You’re looking in the bathroom mirror, seeing a little more hair than usual in your brush, or maybe your nails are feeling a shade Cactus Jack after removal of shellac. We test out all the fancy serums and expensive shampoos, but sometimes we need to do the real work, all from the inside out.
We live in Australia, which is already rather harsh on our skin. Thanks to the ravishing effects of UV rays, salty ocean air, and drying office aircon our bodies are on overdrive constantly. That’s where beauty supplements step in. Most of them anyway — because with so many bottles stacked above the counter at your local chemist, it’s hard to know which ones are actually worth spending your dollarydoos on.
In this guide, we’re deconstructing the science (minus anything snoozy) to help you figure out if a supplement is a smart move for your regimen.
Understanding Hair, Skin, and Nail Supplements
What are beauty supplements?
Consider beauty supplements a “nutritional safety net.” Although we’d all like to eat perfectly healthy dishes of kale and wild-caught salmon every day, life generally gets in the way. A beauty supplement — or "ingestible beauty" product, it's typically called — involves a concentrated dose of good-for-you vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants specifically selected to support the structures of your body that people will see first.
How beauty vitamins work
It’s not magic; it’s biology. When it parts with nutrients from your food, your body prioritizes other organs, such as your heart and lungs. Your hair and nails? They’re “non-essential” tissues according to your metabolism. By the time those nutrients make it to your follicles or your nail beds, there might not be much left.
The effects of the supplements come from an increase in the “bioavailability” of certain building blocks. For example, Hair Skin and Nails Supplements give your body the raw materials it needs to produce keratin (for hair) and collagen (for skin), making sure that your “non-essential” bits don’t get left out in the cold.
Can multivitamins support skin?
Short answer: Yes, but probably not specialized enough. A regular multivitamin is a “Jack of all trades. It’s great for overall energy and immune health, but maybe only has a smidge of the stuff that actually makes your skin glow. And then there’s the simple fact that a beauty supplement cranks the actual ingredients up — say, Biotin or Zinc — to levels where they are going to actually make some sort of visible difference.
How to Shop for a Beauty Multivitamin?
While you’re browsing the back of a bottle, don’t be blinded by fancy branding. Look for:
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High Potency Biotin: The big kahuna for thickening.
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Antioxidants: To help fend off said damage from that Aussie sun.
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Mineral Support: Zinc and Selenium, to be specific.
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Iron: Particularly key for us Aussies who may be somewhat “flat” or have increasingly thin hair. One option that’s a multi-tasker is the NCC Hair Skin Nails Vitamin Plus 10mg Iron, as it promotes both beauty and everything else that makes you feel ageless.
Best Key Ingredients in Hair, Skin & Nails Supplements
If you’ve ever felt you should be issued a chemistry degree to understand a label, don’t get your knickers in a knot. Here's the real lineup of "Big Four" you need to hear about:
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Biotin (Vitamin B7): It’s what it all comes down to. It aids in your body’s ability to turn nutrients into energy and supports the production of keratin.
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Vitamin C: It’s not just for colds! It’s an essential precursor to making collagen. Without it, your skin loses that “bounce.”
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Zinc: This mineral is a sleeper. It aids in tissue repair and the proper functioning of oil glands associated with your hair follicles.
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Silica: A somewhat overlooked mineral, silica contributes to the strength and firmness of connective tissues, so your nails won't snap like a dry twig.
Potential Benefits and Side Effects
Which vitamin is best for nails?
For peeling or brittle nails, Biotin is your best friend. Studies have also suggested that taking Biotin is an effective way to thicken and help prevent brittle nails. It’s like donning a minute suit of armor for your nails.
Which vitamin is best for hair and skin?
For hair, Buteko isn’t sure — it could be either Biotin and Zinc. When it comes to skin, alleys and E are your best friends; just think of them as personal pollution shields.
What is the best mix of beauty ingredients to focus on all aspects?
You want a "synergistic" blend. It is as though you are trying to build a home with a single brick and no mortar. To cover all bases, a cocktail of Biotin, Zinc, Vitamin C, and Marine Collagen or Silica is also called for. This means while the Biotin is at work on the hair shaft, the Vitamin C is busy plumping up skin cells.
The advantages of ingredients in hair, skin, and nail supplements
Why not take a “stack” or a premixed formula? It's just lazy. Not only is it easier on your bank account than buying five distinct bottles, but some vitamins boost the power of others. For instance, Vitamin C helps your body take in iron better. This is why the NCC Hair Skin Nails Vitamin Plus 10mg Iron makes such a smart formulation—it’s made with optimal absorption in mind.
How long does it take for hair, skin, and nail vitamins to work?
Here’s the actual truth: You’re not going to wake up tomorrow with Rapunzel hair.
Our bodies have their own timeline. It takes an average of about six months for a fingernail to grow from the cuticle to the tip. Hair grows about 1cm per month. With those inherent cycles, it generally takes about eight to 12 weeks of sticking with your new habit before you begin to sense that it’s not just a passing whim. It’s a marathon, not a sprint — don’t throw in the towel after just a couple of weeks!
Selecting the Best Hair, Skin & Nail Supplement
Selecting a supplement is kind of like you’d pick out a pair of sunnies – it needs to fit your lifestyle.
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Test the Iron levels: If you’re frequently tired, you may want a formula that contains added iron.
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Quality, Not Hype: Opt for Australian-made or TGA-regulated products. We have some of the most rigorous supplement standards in the world, and that is a huge win for consumers.
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Good Value: There’s no need to shell out “luxury brand” prices for quality ingredients. Check the milligrams per dose.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long for hair, skin, and nail supplements to work?
Patience is a virtue, as I said. Maybe you’ll notice a little “glow” to your skin in about a month, but for hair thickness and nail strength, I’d go for at least three months of daily use.
Can I use hair, skin, and nail supplements if I'm taking other medications?
In most cases, yes — but it’s still worth having a brief chat with your GP or pharmacist. Certain elements, like Zinc or iron, can stop the body from absorbing certain antibiotics or blood pressure meds.
Do hair, skin, and nail supplements work?
For most, they are well tolerated. But some people might feel a little nauseous if you take them on an empty stomach (especially in the case of supplements that include Zinc). Pro tip: swallow them down with your morning avo toast to stave off the “queasy” sensation.
Can men take hair, skin, and nail supplements?
Absolutely! Biology doesn't care about gender. Men’s hair and skin are subjected to the same environmental pressures. And while it won’t “cure” male pattern baldness (we wish!), it can certainly make the hair that is there appear thicker and healthier.
Do I need to continue taking supplements if I want the results to last?
Not necessarily, but if you don’t change your diet, they may drop back down when you stop. Plenty of people opt to take them seasonally — say, a pick-me-up in winter, when our skin can become especially dry and lackluster.
Ready to start your glow-up?
If you’re tired of having nails that break like timber and hair as dull as dishwater, perhaps it’s time to upgrade your formula to an edition tailor-made for the Aussie lifestyle? Take a look at our Hair, Skin, and Nails Supplements to meet your needs.
References:
Lee, M., Kim, E., Ahn, H., Son, S., & Lee, H. J. (2023). Oral intake of collagen peptide NS improves hydration, elasticity, desquamation, and wrinkling in human skin: A randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled study. Food & Function, 14. https://doi.org/10.1039/d2fo02958h
Gropper S & Smith J. Advanced Nutrition and Human Metabolism, 6th ed. Thomson Wadsworth. 2012. Pp. 3010-319
https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Biotin-HealthProfessional/
