All about nutricosmetics, its types, ingredients, benefits and side effects

Key takeaways:

• Nutricosmetics are wellness supplements that people take to improve their skin, hair, nails, and overall health.
• While nutricosmetics are considered potent and beneficial, they don't replace topical treatments and healthy meals.
• One of the major benefits of nutricosmetic use is its anti-aging properties. Due to how easily digestible it is, it works faster, helping you achieve healthy skin, hair, and nails quickly.

Most skincare products are topical (applied to the skin), but nutricosmetics brings a twist, where supplements are ingested orally to take care of the skin, hair, nails, and overall health.

Nutricosmetics are products that act as nutritional supplements to care for the external parts of the body, particularly the skin, hair, and nails, and to promote overall wellness. They work to promote beauty from the inside out.

But do they take the place of topical skincare and health products? Definitely not. 

In a quick chat with Patricija Bajc, the marketing manager of TOSLA Nutricosmetics, she highlighted some issues that nutricosmetic supplements alone can't address. “For example, our ingestible sun protection formulations are great to prepare your skin to be exposed to the sun, but they don't fully protect you; therefore, you must use topical sunscreen too.”

However, a 2023 study that evaluated the effect of a nutricosmetic product that is made from curcuma extract on the skin indicated that the nutricosmetic product showed better moisturizing, anti-wrinkle, and anti-aging potentials compared to only using a topical product made with the same plant extract.

This suggests that nutricosmetic products can be potent additions to your skincare regimen.

Topical products are here to stay. However, using both topicals and supplements creates a beautiful synergy that will help you reach your skincare and wellness goals faster.

Benefits of nutricosmetics

Here are some benefits that have been attributed to nutricosmetics:

• Nutricosmetic supplements may help boost the production of collagen, a protein essential for building and renewing the skin. Lack of this essential protein results in the appearance of wrinkles.
• Many nutricosmetics solutions contain vitamin A (or its derivatives). Vitamin A is necessary to grow and maintain healthy hair, nails, and skin. But, too little or too much of this vitamin can be detrimental to one's health.
• Some nutricosmetics products contain beneficial agents like algae that help to strengthen the immune system and heal wounds faster.
• Nutricosmetics contain antioxidants that provide anti-aging benefits. Factors that contribute to oxidative stress, such as hormonal imbalance, exposure to UV radiation, and environmental stress, contribute to skin aging. But consuming nutricosmetic wellness supplements that contain antioxidants may promote youthfulness. 

Types of nutricosmetics

Nutricosmetics are primarily ingested as supplements or food fortification, and they come in three forms:

• Pills: These are designed to be swallowed and usually come as softgels.
• Powdered: The powdered nutricosmetics are to be mixed in water before consumption. It’s important to measure out the quantity the manufacturers specified and mixed with the indicated amount of water. 
• Liquid: The liquid forms of nutricosmetics are light, easy to drink, and packed with antioxidants, minerals, and vitamins for better skin and health.

The active ingredients typically contained in these supplements are peptides, carotenes, minerals, omega-3 fatty acids, collagen, and proteins derived from food products and plant extracts.

Some common examples of nutricosmetics are:

• Beauty gummies: Beauty gummies contain active ingredients like aloe vera, biotin, and hyaluronic acid to help strengthen nails and improve the skin and overall health.
• Wellness shots: Juices, usually referred to as wellness shots, work quickly to help detoxify and beautify the skin. Ingredients contained in nutricosmetics shots are dependent on the major functions they're meant to carry out, but they are mostly made from natural plants and fruits like ginger, turmeric, apple cider vinegar, and grapes.

Why should you consider using nutricosmetics?

Aside from the stated fact that they're packed with nutrients that have anti-aging properties and effectively strengthen the immune system, nutricosmetics are a way to help you achieve your skincare goals faster.

If skincare and maintaining youthfulness are part of your health and wellness goals, you may want to add nutricosmetics to your routine.

Nutricosmetics ingredients and their functions

The ingredients in nutricosmetics products differ based on their functions and brand, but these active ingredients are usually found in most of them.

1. Vitamins

They're one of the major bedrocks of nutricosmetics and include the vitamins A, B3, C, D, and E. They work together to act as antioxidants that protect the skin against damage from free radicals.

And, more than helping in quickly healing wounds, vitamins also help maintain adequate skin hydration.

2. Hyaluronic acid

Plant-based hyaluronic acid is derived from microbial fermentation, while its animal-based counterpart is derived from some animal tissues.

This holy grail ingredient is used in many skincare products for its anti-aging properties. It does a great job of skin hydration, reducing wrinkles, plumping, and making the skin firm.

3. Omega-3 fatty acids

Derived from fish oil, this active ingredient makes nails stronger and hair shiny and reduces signs of aging.

4. Collagen

Collagen is naturally present in the body and is the most abundant type of protein in the body, but as we age and are prone to oxidative stress, like frequent exposure to sunlight without protection and lack of adequate rest and exercise, we make less of it.

Therefore, artificially sourced collagen is present in many skincare products and in nutricosmetics products in powdered forms, pills, and certain foods. It is effective in rejuvenating the skin and restoring it to its youth, and improving the strength and healthiness of the hair and nails.

5. Peptides

Peptides help to reduce wrinkles and make the skin more elastic. They can speed up hair growth, improve its texture, and strengthen the nails.

6. Ceramides

Ceramides reduce skin irritation and maintain its hydration. This hydration property can also be beneficial for reducing hair breakage and strengthening hair.

7. Resveratrol

Resveratrol is a plant secondary metabolite derived from grapes and berries, and has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties good for the skin. It also induces hair growth from the hair follicles. 

8. Carotenoids

Carotenoids contribute to healthy skin color, cell regrowth, and stimulation of hair growth. 

Where to buy nutricosmetics

Most nutricosmetics are sold over-the-counter, while others can be purchased at a pharmacy store as prescribed by a doctor. If you aren't sure of the ingredients to look out for as it pertains to the condition(s) you want to deal with, it would be best to speak with a doctor or a dermatologist. 

Side effects of nutricosmetics

While nutricosmetics are packed with nutrients and have many potential benefits, they may cause side effects like:

• Blurred vision
• Nausea (which may occur due to too much intake of vitamin A)
• Allergic reactions 

Some of the side effects can be averted if you properly assess the products before buying them to ensure they are produced by reputable companies and are tested and proven good for health. It also helps to check their labels to be sure they don’t contain ingredients you are allergic to. 

Another rule of thumb is to take these supplements moderately. 

Wrap up

Even though nutricosmetics contain essential nutrients, they don’t take the place of topical treatments. One isn't better than the other. To achieve maximum results, the two have to effectively work together. 

It is also important to consider the foods you eat. Beyond supplements and topical skincare products, eating the right foods can go a long way toward helping your skincare goals.

When thinking of how to improve your skin and slow aging, think of a holistic approach that includes the right topical skin care products, wellness supplements, and a nutritious diet.