Do Hair Growth Vitamins Actually Work?
We are not our hair, but we still want it to be healthy. U-parts and goddess braids are protective styles that give our natural hair a chance to grow and thrive (because sometimes we just need to leave it alone), but there's another step that could help your tresses live their best life, shining from beneath your wig cap and beyond.
I remember swearing by Biotin vitamins a few years ago. I took them faithfully and even started using shampoo and conditioner that was infused with it. I must say, I was a fan of the fullness and volume my natural hair had in the rare moments it was bouncing and behaving. But I can't honestly say it was because of Biotin. I haven't taken them in quite a while, and haven't seen any regression since.
What I can say is I was loyal to prenatal vitamins when I was pregnant, and my hair has never been so healthy. I literally kept taking them after my little one arrived just to maintain the growth. For me, that was the way to go and I refuse to look back. But that's just my testimony. If you've ever wondered if hair vitamins actually work, keep reading.The Truth About Hair Growth Vitamins
Plenty of women are swearing by their favorite hair vitamins, and for some, they work absolute wonders on their strands and edges. So what does science say? I don't want to burst your bubble, but according to a few experts, even though hair supplement vitamins have ingredients that promote hair growth (like biotin, and vitamins A, C, D, and E), the impact isn't always inevitable. Many also haven't been proven to be effective via the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Dermatologist Dhaval G. Bhanusali of Hudson Dermatology and Laser Surgery told Cosmopolitan:
"A lot of the studies you find in support of hair supplements are actually funded by the brands themselves. The literature is sketchy at best, and most derms agree that supplements are not very impressive."
But are we falling for the okie doke? Maybe not.
A second dermatologist, Michelle Henry, a clinical instructor at Weill Cornell Medical College, also gave the lowdown to Yahoo! Lifestyle.She noted that Vitamin D deficiencies and a lack of iron are typically reasons people experience hair loss, so many successfully take a vitamin to supplement and promote hair growth. And it works for them.
Dendy Engelman, M.D., and board-certified dermatologic surgeon echoed similar sentiments and told Prevention:
"Hair growth supplements are helpful for anyone who is experiencing hair loss, hair thinning, or for those who just want thicker or longer hair."
So, What's Really Legit? Here Are The Best Vitamins For Hair Growth
Most dermatologists seem to agree that it's best to find hair growth vitamins that include biotin, iron, zinc, and/or Vitamin B12, especially if you aren't getting enough in your daily diet. Vitamin A, magnesium, and vitamin D are also ingredients that promote healthy hair. Here are a few hair growth vitamins that are said to be the best in the game.
1. Nature's Bounty Biotin
Amazon
While I can't say that biotin was a key reason I experienced healthy hair, it's boasted as one of the best vitamin supplements out there for a reason, and many nutrition companies sell it. It's a water-soluble vitamin, and we all know water is the not-so-secret ingredient that leads to healthy hair, skin, and nails. So you might flourish in more ways than one with this vitamin.
2. VitaFusion PreNatal Multivitamin Gummy
Walmart
I can go on and on about this prenatal multivitamin and what it can do for hair growth. But I think it's all about what works best for your hair. FYI: You can still take it even if you're not pregnant. It has plenty of vitamins A, C, D, E, B6, B12, and zinc -- pretty much all of the supplements you need that promote healthy hair. I must say they don't taste too bad either.
3. Hairfinity Healthy Hair Vitamins
Hairfinity
Hairfinity Healthy Hair Vitamins has only grown in popularity since it launched a few years ago. And if you're looking to support a black female business owner on your hair journey, look no further. Tai Lawrence Brock launched Brock Beauty after having her own struggles with her hair from overusing products and heat damage. I think we can relate to that. As for what's in it, Hairfinity Vitamins include vitamins A, C, D, B6, B12, and biotin.
4. Love, Beauty and Planet Berry Extraordinary Vegan Hair & Nails Supplement
Target
Not only do these vitamins have lots of vitamin D, B12, iodine, and folic acid, they're vegan! Each bottle is made from recycled plastic, so they're also eco-friendly. They're also not too expensive either.
5. Movita Women's Multivitamin
Movita
This vitamin is full of fermented superfoods, so your empty stomach won't have too hard of a time digesting it. It has plenty of antioxidants and other products like biotin and turmeric that encourage hair growth. This is also black-owned!
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Featured image by Shutterstock
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Charmaine Patterson is a journalist, lifestyle blogger, and a lover of all things pop culture. While she has much experience in covering top entertainment news stories, she aims to share her everyday life experiences, old and new, with other women who can relate, laugh, and love along with her. Follow Char on Twitter @charjpatterson, Instagram @charpatterson, and keep up with her journey at CharJPatterson.com .
ItGirl 100 Honors Black Women Who Create Culture & Put On For Their Cities
As they say, create the change you want to see in this world, besties. That’s why xoNecole linked up with Hyundai for the inaugural ItGirl 100 List, a celebration of 100 Genzennial women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table. Across regions and industries, these women embody the essence of discovering self-value through purpose, honey! They're fierce, they’re ultra-creative, and we know they make their cities proud.
VIEW THE FULL ITGIRL 100 LIST HERE.
Don’t forget to also check out the ItGirl Directory, featuring 50 Black-woman-owned marketing and branding agencies, photographers and videographers, publicists, and more.
THE ITGIRL MEMO
I. An ItGirl puts on for her city and masters her self-worth through purpose.
II. An ItGirl celebrates all the things that make her unique.
III. An ItGirl empowers others to become the best versions of themselves.
IV. An ItGirl leads by example, inspiring others through her actions and integrity.
V. An ItGirl paves the way for authenticity and diversity in all aspects of life.
VI. An ItGirl uses the power of her voice to advocate for positive change in the world.
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Why We'll Probably Never Hear Lupita Nyong'o Share Her Relationship With The World
Lupita Nyong'o is sharing a transparent look into her life after a recent breakup.
In a cover story for NET-A-PORTER, the A Quiet Place: Day One star shed light on the significant heartbreak she experienced following the end of her relationship with ex-boyfriend and TV host, Selema Masekela.
As a public figure, Nyong'o, 39, sought to divulge the news of the breakup in hopes of presenting a more authentic perspective on the pain that follows a separation.
"I was living in a lot of pain and heartbreak," she told the publication. "I looked at the environment of my social media and thought I don’t want to be a part of this illusion that everything is always coming up roses. Surely there is a lesson for me to learn in this, and I just want to be real about it."
The Black Panther star went on to explain that her choice to be transparent with her fans about her breakup came from the certainty she felt after ending the relationship. “In my mind, when I shared my relationship status with the world, it was because I felt sure about it,” she said.
While she didn’t know how the news would land with her fans, she found relief in knowing she wasn’t alone in her experience.
“I knew how it could be interpreted; I knew it would have a life of its own,” she reflects. “But then I started to see the comments and people were being so loving and supportive. The ones that moved me the most were other people sharing their pain and their heartbreak.”
Nyong'o and Masekela went Instagram official in December 2022, publicly announcing their relationship in a couple's video. In October 2023, Nyong'o took to her personal Instagram account to share the news of her breakup in her caption, writing, "At this moment, it is necessary for me to share a personal truth and publicly dissociate myself from someone I can no longer trust.”
She continued the vulnerable note, "I find myself in a season of heartbreak because of a love suddenly and devastatingly extinguished by deception. I am tempted to run into the shadows and hide, only to return to the light when I have regained my strength enough for me to say, 'Whatever, my life is better this way.' But I am reminded that the magnitude of the pain I am feeling is equal to the measure of my capacity for love."
These days, Nyong'o tells NET-A-PORTER that she is prioritizing profound self-discovery that extends beyond her career. She notes having a deliberate and unhurried approach to understanding herself.
She also alludes to keeping her relationships private moving forward after noting it was "very, very sage" of her not to talk about her private life professionally in the days before her last relationship. "I'm going back to those days by the way," Nyong'o shares of her reinstated boundaries around her personal life.
Earlier this month, Nyong'o made headlines alongside her new boyfriend actor Joshua Jackson. Nyong'o and Jackson went through public splits from their respective SOs in October 2023, with the latter splitting from his long-time partner Jodie Turner-Smith following her divorce filing from the Dawson's Creek alum.
The pair have been spotted together as early as December 2023, but nothing screamed "couple" quite as loudly as their recent getaway to Mexico for Nyong'o's 41st birthday featuring passionate displays of affection.
"Our purpose in life is to love. And so you have to get back in it," she tells the outlet, seemingly alluding to her budding new romance.
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Featured image by Taylor Hill/Getty Images