While finding the right skin and hair care range for you is essential for good skin and hair health, what you put on the inside can make all the difference. To promote shiny hair and glowing skin, try adding these supplements to your diet.
Evening Primrose Oil
Evening Primrose Oil contains the essential fatty acid Gamma Linolenic Acid, which clinical professor of medicine at the University of Arizona Andrew Weil recommends for good hair and skin. “Consider supplementing with gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), a fat that helps promote healthy skin, hair, and nails and is very hard to come by in the diet,” he says. Gamma Linolenic Acid is anti-inflammatory and promotes healthy skin and hair cell growth.
Vitamin A
All cells need vitamin A for growth, including hair and skin. Vitamin A maintains the protective tissue in the skin and helps the skin promote adequate amounts of sebum, which moisturises the scalp. As well as taking vitamin A in supplement form, you can find it in carrots, spinach, peaches and cod liver oil.
Biotin
One of the best vitamins for strong, healthy hair, the B-complex vitamin Biotin prevents dryness and breakage. It also encourages elasticity and shine through the production of keratin. Eat more brown rice, green peas, lentils and oats for a natural intake of biotin.
Fish Oil
Fish oil has many health benefits, including improving the overall appearance of skin. The omega-3 fatty acids present in fish oil promote collagen production, working to smooth the skin and regulate its moisture balance.
Vitamin E
Sometimes referred to as the ‘good skin’ vitamin, vitamin E increases oxygen uptake, in doing so helping to maintain the body’s blood circulation and produce new hair. It also assists in neutralising free radicals. Eat more beans, leafy greens and nuts to add vitamin E to your diet.
Fern Extract
Boost your UV protection with fern extract. Researchers at the University of Miami School of Medicine found that fern extract significantly minimised damage to DNA that causes brown spots and wrinkling. Miami Beach-based dermatologist Leslie Baumann suggests taking one a day for best results. “This allows the antioxidants to build up in your system for maximum protection,” she says.