Everyone wants beautiful hair, and they use conditioners, serums, and more to try and get it. But did you know that a gorgeous mane starts from the inside? Vitamins and minerals are an important part of overall health, and no where is that more apparent than our hair. While it’s important to eat a healthy diet, more and more women are looking to supplements to fill in the gaps and give them the thick, full, shiny hair of their dreams. Here are six supplements that will help make your hair more beautiful from the inside out.
1. Hum Nutrition Red Carpet, $25
Red Carpet from Hum Nutrition is filled with essential omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids, as well as vitamin E to support fuller, shinier hair (and also glowing skin). Bonus: the pills are encapsulated in algae instead of gelatin, so they’re vegan and gluten free.
2. Biotin
Biotin is an ingredient in many hair and nail supplements. If your diet isn’t lacking in nutrients, and you’re jonesing for thicker, longer hair, why not go right to the source? It’s water-soluble (meaning your body just excretes what it doesn’t need) and doesn’t have any negative side-effects when taken in the correct dosage.
3. Vitamin D
After all of the dreary, sunless winter days, you may find yourself lacking in Vitamin D, which is important for hair follicle cycling. Salmon, mushrooms and grains are all good sources of Vitamin D, as well as getting plenty of sunshine.
4. Zinc
Zinc plays an important part in hair growth, and if you’re a heavy exerciser, you may be losing more of this mineral than you realize. Taking a supplement can help with this, as well as munching on high-zinc foods like pumpkin seeds, turkey and chocolate (yum!).
5. Viviscal, $49.95
If you want longer, thicker hair, the most recommended supplement to try is Viviscal. It’s engineered to promote rapid, healthy hair growth with ingredients like zinc, Vitamin C, biotin and iron.
6. Sugarbear Hair, $30
Celebrities swear by Sugarbear Hair, a gummy vitamin designed to nourish hair from within. Each gummy contains Vitamin A, Vitamin C, folic acid, zinc and biotin, among other vitamins and minerals, and they are gluten free and vegetarian. If nothing else, they’ll look super cute in your medicine cabinet.