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Best overall vitamin for hair, skin and nails
Nature's Bounty Extra Strength Hair, Skin and Nails
Best gummy vitamin for hair, skin and nails
Olly Undeniable Beauty Hair, Skin and Nails
Best subscription hair, skin and nail vitamins
Persona Nutrition: Hair, Skin and Nails
Best budget hair, skin and nail vitamin
Revly Hair, Skin and Nail Complex (Update: Currently Unavailable)
It's natural to want your hair, skin and nails to stay in the best shape possible. Although a balanced diet is key to keeping them healthy, you may also want to consider taking dietary supplements -- after consulting your doctor about the essential vitamins you might need for better hair growth, glowing skin and healthy nails.
You may think your diet covers everything your body needs, but doctors often prescribe vitamins and supplements to help people who are deficient in ways they can't help. These supplements are a practical way to incorporate essential nutrients into your body, whether it's vitamin A, C or D or other vital minerals and proteins, like iron and collagen. If you struggle with vitamin deficiency and find it tricky to incorporate key vitamins into your diet, a few tablets can be highly effective workarounds.
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But the market is flooded with a ton of supplements, and there are no standard measurements. So finding the right vitamins can be daunting. Vitamins might be weighed in milligrams or micrograms, and 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 the best vitamin supplements for hair, skin and nails, to help you match your goals and save you trouble when you aren't sure where to look.
What are the best overall vitamins for hair, skin and nails?
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.
Best vitamins for hair, skin and nails in 2024
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 around $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.
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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. They contain 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're 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 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.
Ingredients
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.
Serving size
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.
Form
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.
Verifications
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.
Which nutrient improves hair, skin and nails?