Damien Hirst – Pharmaceuticals (2005)
Photo: cea +
If you are having trouble growing your hair out to luscious, waist-grazing lengths, wish to lessen cellulite, or achieve the bronzed complexion you’ve always wanted, there might be a pill for that. Beauty supplements—a former niche movement that has since boomed into a powerhouse industry over the past decade—may seem like clever marketing jargon, but truthfully, these beauty-boosting pills are just normal vitamins, enriched with heavy doses of nutrients to boost hair and nail growth, aid in digestion, flush out toxins and press the reset button for an inside out approach to beauty.
Skin specialist and director of Bea Clinics, Bianca Estelle, says: “Supplements work to give your body an extra boost of nutrients that you are otherwise not getting.” In a fast-paced society where skipping lunch is the norm, obtaining our daily recommended servings of Omega-3, vitamins and other essential nutrients can be difficult. This is where the crop of complexion-clearing, metabolism-boosting, and hair-enhancing supplements come into play. Whether they are in the form of skin-pumping collagen pills, digestive aids, or powdered ingestibles, the new wave of beauty-boosters comes with an attractive set of possibilities.
Not convinced? Several studies have proven the benefits of orally ingesting a daily supplement, including a recent study by the Department of Dermatology in the University of Kiel, Germany, which showed that taking a daily collagen peptide significantly decreases eye wrinkles.
Another recent study by the Minerva Research Labs in the U.K. showed that drinking hydrolyzed collagen directly benefits the skin. This centuries-old practice is still relevant in China and Japan, where many men and women mix sachets of powdered collagen or “bone broth” into hot water or ramen noodles to ramp up the natural levels for youthful skin and bones. Brands such as Pure Gold Collagen, a lineup of liquid beauty supplements, aim to fight the early signs of aging with its youth-boosting ingredients alongside fragments of collagen extracted from fish.
Fish isn’t the only natural source of collagen; nutritionist and clinical dietician Lama al Naeli lists Vitamin C and E as “natural skin-plumpers.” While many pills are readily available over the counter, in stores such as GNC and Sephora, Al Naeli advises to consult with a doctor or physician before incorporating supplements into your diet, and goes on to list “allergies, kidney damage and liver failure” as potential side effects.
Below, four beauty-boosting supplements that you can pop into your diet.
Garden of Life Perfect Foods
(180 capsules)
Dosage: 5 capsules a day
Green powders, such as the Garden of Life Perfect Foods, are a great source of nutrients and vitamins that you may be deficient in. These ingestible shortcuts are a nutritious option for those who have hectic schedules. However, they are not a long-term substitute for greens in their freshest form. The major downside of the powdered greens is their taste, which can make them a tough pill to swallow—incorporate into your smoothie or protein shake for on-the-go juicing.
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AED/SAR:217
Murad Pure Skin Clarifying Dietary Supplement
(120 capsules)
Dosage: two capsules a day
If you’ve tried different acne-fighting products, treatments, and even made some tweaks to your diet and still cannot seem to evade breakouts, then you may want to consider Murad’s Pure Skin Clarifying Dietary Supplement. Enriched with Vitamin A and Zinc, the daily supplement prevents clogged pores blemishes and reduces oil production to encourage consistently clear and flawless skin.
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AED/SAR:158
Viviscal
(60 capsules)
Dosage: twice a day
Viviscal is an ingestible shortcut for women who are experiencing thinning hair or bald patches who want to regrow their hair fast. The daily nutritional supplement comprises a propriety marine complex, known as AminoMar C, Vitamin C and Silica to yield hair growth. If taken diligently, one should see improvements in hair texture within two months and noticeable growth and thickness by month six.
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AED/SAR:184
Biosil
(60 capsules)
Dosage: twice a day
BioSil aims to replenish the body’s internal supply of collagen to turn back the clock on ageing skin. The ingestible capsule contains a combination of essential nutrients and minerals that have been clinically proven to tighten the skin, including silicon and choline. The supplement should be ingested twice a day—once in the AM and once in the PM—for best results. An added bonus? BioSil also helps strengthen nails and hair.
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AED/SAR:107
