Beauty supplements—including pills, mix-in powders, flavored gummies, and more—are becoming more popular among wellness-minded consumers. The promise: look more youthful, radiant, and healthy. And they’re delivering in a big way.
You are what you eat, says the old adage. Nothing could be truer when it comes to beautiful skin, hair, and nails. How we look on the outside is a direct reflection of how healthy we are on the inside. So it should come as no surprise then that the booming wellness movement—with its focus on exercising regularly, eating well, visiting spas, and taking supplements—is being accompanied by an exploding beauty supplement market.
And it’s not just beauty pills that are becoming popular. It’s edibles too—everything from gummies and chews to flavorful supplement-enriched bars. “When we were all kids there weren’t many supplement delivery types. It was mostly just liquids and horse pills,” says Andreas Koch of Natural Path Silver Wings, a natural products brand. “As the natural products industry grew, so did new delivery innovations.” And tastier, more innovative supplement products began hitting the market. But whatever the taste or delivery method, the end goal when it comes to beauty supplements is the same: healthier and more beautiful, youthful, and radiant hair, skin, and nails.
“Healthy skin is built from the inside out and then protected by topical skincare products and treatments.”
— Howard Murad, MD
The idea of balancing out your body for beauty makes sense, says Cathy O’Brien, CEO of Naturopathica, a holistic wellness and beauty brand that has incorporated health into its treatments and products from its inception. “Anything from stress to diet to how active you are can contribute to the way your body and your skin looks, feels, and ages,” says O’Brien. “What’s going on inside your body directly contributes to what you see on the outside.”
One board-certified dermatologist, in particular, was ahead of his time in preaching this philosophy of beauty from the inside out. Los Angeles-based Howard Murad, MD, commonly referred to as the “Father of Internal Skincare,” was one of the first dermatologists to recognize that what you do to your body is a direct reflection of how you look. Since the 1970s, he has recommended beauty supplements as a way to nourish skin from the inside out at the cellular level. His newest line of supplements, Murad Internal Skincare sold at select spas around the country, addresses aging, lackluster skin, and acne.
“Healthy skin is built from the inside out and then protected by topical skincare products and treatments,” explains Dr. Murad. Diet—and more specifically what nutrients you’re taking in—is a key part of this. “It is literally true that ‘you are what you eat’ and ‘food is medicine.’ Given the right nutrients, our bodies know how to replace dead skin, grow new hair and nails, filter toxins, repair damaged DNA, rebuild damaged membranes, remove dead cells, grow new ones, and much, much more.”
“Feeding our body what it needs is giving it the tools it needs to do its job,” he explains. “And because so many of us have deficient diets—either overly dependent on processed foods or because our soil is no longer as nutrient-rich as it once was, or both—it is often good to augment the food we eat with supplements.”
Wellness-minded consumers agree. Almost 75% of Americans (most of them women) take supplements, with 35% identifying as “regular users.” What’s more, most of these consumers believe that, “Dietary supplements are essential to maintaining my health.” That’s one reason many supplement takers—88%—also take them for healthy skin, hair, and nails. And that’s why the beauty supplement market, now valued at $53 billion, is expected to reach $79 billion by 2030. This includes not only beauty pills, but gummies and other edibles, as well as beauty and wellness teas and tinctures, similar to ones made popular by Naturopathica.
Collagen & Peptides: the Skin Smoothers?
One of the beauty supplements consumers are reaching for is collagen. It makes sense why. Collagen is a protein that’s one of the building blocks for skin and hair. The body naturally makes collagen but starts producing less of it beginning in our 20s. And with each decade that passes, the body produces even less. What’s more, sun exposure also damages collagen fibers in the skin, reducing collagen production. So that means if you’re getting older and have a history of sun exposure, your collagen declines even more rapidly, with wrinkles and loose skin becoming more pronounced.
“Collagen is the main component of connective tissue—the scaffolding of bones, tendons, ligaments, cartilage, and skin,” explains Dr. Murad. “It works with elastin and keratin to give skin its strength and elasticity. The loss of collagen in the skin is what accounts for the difference between a baby’s plump, rounded cheek and the dry, thin, papery cheek of your grandmother. The loss of collagen can also weaken hair and nails.”
Topical creams like retinol and tretinoin are proven to help promote collagen production in the skin. And antioxidants like vitamin C can help reverse inflammation that can damage the collagen in the skin. But you can’t apply collagen to the skin and expect it to make its way into the skin’s deeper layers to have a collagen-boosting effect. That’s because the collagen molecule is actually too large to be absorbed through skin with topical products. At most, topical collagen products may have a moisturizing effect.
And that’s where collagen supplements come in. Ingesting collagen seems to have the best all- over body benefit. That’s why the global collagen supplement market has exploded. It’s expected to double from the current $10 billion to almost $20 billion by the year 2030.
Murad believes that giving the body what it needs to stimulate collagen production is the best way to go. That’s why his Youth Renewal Supplement is formulated with collagen amino acids along with collagen building blocks like vitamin C and copper. And that’s where peptides come in.
Peptides are short chains of amino acids that make up proteins like collagen and elastin. They’re found naturally in the skin. They’re also messengers; they send signals to cells like skin cells telling them to produce more collagen and elastin.
It’s collagen peptides (also sometimes referred to as hydrolyzed collagen) that you’ll find in most collagen supplements because they’re easily absorbable by the body. And it’s collagen peptides that you’ll find in most products by the collagen supplement leader, Vital Proteins. With Jennifer Aniston as its face and chief creative officer, Vital Proteins maintains a 55% share of the collagen market. The grass-fed bovine collagen, used in most of its collagen products, is just one reason for its leading market share. And it’s not just powders the company sells. Its so-popular-it’s-often-sold-out Vital Proteins & Jennifer Aniston Protein and Collagen Bar comes in flavors like Dark Chocolate Coconut, Cold Brew Coffee, and Peanut Butter Fudge.
But other smaller brands have joined the collagen movement. There are chews, tinctures, and even a no-sugar-added Glow Up PM Collagen Hot Cocoa created by Winged Women’s Wellness to accompany its Glow Up AM Collagen Powder. NeoCell offers a Collagen Pomegranate Liquid, in addition to traditional-style collagen powders, that’s meant to be sipped straight from the spoon. Reserveage Beauty has taken collagen supplements to an even tastier level. It has created a sour apple Collagen Candy treat with collagen peptides, hyaluronic acid, and vitamin C. It also has fruity Collagen Replenish Chews with collagen peptides, hyaluronic acid, and a mix of skin-nourishing nutrients like vitamin C.
But do collagen and peptides actually work to smooth the skin? Yes, say researchers. In one review of studies on collagen supplements, the evidence from the reviewed studies suggested that collagen supplements improve skin moisture, elasticity, and hydration when orally administered. Additionally, collagen reduces the wrinkling and roughness of the skin without any side effects.
“What’s going on inside your body directly contributes to what you see on the outside.”
— Cathy O’Brien, CEO of Naturopathica
Nootropics & Adaptogens: the Anti-Inflammatories
Nootropic supplements are also a hot area of growth. These supplements contain substances like herbs, vitamins, minerals, and plant-based compounds like CBD that help sharpen the mind, increase focus, boost memory, and even reduce stress. The term “nootropic” comes from the Greek words for “mind” (noos) and “bend or turn” (tropein).
Many nootropics are also considered to be adaptogens, substances that help the body and mind adapt to situations, particularly stressful ones. These include botanicals like ashwagandha, gotu kola, holy basil (tulsi), Rhodiola rosea, and mushrooms. Established natural supplement brands like Phoenix-based NBPure are harnessing the power of adaptogens for stress-relief and overall wellness. NBPure’s popular Power Down is a vegan relaxation supplement with ashwagandha, Rhodiola rosea, and other powerful plant-based adaptogens.
“Adaptogens help the body regulate stress,” explains O’Brien. “Stress leads to inflammation, which can contribute to a host of other issues affecting our mental, physical, and skin health. This may also speed up the aging process.” That’s why Naturopathica has created a line of edibles around schisandra, an adaptogenic berry shown in research to help reduce inflammation in the body. Its Schisandra Adaptogenic Wildflower Honey and Stress Tea are sold and served in spas around the country.
Mushrooms are also adaptogenic and are being used to reduce inflammation in the body and on the skin. Naturopathica’s Reishi Immune Tincture has adaptogenic reishi mushrooms. These stress-busting mushrooms are also found, along with ashwagandha, in Winged Happy Start Mushroom Powder by Winged Women’s Wellness. The powder is meant to be added to a morning beverage.
“The most powerful adaptogenic mushroom species grow in difficult conditions—low light, limited rainfall, and poor soil or decaying organic matter,” explains Jessica Mulligan, cofounder of Winged Women’s Wellness. “The plant’s ability to survive necessitates the production of strong compounds within the plant. It’s these lifesaving compounds of the plant that bestow adaptogenic qualities on humans.” More specifically, these mushrooms “produce an abundance of nutrients called polysaccharides and beta-glucans that, when ingested, help to reduce stress and support a healthy inflammatory response in our bodies,” explains Mulligan, adding: “The polysaccharides and antioxidants found in mushrooms can even skin complexion and reduce redness, resulting in glowing, beautiful skin.”
Another powerful nootropic with stress-relieving and anti-inflammatory benefits: CBD. This nootropic is being used for more beautiful skin because collagen-producing fibroblast cells in the skin contain CBD receptors. While studies are limited on the specific skin-boosting benefits of CBD, some research does point to the skin-healing benefits of this nootropic.
One study in Nature found that CBD increases the production of fibroblasts in the skin helping with rheumatoid arthritis. Additional research on gum disease found that cannabidiol—another name for CBD—increased fibronectin production by as much as approximately 100%. Fibronectin is a critical protein that, among other things, is critical for wound healing.
CauseMedic is one skincare brand that sells both topical and ingestible CBD products like its CBD Wellness Shot with ashwagandha and adaptogenic mushrooms. CauseMedic is used and sold in luxury spas around the country like the Mandarin Oriental, Canyon Ranch, Mohonk Mountain House, and The Ritz-Carlton.
Prebiotics, Probiotics & Postbiotics
Beneficial bacteria, or probiotics, has been shown to be not only good for the gut but also good for the skin. That’s because the skin, like the gut, has a microbiome. This is the community of microorganisms, including bacteria, that live together and work to support the health of the skin (as well as the gut and the body). An imbalance in this microbiome is called dysbiosis. On the skin, dysbiosis can present itself as acne, atopic dermatitis, rosacea, and other skin conditions.
Millions of Americans suffer from gastrointestinal issues that may be linked to gut dysbiosis, which can be caused by a poor diet as well as chronic stress. It makes sense then that skin would suffer, too. International skincare expert Pietro Simone is treating more rosacea clients than ever before. “When I started 24 years ago, I didn’t see all the redness and inflammation that I’m seeing now,” says Simone, creator of Pietro Simone Skincare used at luxury spas around the country including Meadowood in Napa Valley and Four Seasons Nashville. “It’s unrealistic to think that the human skin is dissociated from the inside of your body. We can treat the skin, but we are not going to get to the root cause of it from a surface level.”
Hoping to help clients fix this imbalance from the inside, Simone recommends and sells select skincare supplements like Dote. “It integrates CBD and mushroom for focus and helps with stress and emotional health,” he says. “This has an incredible effect on our body and therefore better effects on our skin.” (He also personally sees excellent results from the Repair, Lift and Glow products from MyPureSkin MyCollagenLift, which he sells at his boutique clinics in New York City, London, and East Hampton.)
But there’s more to the better health picture than just probiotics. Prebiotics are also becoming popular as they help to nourish or feed the probiotics. And postbiotics are also important. These beneficial compounds or short-chain fatty acids produced by the probiotics (aka the “good-for-you waste” from the probiotics) help to reduce inflammation in the body and on the skin. Reducing this inflammation seems to help improve the appearance of acne-prone or eczema-prone skin.
In fact, acne is the key area beauty supplements with prebiotics, probiotics, and postbiotics are targeting. Murad has a Clear Skin Supplement with postbiotics, along with skin-healing vitamins A and C. Face Reality sells a Clear Skin Restore supplement with probiotics and skin- healing zinc. But these are just two of many. Garden of Life’s extensive line of Dr. Formulated Probiotics caters to different gut and health concerns. In particular, its Dr. Formulated Probiotics Mood+ also contains ashwagandha for stress management. Probiotic supplements are set to increase to $1.5 billion in 2027 from $547 million.
Whether it’s probiotic supplements for acne, stress-busting and inflammation- relieving nootropic pills, or fruity-flavored collagen chews for more youthful skin, beauty supplements are a part of wellness that aren’t going away anytime soon. As more research is done and innovation evolves, look for more ingredients and products to hit the beauty supplement market in the future. And look for more spas to sell them and incorporate them as part of treatment and home skincare regimens. But keep in mind that supplements are designed for long-term use. “These aren’t overnight solutions,” says natural products industry expert Koch. “Rather, you’re nourishing your body long term just the way nature intended.”