • Contains tree nut allergen (coconut)
  • Stick packs are not the most environmentally friendly option

Form:

Powder

Dose:

1 stick pack daily

Dietary:

Vegan

Sometimes you don't have the desire (or space) to lug around a jar of powder. Not to fret: Coconut water powder, pomegranate juice powder, hyaluronic acid, and amla extract make this single-serve stick pack refreshingly cool. Not to mention, these ingredients have some pretty noteworthy benefits for skin: Coconut water and hyaluronic acid help deliver hydration; pomegranate is brimming with polyphenols; and amla (also called Indian gooseberry) has been shown to help support collagen production. We'd be remiss not to point out the one-time use packaging, though, if you are concerned about sustainability.*

Best for dry skin: Vital Proteins Skin Hydration Boost

Pros

  • Supports skin hydration*
  • Promotes collagen production*

Cons

  • Plastic packaging
  • “Other ingredients” are not clearly labeled

Form:

Capsule

Dose:

2 capsules daily

Dietary:

VeganGluten-freeDairy-free

Hyaluronic acid is the key compound involved in skin moisture11 that naturally depletes with age—and that's what makes this supplement so hydrating for your complexion. Then it's topped off with vitamin C, biotin, magnesium, zinc, and selenium for a healthy dose of skin-supporting vitamins and minerals.*

Best CBD: populum Full-Spectrum Hemp CBD Capsules

Pros

  • Made with organically-grown full-spectrum hemp
  • Supports endocannabinoid system*

Cons

  • Contains tree nut allergen (coconut)

Form:

Softgel

Dose:

1 softgel daily

Dietary:

VeganNon-GMOGluten-free

Phytocannabinoids like hemp CBD have demonstrated strong antioxidant properties12, which, in turn, can help promote skin health and texture. These full-spectrum hemp-derived CBD softgels are thoroughly tested in third-party labs for potency and purity—and you have the option to select either 15 mg or 25 mg CBD per serving.*

Best beauty-centric multivitamin: Designs for Health H-S-N Complete

Pros

  • Comprehensive support for healthy hair, skin, and nails*
  • Promotes cellular health*

Cons

  • 4 capsule serving size

Form:

Capsule

Dose:

4 capsules daily

Dietary:

VeganNon-GMOGluten-freeDairy-freeSoy-freeVegetarian

To bridge nutritional gaps in your diet in one go, snag a multivitamin. But what makes this multi option so "beauty-centric" is its trove of skin-healthy micronutrients plus phytonutrients: namely, vitamin C, vitamin A, B vitamins including biotin, as well as green tea extract, grape seed extract, and olive fruit extract, NAC, key amino acids, and MSM.*

How to choose the best option for you

We get it: Browsing all the available options can make your head spin (even if we did narrow it down to a solid 13). At the very least, see below for some important criteria to consider on your search. 

Form

Are you partial to a powder? A softgel capsule? An on-the-go stick? Knowing your format of choice is important before starting a supplement routine—after all, it's difficult to stick to the regimen if you don't exactly favor the form. You might as well choose a type that aligns with your lifestyle, flavor preferences, etc. 

Added ingredients

A well-rounded beauty supplement will have a cocktail of skin- and hair-supporting ingredients jam-packed into each serving.*

Those are additional, incremental nutrients or bioactives, and we support those thoughtful multi-ingredient formulas. That's not what we mean here: On the quest to find the cleanest formulas, we suggest looking out for excipients (aka, the "Other ingredients" list) like gums, fillers, corn syrup, synthetic dyes, and sugar alcohols—if you'd like to use a supplement that has them, that's fine; just know that truly premium formulas tend to skip these additives. 

Testing

Transparency is important—this is true for any product you buy, topicals and supplements included. When it comes to beauty supplements, any benefits listed should come with supporting science.

Additionally, quality testing—from the raw material to the finished product—should be rigorous and transparent to ensure purity and potency (and ultimately, peace of mind).

Some brands employ third-party lab testing, in which an organization not affiliated with the brand or manufacturer analyzes the products and their benefits; that way, you can have a better sense of their testing results with minimal biases. 

How we select supplements

At mindbodygreen, our expert-vetted dietary supplement product selections and recommendations in the supplement space elevate quality, efficacy, innovation, and safety.

Our team ensures that each supplement product is thoughtfully formulated--from the active ingredients to those "Other ingredient" excipients too. We are highly preferential towards clean formulas that are plant-centric (and oftentimes vegan or vegetarian) as well as free of GMOs, gluten, soy, dairy, major food allergens, high-fructose corn syrup, artificial sweeteners, synthetic dyes, and more.

Overall, we recommend products with clean ingredients at efficacious doses in bioactive forms. Whenever possible, we celebrate and elevate plant-origin (i.e., plant-sourced) ingredients from a variety of botanicals.

Ingredient source and innovation are top of mind for our critical reviews and selection of supplement products. We prioritize forward-thinking formulations and delivery formats that are genuinely helpful in transforming your health.

We include supplement brands and products that prioritize quality. This includes robust manufacturing practices and comprehensive purity and potency testing.

You can learn more about mindbodygreen supplements+ manufacturing and quality testing practices here.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who shouldn’t take a skin supplement?

Beauty supplements cast a wide net—generally, anyone can benefit from them. Although, some formulas do not fit within certain lifestyles: For example, those who follow a strict vegan diet might choose not to consume collagen peptides or fish oil, as both of these come from animal sources. Beyond that, it’s important your doctor knows about any supplements you’re taking, just to make sure they don’t interfere with any medications or therapies.

Can a skin supplement help with wrinkles?

Short answer? You bet. Targeted supplements help support your body's natural antioxidant defenses—when consumed, antioxidants can help buffer the skin against photoaging by both absorbing UV rays and helping neutralize UV-induced oxidative stress.* Since up to 80% of the signs of skin aging are due to UV rays, that’s a pretty solid benefit. Plus, keeping the skin cells hydrated will help your complexion stay supple—that’s where ingredients like collagen peptides, astaxanthin, ceramides and hyaluronic acid are clinically shown to play a significant role.* For more information, check out our guides to reversing skin aging and addressing the different types of wrinkles.

Are there any side effects of taking a skin supplement?

Most antioxidants (e.g., nutrients and plant bioactives) are beneficial and tolerated with ease, but some individuals may experience sensitivities or side effects. This can vary widely depending on the supplement ingredients and person. Always check in with your health care practitioner before starting a new routine, and read all about antioxidant supplements here. For ubiquinol CoQ10 in particular, just know that it supports cellular energy in the mitochondria of cells throughout the body, and some individuals have anecdotally reported remaining alert or awake at night. To make this potential side effect a non-issue, experts recommend taking any supplements with ubiquinol CoQ10 in the morning or first half of the day.

How long until I see results?

As with all health-related changes, it takes time for beauty supplements to yield noticeable effects. So, for best results, take the supplement consistently and as instructed on the bottle, then give it about three months before looking to see any holistic results. Different botanicals and bioactives can also have unique timelines per their clinical trials: For example, research shows supplementing with astaxanthin can help ease fine lines in as little as six weeks—other ingredients, on the other hand, might take a bit longer to see visible effects.* Again, it depends on the specific nutrient, botanical, or bioactive and their science. See here for more information on what to expect when taking antioxidant supplements.

The takeaway

Beauty supplements range far and wide, but we view these 13 as the very best.

At the end of the day, though, let's not forget: "While some indigestible beauty supplements can be beneficial, none replace whole food nutrition," says Shamban. 

If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or taking medications, consult with your doctor before starting a supplement routine. It is always optimal to consult with a health care provider when considering what supplements are right for you.

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