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Oct 14, 2024

Best Vitamins for Healthy Hair, Skin and Nails in 2024 - CNET

Article updated on October 13, 2024 at 11:27 AM PDT Consider incorporating these dietary vitamins into your daily life to promote healthy hair, stimulate nail growth and sustain clear skin. CNET’s

Article updated on October 13, 2024 at 11:27 AM PDT

Consider incorporating these dietary vitamins into your daily life to promote healthy hair, stimulate nail growth and sustain clear skin.

CNET’s expert staff reviews and rates dozens of new products and services each month, building on more than a quarter century of expertise.

What to consider

Ingredients

Every multivitamin will have nutrients, but they may also contain ingredients you'd rather avoid.

Dosage

Always take note of the dosage of each nutrient included in your vitamin selection.

Serving size

Some vitamins have serving sizes of three or more capsules daily. Others only require one tablet each day.

Form

The most popular forms of vitamins are capsules, tablets and gummies. Decide which one is best for you.

Third-party certifications

Extra certifications help you feel confident that the vitamin only contains what’s on the ingredient label.

Health concerns

Always consider your medical conditions and current medication when choosing a multivitamin.

CNET’s expert staff reviews and rates dozens of new products and services each month, building on more than a quarter century of expertise.

What to consider

Ingredients

Every multivitamin will have nutrients, but they may also contain ingredients you'd rather avoid.

Dosage

Always take note of the dosage of each nutrient included in your vitamin selection.

Serving size

Some vitamins have serving sizes of three or more capsules daily. Others only require one tablet each day.

Form

The most popular forms of vitamins are capsules, tablets and gummies. Decide which one is best for you.

Third-party certifications

Extra certifications help you feel confident that the vitamin only contains what’s on the ingredient label.

Health concerns

Always consider your medical conditions and current medication when choosing a multivitamin.

As we age, it's natural to look for ways to avoid hair thinning, dry skin and acne -- or all of the above. While looks aren't everything, who doesn't want to make sure they look the best they can? Thankfully, plenty of dietary supplements can help without leaving your wallet feeling like it's taken a beating. Adding essential nutrients and vitamins to your routine can encourage healthy bodily growth and also cell regeneration. Complementing that with a healthy diet, you'll soon start to feel better and stronger than ever.

Read more: 50 Unique Gifts for People Who Have Everything

There's no reason to feel guilty about taking vitamins and supplements, as often they are prescribed by doctors to help people who are deficient in ways they can't help. Plus, vitamins and supplements offer a practical method for incorporating essential nutrients into your body, whether it's Vitamin A, C, D, or other vital minerals and proteins like iron and collagen. A handful of tablets can be a highly effective workaround if you struggle to get those key vitamins through your diet.

Navigating so many supplements and vitamins can be confusing, mainly because there’s no standardized measurement form. Vitamins might be weighed in milligrams or micrograms, but there’s a considerable difference: a milligram is equivalent to 1,000 micrograms, in the same way that a gram is equivalent to 1,000 milligrams.

Our CNET experts have gone through scientific research to find out the best vitamin supplements for hair, skin and nails that will suit your needs and save you the trouble when you’re not sure where to look.

There are a lot of multivitamins that claim that they can improve hair, skin and nails, you need to pay attention to the ingredients. The best overall vitamins for hair, skin and nails include vitamin B7 (biotin), collagen, vitamin C and omega-3s.

Vitamin B7 is essential for the health of your hair, skin and nails. It isn't the type of thing you can stock up on -- taking a ton of biotin doesn't amplify the benefits. Collagen is a protein that makes up connective tissue. As we age and our production of collagen decreases, the once-tight fibers become more like a maze. This translates to wrinkles on the face. Supplements include collagen to help your skin elasticity and reduce wrinkles. Vitamin C has various benefits for the body, and it also increases collagen production in your body. Lastly, Omega-3s help maintain the cholesterol-derived layer of our skin cells. They contribute to the shine of your hair and keep your scalp healthy. Studies have found that it can also help treat the symptoms of inflammatory skin conditions.

Nature's Bounty Extra Strength multivitamin is the best overall hair, skin and nail vitamin because of its robust nutrient composition. It's also one of the most affordable multivitamins you can find at $10 for a 150-capsule bottle. The dosage is three soft gel capsules each day -- not the worst I've seen, but not the best either.

Vitamin A and zinc are included in this multivitamin to promote collagen production. If you have a vitamin D deficiency a huge benefit of this is you also get 100% of your daily recommended amount, which may help clear up acne. Unlike other options available, Nature's Bounty multivitamin includes horsetail for thinning hair and skin health. A 2019 review of research found insufficient evidence to establish horsetail as an effective treatment for hair loss.

Nature's Bounty also includes a significant amount of biotin (vitamin B7) at 5,000 mcg per serving. That sounds like a lot, but no side effects have been reported in doses of up to 10,000 mcg (10 mg) of biotin. Experts note that supplementing biotin at high levels can cause false or low test results for immunoassays, which use biotin as part of the testing method. That's something to consider for upcoming doctor's appointments.

Olly Undeniable Beauty gummy vitamins promote hair, skin and nail health with key ingredients biotin, vitamin C, vitamin E and keratin. Vitamin E has been linked to treating eczema by suppressing inflammation. Vitamin C aids in collagen production and UV skin protection.

Olly Undeniable Beauty Hair, Skin and Nails vitamins contain a large dose of biotin at 2,500 mcg. I was also glad to see 50 mg keratin included in the Olly Undeniable Beauty vitamin. Keratin is the basic component in our hair, skin and nails. The research into the effectiveness of taking additional keratin supplements is lacking, but it's a good option for people with a keratin deficiency.

Olly is naturally flavored and colored with sweet potatoes, apples, cherries, radish, carrot and blueberry juices. Reviews of Olly suggest these grapefruit-flavored gummies taste good. Note that some reviewers say the smell is off-putting in some batches. I like Olly because of the depth of the product line. If you're looking for a vitamin that only targets hair or nail health, you have that option.

Nutrafol Women vitamins support hair growth by focusing on the causes of thinning hair -- like your stress levels and nutrition. It contains medical-grade ingredients, including collagen, maca, astaxanthin and saw palmetto. In addition to vitamin A, vitamin C and vitamin D, you get 3,000 mcg of biotin in this vitamin. Nutrafol has been clinically studied and shown to promote hair regrowth by 80% over time. Nutrafol says results will be noticeable in three to six months.

The thing I like most about Nutrafol is that you don't have just one option; there are several hair supplements to choose from. You can take Nutrafol's hair wellness quiz to find the best fit for you. For instance, if your hair loss is hormonally related, Nutrafol Women's Balance vitamin is the best choice.

Nutrafol hair supplements have the highest vitamin levels on the list, which means they are more expensive for a 120-capsule bottle. With a four-capsule dosage, that's only a 30-day supply. You can opt for monthly delivery through Nutrafol and knock that price down to $79.

Persona Nutrition offers some of the best opportunities to personalize hair, skin and nail vitamins. It's a vitamin subscription service, so you don't have to worry about running out. They come in convenient daily packs that will be shipped to your home.

You start by taking Persona's extensive assessment, which asks about your health concerns, allergies, and diet. This helps match your needs with the supplements offered. The hair, skin and nail vitamin from Persona aims to smooth fine lines, hydrate your skin and help your hair and nails grow with a balance of ingredients like collagen, hyaluronic acid and horsetail extract. Persona has one of the highest biotin content on the list at 5 mg or 5,000 mcg.

With Persona, you can create a regiment of supplements that address the vitamins and minerals you are lacking. They offer a ton of options. After I took the assessment I was matched with over five supplements. Always check interactions between supplements and your existing medication before starting. More is not always better for you.

If you're shopping for an organic hair, skin and nail vitamin supplement, Garden of Life mykind Organic Collagen Builder may be what you're looking for. According to Garden of Life's website, this hair, skin and nail vitamin helps restore and maintain your body's collagen, keratin and elastin levels. It's both vegan and organic and made from whole food ingredients like blended fruit and vegetables.

Like other hair, skin and nail vitamins, you get a modest dose of vitamin A (40% of daily value), vitamin C (50% of daily value) and vitamin E (15% of daily value). You do get a significant amount of biotin at 2,500 mcg per serving. Like Revly you'll also find green tea extract in this product.

If you want a one-and-done approach to your vitamin, keep Revly Hair, Skin and Nail Complex in mind. Amazon's answer to other vitamins on the market, Revly only costs $15 for a 90-day supply, making it the most affordable hair, skin and nail vitamin on the list.

Revly also has an extensive ingredient list which includes a hefty dose of biotin at 2000 mcg per serving. There are also a few ingredients you won't see from other vitamins -- like horsetail, methylsulfonylmethane (or MSM) and gotu kola, which have been linked to good joint health and anti-aging, respectively. In addition to potentially decreasing blood pressure, gotu kola may also stimulate collagen production. You'll also find green tea extract in this vitamin. A study has found that green tea extract may treat hair loss.

Note that some people prefer their vitamins without any additives. If you're one of them, this is not the vitamin for you. Revly's hair, skin and nail vitamin doesn't include vitamins outside of biotin and other vitamins.

Keep these factors in mind when searching for the best supplements for you.

Always study the ingredients in any vitamin supplement. If you are looking to support healthy hair, skin and skins, look for vitamins that contain biotin, collagen, vitamin C and omega-3s. Speak with your doctor before starting any supplements.

You may have to take up to four pills each day, depending on the serving size. Keep this in mind if you dislike swallowing a lot of pills. Also, the serving size directly affects how long a bottle will last you. Even if you have a product with 120 tablets, if you have to take four tablets a day, this will only last you 30 days.

Vitamins and supplements come in either tablets, capsules, gel capsules or gummy foam. Depending on your personal preference, you should look for vitamins that fit your needs. For example, if you don’t want extra sugar in your vitamins, don’t buy gummy vitamins. If you don’t like swallowing pills, maybe gummy vitamins are the best option.

Dietary supplements aren't regulated by the FDA, but there are a few verifications you can check for that ensure the product you're buying is safe to use.

Those verifications include:

The FDA doesn't regulate vitamins and supplements, which means there are fewer quality regulations for companies to meet. I haven't tested these products in-house; the choices are based on product research for vitamin and mineral ingredients, third-party certifications and consumer reviews.

Several vitamins and nutrients play a part in improving the health and appearance of your hair, skin and nails. Vitamin B7, collagen, vitamin C and omega-3s are all great supplements. Some help directly, in the case of biotin, while others, like vitamin C, help indirectly.

The research on the effectiveness of supplements is limited. Most hair, skin and nail vitamins are loaded with biotin, which is essential to keep your hair shiny and skin moisturized and give you strong nails. If you eat a healthy diet, taking supplements won't make your hair grow faster or thicker. Vitamins balance out deficiencies in the nutrients our bodies naturally produce.