WHAT SUPP, DOC?

We chew over taking supplements as skincare

What are those women who stock their bathroom cabinets with as many pills and powders as serums, masks and scrubs looking to achieve? Oh, just the pinnacle of beauty – smooth, radiant skin, glossy hair and healthy nails – all of which a new wave of supplements promise to deliver in easy, measurable packages. Here’s what you need to know

Beauty flat lays are an art form. The combination of products must scream luxury and efficacy, in packaging chic enough not to look too clinical. Where once these images – hashtagged #shelfie, #sundayskincare and #selfcare – would show off a carefully curated collection of lotion pots, pump bottles and sheet masks, a new member of the skincare clan is appearing more and more. Be it a smattering of capsules or a scoop of powder, it’s not really a beauty flat lay without a token skincare supplement – or two.

The proclivity for beauty supplements has come at a time when a clean, clear complexion has never been more covetable, partly thanks to the recent focus on holistic health – trowelled-on make-up is out and naturally thriving skin is in. ‘The new status symbol of a wellness-driven approach to beauty is the quality of the naked skin, which – genetics aside – requires time and money invested,’ explains Victoria Buchanan, senior futures analyst at The Future Laboratory. ‘Perfect skin calls for a multifaceted regime – watching what you eat, investing in tried-and-tested products and booking regular facials tailored to your skin type – adhered to militantly. Of course there will be an interest in supplements that offer a way to hack these results more quickly and effortlessly.’

POPPING PILLS

The thinking behind beauty supplements is just the same as that for dietary and workout supplements – to top up levels of a single or variety of compounds that are known to be integral to your health or performance, but that, for one reason or another, your body isn’t producing or taking in enough of when left to its own devices. A wealth of research has linked compounds such as zinc, biotin, vitamins A, B and C, omega-3 and omega-6 to the health of your skin, highlighting their essential roles in cell regeneration, collagen production and defence against pollution and sun damage. But it’s possible to develop deficiencies, which can be caused or exacerbated by a poor diet, a disrupted microbiome, high stress levels and hormone fluctuations. So, who wouldn’t be sold on a daily capsule that promises to reset these levels and deliver a flawless complexion as a consequence?

It isn’t that beauty supplements are new per se – capsules filled with skinplumping collagen formulas have been touted by beauty experts for decades now.

But targeted Instagram ads, influencer testimonials and slick packaging have all contributed to a spike in sales. The global beauty supplement market is expected to reach £5 billion by the end of 2024, according to a report by market researchers Goldstein Research. Indeed, according to a 2017 report by the Council for Responsible Nutrition, 31% of female respondents aged 18 to 34 say they take supplements for skin, hair and nails. Now, established skincare giants such as Murad and Dr Barbara Sturm are popping pills into their offerings, and a growing number of independent brands now offer supplements as their sole commodity.

Unsurprisingly, following in the footsteps of every strand of beauty and wellness that has preceded it, the skincare supp industry has its cult buys. Klarskin, a German company founded when an adult acne sufferer took to the lab for her own answers, claims its powders and tinctures are ‘the next stage in helping to achieve a mindful, nourished, balanced body, with a focus on longerlasting beauty and an upkeep of skin quality’. Not insubstantial claims – and women around the globe are sold. US brand Nue Co packages its pills in stylish black glass bottles, reminiscent of luxe French skincare products. Then there’s Lumity; two elegant tubes of capsules, one you take in the morning and one to take at night, which between them offer a 24-hour upgrade.

Even the founders of beauty subscription service Birchbox, Mathilde Lacombe and François Morrier, have waded in, working with a nutritionist to create the skin supplement Aime, now available in the UK.

SKIN IN THE GAME

According to nutritional therapist Shona Wilkinson, there’s an argument for ingesting skin-boosting ingredients rather than slathering them on your face in various creams and oils. ‘Nutrients taken internally are going to be more beneficial than any added to a cream, because your skin is designed to be a protective barrier to keep things out,’ she says.

But the idea of supplements being a quick fix is exactly the reason some skin doctors think their popularity is overblown and undeserved. Desire is high, and brands are taking advantage of this with new launches and products, but there’s little regulation.

In the UK, supplements are treated like food, rather than medicine, meaning, legally, they only have to be safe for consumption and not misleadingly labelled. So however magic your magic pill, the chances of it being equal or superior to a healthy lifestyle with a nutritious diet, a good amount of sleep and low stress levels are slim to none. ‘I recommend trying to obtain as much nutrition through diet as possible and supplementing only when needed,’ says Dr Alexis Granite, consultant dermatologist at cosmetic clinic Mallucci London.

The problem is that to reach the nutrient reference value (NRV) of some vitamins and minerals, you’d need to buy up the entire fruit and veg aisle at your local supermarket.

NRV is the European standard that has replaced the RDA (recommended dietary allowance) and indicates the bare minimum level of a nutrient you need in order to avoid the types of diseases not seen since the Middle Ages. Optimal nutrient percentages (that’s the actual amount contained per daily serving, listed next to the NRV) are a better marker of quality: far exceeding NRV levels, they aim to actually improve your health and looks. They’re safe, as maximum levels are legally determined. ‘Make sure you stick to the maximum daily serving, especially with vitamins

A and B6 and iron, which can build up in the body to dangerous levels,’ says Shabir Daya, natural health specialist at Victoria Health. There are cases where food alone doesn’t cut it. ‘To reach a sufficient amount of glutathione, the mother of all antioxidants, you would have to eat at least 3kg of asparagus, which is one of its richest sources,’ says aesthetic specialist Dr Galyna Selezneva. ‘So, if you’re deficient, you’re better off taking a prescribed dose.’ For patients with long-term medical issues, she recommends a baseline blood test to find the deficiency before prescribing the relevant supplements.

Dr David Jack, a Harley Street aesthetic doctor, sees supplements as an insurance policy that should be considered a long-term practice if they’re to have noticeable results.

‘I have some patients in their seventies who have been taking vitamin C for over 30 years, and sometimes the results can be quite astounding compared with those of their age-group peers who haven’t supplemented,’ he says. In fact, the difference was so impressive that it inspired Dr Jack to include supplements in his eponymous skincare line. ‘In my opinion, topping up your topical skincare with supplements to ensure you get enough vitamins is never a bad thing, even if you have a healthy lifestyle.’

WHAT SUPP?

If you’re looking to add supplements to your beauty routine, it’s best to begin by thinking about your skincare concerns and seeing whether there’s a potential link to any nutrients lacking from your diet. If you swerve meat and fish, you may need to supplement with omega-3 – try Udo’s Choice Ultimate Oil Blend, £12.99, a vegan source of omegas 3, 6 and 9 – which controls inflammation and boosts fatty acids. Not been hitting that elusive 10 a day? Target some antioxidants. ‘These are a must in a polluted environment,’ says Daya. Co-enzyme Q10 is among the most impressive and sought after antioxidants, as are astaxanthin and curcumin (the active in turmeric). As

‘Topping up your skincare with supplements is never a bad thing’

well as helping you look the part, they combat the low-level inflammation at the heart of degenerative conditions, such as Alzheimer’s disease.

Studies show that ingesting acid can improve dry skin – we’re talking the hyaluronic kind. There’s evidence that high doses benefit the skin by hydrating it more and faster than other organs and tissues. Experts recommend 200mg a day as opposed to the average 50mg you find in most supps. Only tiny molecules will be absorbed into the skin cells, so look for the words ‘lowmolecular’ or ‘multi-molecular’ weight. Fountain The Hyaluronic Molecule, £28, will target skin cells to synthesise hydrating hyaluronic acid, plumping skin from within.

Considering collagen? For a drink or pill to have any chance of improving the state of your skin, hair and nails, you need its collagen peptides (collagen fragments that, once in the

bloodstream, signal to organs, including the skin, to produce more collagen) to reach the small intestine intact, according to pharmacist Pupinder Ghatora of Ingenious Beauty. ‘That’s the site of maximum absorption,’ he adds. Ingenious Beauty capsules have a patented shell that ferries peptides through the stomach in one piece; they’re then absorbed into the blood from the small intestine. ‘This makes sense,’ says Daya. ‘But the jury’s out on whether it actually works.’

Just as you would when picking up a food product, check the label. Some supplements have filler products (which serve little to no purpose in the body, they’re generally there to make supplement production easier and cheaper), and ingredients are listed in order of quantity, so ensure the active compounds you want appear high up. Microcrystalline cellulose, maltodextrin and modified starch are examples of fillers; as a rule of thumb, the further down they are on the list, the more absorbable and well-considered your supplement likely is. Capsules generally allow for fewer fillers than tablets. Magnesium stearate (not a source of good-for-you magnesium) is a common filler and ‘flow agent’, which helps a supplement mix move fluidly through manufacturing equipment – and your body, if you catch our drift. Spot it anywhere but the bottom of the ingredients list and Ghatora warns that the supplement will pass right through you, too. Beware. Rice flour is an alternative flow agent that doesn’t have these drawbacks.

There’s also an argument to punt for brands that back themselves; that is, those that offer a no-questions-asked refund if you don’t see an improvement in your skin. Nue Co’s website states: ‘Our supplements work for 97% of people. If you’re in the 3% who don’t see results, we’ll work with you to find a solution, or give you a refund.’ And Skin Accumax says that a customer can request a refund within six months, but may be asked to complete a short questionnaire and speak to their nutritionist, suggesting that supplements taken alongside weekly Papa John’s deliveries and family-sized Dairy Milk bars are doomed to fail.

As for the future of beauty supplements, the industry is moving fast and the consumer is growing more savvy. ‘Expect to see a more analytical, personalised approach,’ says Buchanan. ‘Baze is a case in point. Users complete a self-sampling blood test that is sent for scientific analysis to identify lacking nutrients. Baze then makes the results available to you on an app and sends you a four-week supply of vitamins tailored to your health profile. You can imagine in the future that this could also extend into beautyspecific benefits. Rather than just pretty Instagram fodder, candidness, education, sciencebacked ingredients included at optimal percentages and a personalised approach is where skin supplementation is headed – and what consumers want. Watch this space.