Walking into your local drugstore or beauty supply can be an overwhelming experience.
Trying to combine your unique needs with the shelves of products, containing ingredients that only a chemist would be able to explain, is trying. After you make a decision, you're basically crossing your fingers that said product will be effective for your skin.
Enter: a seemingly universal approach to skin care, dietary supplements. These celeb-loved products (everyone from Olivia Culpo to Sofia Vergara are fans) aim to change skin from the inside out, adding key nutrients and vitamins to your everyday routine. Although skin is our largest organ and what you put on it matters, swallowing your beauty regimen has its own host of potential complications.
Before you throw your head back in hopes of radiant skin, here are a few things you should consider.
Your Diet
"Supplement" is a general term for vitamins, amino acids, minerals and other nutrients that your body needs for optimal health. Manufacturers use a standard guide for human nutrition, but this doesn't necessarily apply to your personal needs. Your diet (and allergies, if applicable) plays a bigger role in which supplements you truly need. It's best to read through all of the ingredients first, then consult with a doctor before committing to a beauty supplement.
Also, too much of any one vitamin or nutrient can be detrimental to your health. So, if you adding these supplements to an existing vitamin regimen, so you double check that you aren't overloading on any one thing.
The Ingredients
Despite the romanticized packaging, the reality is that the FDA hasn't approved many of these vitamins. They are required to tell the consumer whether they are or aren't, but if it states that it has not been approved, reading through the ingredients is even more important.
Trial Runs
Before you commit to any supplement, you should give it a trial run. This means you should stop taking your other vitamins and simplify your beauty routine. This way you are aware of how the product is affecting you, for better or for worse. If you introduce more than one product at the same time, it will be impossible to know the effectiveness.
OK, now we know how to go about this, take a look at some of the most popular supplements below!
Which one is for you?
Tell us below!