Best supplements for healthy skin when your diet falls short

Beauty supplements tend to be marketed as transformation tools, but they’re better understood as ingestible insurance instead — helpful when your diet is patchy, less persuasive when it’s already doing its job. They can’t override good sleep, undo stress, or outpace genetics, but what they can do, when chosen carefully, is support skin that’s already being treated reasonably well.

Collagen is the obvious example, and also the most misunderstood. A review of 19 studies published by Harvard in 2023 (What? Like it’s shocking?) found improvements in skin firmness, suppleness, and moisture among participants taking collagen supplements. Encouraging, of course, but most of those products weren’t formulated using just collagen. They were padded with vitamins, antioxidants, hyaluronic acid, and other familiar favourites, which makes it hard to credit just collagen for the results. However, a few randomised controlled trials that followed suggested that specific collagen peptides may improve hydration and elasticity, but even researchers agree that the evidence when it comes to long-term use is still evolving.

Dermatologists are typically more restrained. The American Academy of Dermatology Association maintains that if you’re healthy and not genetically deficient in any vitamins, a balanced diet remains the most reliable way to support skin health. Many of the nutrients that appear in skin supplements — vitamin C, vitamin E, biotin — already exist in food most people eat regularly. Supplements, then, aren’t replacements. They’re adjuncts.

There’s also the question of unintended consequences. Healthline notes that certain supplements — including high-dose B vitamins, iodine-rich kelp products, and whey protein — can aggravate acne or trigger dermatitis. Kelp supplements, in particular, can contain concentrated iodine, which stimulates enzyme activity linked to skin inflammation. Taken casually, these supplements can end up doing the opposite of what they promise.

Do beauty supplements really work?

They can support skin health, particularly hydration and barrier function, but results are often subtle and take time to work. They’re most effective alongside a balanced diet and consistent skincare.

Can supplements give me glowing skin?

A glow is usually the by-product of a combination of factors like diet, sleep, and skincare, instead of a single capsule. However, supplements that support hydration and antioxidant protection — like omega-3s, hyaluronic acid, or vitamin C — tend to be the most helpful.

Which beauty supplement is best? 

There isn’t a universal best, because their effectiveness depends on what your diet is missing. Supplements also work best when they address a specific gap rather than a vague desire for better skin.

So that’s where discernment comes in. The best beauty supplements aren’t miracle workers or kitchen-sink formulas, because they’re targeted, well-formulated, and transparent about what they do — and just as importantly, what they don’t. Here, the supplements that make sense if you’re looking to support skin health thoughtfully, not overhaul it.

Horbaach Hyaluronic Acid with MSM 1000mg capsules, $16.96

Hyaluronic acid and MSM in one uncomplicated formula, aimed at daily connective tissue support. A sensible option if topical application of hydration isn’t cutting it alone, and you want a low-commitment internal add-on.

VITALBEAUTIE Daily Vitamin Chewable Pills, $24.57 (U.P $35.10)

A sherbet-textured multivitamin that fills common nutritional gaps without excess, consider these pills a daily baseline for your intake of everything from folic acid to vitamins and manganese. Especially helpful if meals are irregular or occasionally aspirational.

21st Century Biotin Easy Swallow tablets, $32.46

A straightforward biotin supplement for those who may be falling short nutritionally, these tablets support normal hair, skin, and nail function—no dramatic changes here, but steady maintenance where gaps exist instead.

Ocean Health Hair Formula capsules, $32.60 (U.P $39.80)

Blending biotin with traditional botanicals like He Shou Wu and horsetail, these capsules combine modern supplementation and TCM principles. It’s best suited for those looking to support hair and scalp health gradually, instead of trying to reverse biology overnight.

Haruka Skin Essence capsules, $32.90 (U.P $39.90)

A bestseller in Japan built around amino acids and glutathione, which is often taken for overall skin clarity, these capsules are more about long-term consistency than instant brightness—especially if your diet already does some heavy lifting.

DrHigh365 Boogi Boogi Potassium tablets, $39.15

Less about beauty, and more about balance, this potassium supplement supports hydration and electrolyte equilibrium, which quietly underpins how skin looks and feels when you’re overheated or under-fuelled.

Holistic Way EPO Premium Cold Pressed Evening Primrose Oil softgels, $41.37 (U.P $59.10)

Particularly relevant when dryness or sensitivity seems cyclical rather than constant, cold-pressed evening primrose oil in these softgels delivers gamma-linolenic acid and vitamin E, which is traditionally used to support skin comfort and hormonal fluctuations.

VitaHealth SkinTru tablets, $44.88

A plant-forward blend — horsetail, burdock root, and rosemary, amongst others — focused on oil balance, congestion, and environmental stressors, it’s formulated for acne-prone or reactive skin types, where calming and regulation matter more than glow-chasing.

NeoCell, Glow Matrix Vegetarian Capsules, $46.28

A multi-ingredient approach to skin hydration, as it combines ceramides, hyaluronic acid, antioxidants, and coconut water. Best viewed as internal skincare for people whose routines already lean consistent, instead of needing correction.

Swisse Beauty Skin Regeneration+ capsules, $49.90

A broad-spectrum formula that ties skin support to metabolic processes like sugar regulation and antioxidant defence. It also works best when paired with decent sleep, regular meals, and realistic expectations.

Ocean Health Omega-3 Fish Oil 1000mg tablets, $57.70 (U.P $74.70)

A clean, molecularly distilled source of EPA and DHA from small deep-sea fish, with the kind of purity checks that matter. Think of it as foundational support that’s useful for overall skin comfort and barrier health, especially if dryness shows up elsewhere too.

Heliocare Advanced Nicotinamide B3 Supplement, $60.94

Dermatologist-adjacent and pairing nicotinamide with Fernblock® extract, the two ingredients are often used to support skin resilience and recovery. Particularly helpful for those navigating sun exposure or compromised skin, alongside, not instead of, sunscreen.