Ingestible Hair Care

It’s often discussed in hair forums, articles, and other platforms that healthy hair and wellness start with eating whole foods, practicing mindfulness, and having good gut microbiome. But one trend not often talked about is ingestible hair care. That is, supplementation formulated to increase the health and wellbeing of the skin and hair.    

A quick Google search will show beauty supplements, a.k.a. nutricosmetics, are having a moment, promising to make you glow from the inside out.  

What exactly constitutes ingestible hair care?  

Internal products can be formulated as powders, capsules, or pills. They contain beneficial ingredients for the hair, skin, and nails. Common ingredients include vitamins D, E, A, niacinamide or vitamin B, biotin, and antioxidants.  

Are beauty supplements different from daily vitamins?  

Even though ingestible hair care may contain ingredients that are great for the scalp, it doesn’t mean they will have a direct effect on the hair or skin. To directly benefit the hair and skin, you need a product that will be used on the scalp and directly absorbed by the skin. This is why topical products and home care are so important to the health of your clients’ scalps and hair. The ability to confidently sell retail products is vital to the success of a cosmetologist and barber and the end goal for the client. 

Does ingestible hair care provide more benefit than topical hair care?  

Supplementation has the benefit of working from within and delivering active ingredients straight to the bloodstream and into the cell. However, many trichologists argue that scientifically researched ingredients applied topically are more bang for the buck. As the name implies, this is supplemental to your daily topical regimen, not in place of it. 

A recent survey performed by Lycored suggests ingestible care is a growing consumer demand. The results revealed commonly held assumptions about skin and hair care may be outdated and ingestible care is now firmly within the mainstream. Also, men are a prime market. The survey also suggests  consumers are far more interested in feeling healthy than looking younger.  

Whatever you decide to recommend to your clients, a healthy scalp will deliver healthy hair. As the professional, it is up to you to decide if you think a topical solution or ingestible solution (or both) is best for the goal of your client.   

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