Whether it’s excessive heat or constant slicked-back styles, when we overdo it, our hair can feel the effects.
If your strands are looking brittle, broken, dehydrated or dry, there may be more that you can do than just filling your bathroom cabinet with nourishing and hydrating haircare products (although this is a great place to start!).
If you’ve spent any time at all investigating hair growth solutions, you will have likely come across biotin. The ingredient is one of the most well-known and renowned in the space for its ability to encourage luscious long lengths from the inside out.
Anabel Kingsley, Brand President and Consultant Trichologist at Philip Kingsley explains, “Biotin is a B vitamin (vitamin B7) that is required to release energy from our food, and also to synthesise fatty acids and glucose. Biotin deficiency can be associated with increased hair shedding”.
Biotin has many benefits for the hair, skin and nails. Kingsley breaks it down revealing that “It is a key component in the production of keratin, a protein that makes up these structures”. If this is a nutrient that you are deficient in, she adds that it “can lead to brittle nails, hair loss, and skin issues and supplementing it might help improve their strength and appearance”.
Vitamin B is most often found in the likes of meat, fish, milk, cheese and eggs, which means that those following a vegan or vegetarian diet might find it lacking in plant-based foods. Yet, Kingsley explains that it is still rare to be biotin deficient and this ingredient alone hasn’t been proven to be beneficial.
That said, the best supplements come with a cocktail of vitamins and minerals that combine to give the body what it needs to impact hair growth and minimise shedding. “If you are looking to supplement your diet, I recommend our Density Healthy Hair Complex that has been Trichologically formulated to contain key micronutrients, employing a holistic approach to support healthy hair from the inside out”, she says.
No supplement is a quick-fix solution, especially when it comes to seeing a noticeable difference in your mane on account of the hair growth cycle. Kingsley concludes that “For any impact to hair growth, you should allow 3-6 months to see visible results”.
Shop the best biotin supplements below
Best rosemary oil products for hair growth: Top shampoos, conditioning treatments and essential oils
Best hair masks for bleached hair to help repair damaged locks
Best Botox alternatives: Skincare products to smooth wrinkles and give you younger-looking skin
Best personalised vitamins to buy in the UK that are tailored to your needs
Best collagen supplements UK to strengthen and boost your skin
Viviscal Hair Growth Programme 60 Tablets
Taking Viviscal for a three to six-month period will have a noticeable effect on the length and thickness of your locks. It is not a quick fix so don’t expect to see an overnight hair transformation but you will begin to see the difference in your hair. It becomes shinier, thicker and appears more dense. This is possible through a clinically researched mix of nutrients, minerals and proteins.
Zinc maintains the health of your hair, while vitamin B derivative biotin encourages the growth of both locks and nails too. AminoMar C is marine-derived to support your natural protein development and fortify each strand. Last but not least, the supplement is also packed with iron to support your red blood cell creation and immune system.
Buy now £29.99, Holland & Barrett
Hair Gain GROW
When it comes to your supplements, you want a product that gives results and that’s where Hair Gain comes in. The product stars a powerhouse ingredient known as AnaGain that has been thoroughly and rigorously tested where it has been shown in a clinical trial to increase hair growth by 78 per cent and a whopping 86 per cent of users noticed a positive change to the condition of their locks.
Enriched with the brand’s exclusive AnaGain as well as biotin and zinc, the supplement works to encourage growth at the cell and follicle level and leave you with long, shiny locks. The product is vegan and vegetarian-friendly and has a daily recommended dose of two capsules.
Buy now £36.99, Cult Beauty
Philip Kingsley Density Healthy Hair Complex
The Density range was created by the experts at legendary science-backed hair label Philip Kingsley to promote scalp health and counteract the effects of follicle-stressing external aggressors.
Through a combination of botanical ingredients, it tackles free radicals that can cause your hair to become lacklustre and thin from the outside in, while also packing in vitamins and minerals to improve hair health. The nutrient-rich combination of vitamin C, biotin and selenium put the va va voom back into tresses as well as enhances shine.
Buy now £32.00, Cult Beauty
Hair, Skin and Nails Gummies
You may have already nailed down your topical hair, skincare and makeup routine but as is reinforced to us since childhood, true beauty comes from within so everything you put into your body can affect you. By incorporating this multivitamin into your routine, you can maintain the healthy condition of your hair, skin and nails.
Made up of vitamin C, zinc, biotin, and selenium, it will kickstart the creation of collagen, prevent oxidative stress and give your digits and tresses the nutrients they need for strength and growth. In just a month or so, you will notice your nails feel less brittle and your hair appears shinier.
Buy now £10.99, My Vitamins
Vitabiotics Perfectil Plus Hair - 60 Tablets
This three-in-one supplement takes on your hair, skin and nails to improve their condition and health. The two-daily dietary addition brings together a carefully curated selection of micronutrients; selenium, niacin or vitamin B3 as it is also known, zinc, iodine, vitamin C, and of course, biotin.
These ingredients work together to stimulate collagen function, support your locks, and strengthen brittle nails. Consistency is key so stick with the supplements to maximise the results.
Buy now £20.00, Boots
HUM Nutrition Hair Sweet Hair (60 capsules)
There’s something about a gummy that makes sticking to a daily dose that much easier. With no water required, take two of the berry-flavoured hearts each day and marvel at your fresh tresses. The combination of ingredients has been clinically proven and each and everyone is meticulously tested to ensure efficacy, purity and potency.
It contains biotin, zinc, folic acid, vitamin B12, PABA which has been shown to maintain natural hair colour and Fo-Ti, which is used in traditional Chinese medicine to fortify and maintain hair vibrancy. Brittleness, breakage and shedding, begone!
Buy now £27.25, Cult Beauty
Feel Hair Support
This supplement has been put through its paces in a clinical double-blind trial and it has come out trumps. The results reveal that in 90 days of taking this dietary add-on, you should notice a more voluminous mane, greater density and better shine.
This is down to a very special trademarked ingredient known as Keranat that counteracts hair loss by supporting the natural growth cycle and fortifying the individual strands. Set alongside biotin, these may be the revolutionary capsules your haircare routine has been calling out for.
Buy now £56.43, Feel
Vegamour GRO Biotin Gummies for Thinning Hair & Hair Wellness
Considered a game-changer by our friends across the pond, we have Sephora’s UK launch to thank for bringing Vegamour to stressed strands. These gummies can be slipped into your daily routine with ease, whether you consume with breakfast or as a mid-afternoon snack where the strawberry flavouring will act as a welcomed sweet treat. Better yet, they come in a playful heart shape that’s sure to put a smile on your face.
Taken consistently and the results are sure to give you the swishy hair feeling from every shampoo advert ever made - aka thicker, fuller and longer locks. They also provide a boost for your immune system to boot. This is thanks to the supercharged cocktail of vitamins B-5,6 and 12, A, C and E as well as biotin and folic acid.
Buy now £36.00, Sephora
Purolabs Biotin Complex
Purolabs has taken a more targeted approach with these supplements, prioritising healthy nail growth by spotlighting biotin. The ingredient also encourages the strengthening of our strands to leave you with a healthy mane and less split ends as well as glowing skin by adding vitamin C, selenium and zinc to the line-up.
It’s an advanced formulation that places biotin at a high strength whopping 10,000ug. But don’t expect overnight results. It takes around three months before you’ll properly notice the benefits (about the length of your hair cycle). There are no nasties included and they’re vegan. Not totally convinced? Make the most of the brand’s 60-day guarantee. If you don’t love it, they’ll give you your money back.
Buy now £29.99, Purolabs
Advanced Nutrition Programme Nail Science
You may have plumped skin and luscious locks and it’s only really your nails that are of concern. That’s where the Advanced Nutrition Programme Nail Science comes in. The brand has spotlighted ingredients that will specifically benefit nails that are weak, brittle and breaking.
The conditioning and strengthening concoction includes biotin, calcium, and zinc, all of which are nutrients lauded for improving the health of nails and the connective tissue as well as encouraging growth. It only takes a few weeks to start seeing the results.
Buy now £34.00, Face the Future
