South Korea has seen a recent spike in the supplement section, especially ‘Beauty supplements‘. Yes, you read that well. Korean skincare regimen isn’t limited to what you put into your skin but what you eat also. Keep on reading to know all about beauty supplements, how they work and which ones to take!
You may be wondering if this is not just yet another publicity stunt but hear me out, besides supplements that you take as medication, beauty supplements are here to help with your skincare and make it more effective from the inside.
As a matter of fact, most ingredients that we put into our skin are better absorbed orally and more effective. As Wishtrend described it: ‘When your usual skincare routine can only solve 98% of your skin concerns, Beauty Supplements might be the 2% you need.”
According to everyday health, a review published in the journal Dermato Endocrinology notes that antioxidants, vitamins including A, C, D, and E, omega-3s, some proteins, and probiotics can indeed promote anti-aging effects. Although some of these vitamins can be found in Multivitamins Dr. Kappel explains that “Multivitamins contain additional vitamins that are not as important for skin health.” Hence, beauty supplements contain an adequate amount of each nutrient that is pertinent to your skin’s health.
And while most doctors tend to support the use of these time-tested elements of a healthy diet, it is mainly new supplements that are gaining the most popularity. “Some of the trendier ingredients these days include ingestible collagen, resveratrol, astaxanthin, and hyaluronic acid, along with extracts of bamboo, olive fruit, and green tea,” says Trevor Cates, ND, who is based in Salt Lake City, Utah.
It is no secret that Korea has one of the best-selling beauty products and brands that are surfing the well-being market with new supplements, jellies, and drinks with the promise to help rejuvenate your skin.
As I was in Olive Young the other day, I was surprised to see whole Beauty supplement kits being sold which include a variety of vitamins and even probiotics. And even Hyaluronic acid which until now I only thought was used topically.
As you see in the video below, Koreans are more and more interested in taking the appropriate amount of supplements for both their health, longevity as well as a healthy appearance.
I may not be an expert but I did the research for you so you don’t have to. In fact, writing about such things make me feel like a chemist in a lab. Without further ado, here are the top supplements which can help your skin:
Collagen — The supplement that everyone has been talking about. Although scientist’s opinions differ about it, it still creates the buzz. Some studies show that it can improve laxity in aged skin, but that it doesn’t necessarily help with firmness, anti-aging, or moisture retention like many claims. Nevertheless, it is still a great supplement, combined with vitamin C it can have great effects on your skin. In fact, when your body makes collagen, it combines amino acids — nutrients you get from eating protein-rich foods, like beef, chicken, fish, beans, eggs and dairy products. The process also requires vitamin C, zinc and copper.
Hyaluronic Acid — As I mentioned before, I was surprised to learn that hyaluronic acid can also be taken in pill form in addition to being applied topically. Although it is not as popular as collagen yet, but it’s starting to fill up the supplements section at Olive Young.
Probiotics– Known to improve the health of your gut, it is also your ally for healthy skin. Studies suggest that applying probiotic skin-care products may reduce acne outbreaks and manage dry skin and eczema. Several small but promising studies also suggest that probiotics can help battle skin aging and even skin cancer. Skin pH increases with age, making it drier and allowing more “bad” bacteria to grow.
Nothing better than an expert to explain in detail:
As I am in Korea, I myself couldn’t resist getting myself a beauty supplement box hoping that it will fix all my troubles overnight. (yes I am that desperate)
I put to test the product below described as ‘Skin-immunity’. A glimpse of the description on the packaging states that BYO is a premium plant origin probiotic, to be more precise Kimchi-based, developed by CJ’s Probiotics R&D Center. It promises that taking one capsule a day improves skin conditions due to immune hypersensitivity as well as intestinal health.
I personally took it every day diligently and I promise you although it was made with Kimchi it doesn’t taste like it.
I personally didn’t notice any drastic change in my skin, perhaps the underlying causes of my skin troubles are not gut-related. Nevertheless, I think it is still beneficial for my digestive problems as it helped me feel lighter.
So my take on it is that it is always beneficial to take supplements whether they claim to do wonders for your skin or not. My advice is to be well informed on each nutrient before taking any. In my opinion, it is better to consult a doctor before taking anything as your vitamin levels should be well monitored to avoid any excess or deficiency.
