THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO VITAMINS AND SUPPLEMENTS
As the seasons change, so can the needs of your routine. Looking to give your everyday wellbeing a little extra support? It might be time to revisit your supplement routine.
Of course, knowing where to begin is not always simple. Vitamins and supplements come in an array of formats, from capsules and powders to gummies and liquids, with different ingredients designed to complement different lifestyles.
Whether you’re wondering what supplements are, what supplements you should take or which formulas suit a particular goal, consider this your starting point. You can also explore all our vitamins and supplements.
WHAT ARE SUPPLEMENTS?
Food supplements are concentrated sources of vitamins, minerals or other substances designed to supplement your usual diet. Available as tablets, capsules, gummies, powders and liquids, formulas can feature vitamins, minerals, botanicals and other ingredients.
Supplements should complement rather than replace a varied, balanced diet. Always follow the directions on the packaging and speak to a qualified health professional if you are unsure whether a formula is suitable for you.
WHAT SUPPLEMENTS SHOULD I TAKE?
There is no single supplement routine that suits everyone. What you choose can depend on your diet, lifestyle, personal needs and any advice you have received from a qualified health professional.
Start by considering why you are looking for a supplement. Check the ingredients, recommended serving and allergen information, and look for any overlap with supplements you already take. More is not automatically better.
From formulas centred around everyday nutrition to targeted skin supplements, gut health and sleep, these are some of the main types of supplements to know.
TYPES OF SUPPLEMENTS TO KNOW
Energy Supplements
Busy days call for the basics first: a varied diet, enough rest and a routine that works for you. When supplements are part of that picture, multivitamin and mineral formulas offer one way to complement everyday nutrient intake.
B vitamins and magnesium contribute to normal energy-yielding metabolism. Whichever format you choose, check for ingredient overlap if you already take other supplements.
Gut Health Supplements
Gut-focused formulas span prebiotics, probiotics and other ingredient blends, with options ranging from capsules and gummies to powders. As formulas can differ considerably, check the individual ingredients and directions to find an option that works with your existing routine.
Nootropic Supplements
Nootropic supplements sit within the cognition and focus category, with formulas that can feature functional mushrooms alongside selected vitamins, minerals and botanical ingredients. As no two formulas are quite the same, let the ingredient list and on-pack directions do the talking. Always take your chosen formula as directed.
Supplements for Immune Support
Keep everyday wellbeing on the agenda with supplements featuring selected vitamins and minerals. Vitamin C and vitamin D contribute to the normal function of the immune system, while multivitamin formulas can offer a convenient way to complement a balanced diet. From gummies to capsules, choose a format that works for you and always follow the recommended serving.
Skin Supplements and Vitamins for Skin
Your skincare ritual need not stop at your serum. Skin supplements and vitamins for skin span collagen powders, capsules and skin-focused vitamin and mineral blends designed to complement topical skincare and your wider wellbeing routine.
Think of skin-from-within formulas as an additional step rather than a replacement for the staples already on your bathroom shelf. Keen to dig deeper into the category? Read our guide to the best skin supplements.
For blemish-prone skin, Aegle’s Clear Skin Complex brings together vitamins A, C and D3, zinc, inulin, a probiotic blend and selected plant extracts in a daily capsule formula. Designed to sit alongside your diet, lifestyle and topical skincare, it offers another way to build a considered skin-from-within routine.
Sleep Supplements
Make slowing down part of your evening with supplements designed to fit into a nighttime routine. Options include dedicated evening blends as well as formulas featuring ingredients such as magnesium. Pair your chosen formula with the fundamentals of a consistent wind-down routine and always follow the directions on the packaging.
Hair Supplements
Make a more holistic approach to your haircare ritual with supplements formulated with your strands in mind. From dedicated hair supplements to combined hair, skin and nail formulas, this category spans a range of vitamins, minerals and other selected ingredients. Consider them a supporting act to your usual shampoos, masks and treatments rather than a replacement for consistent haircare.
HOW LONG DO SUPPLEMENTS TAKE TO WORK?
There is no one-size-fits-all answer. How you respond to a supplement can depend on the individual formula, your diet, your lifestyle and how consistently you take it.
Always follow the directions on the packaging and give your chosen supplement the recommended amount of time. Do not take more than the recommended serving in an attempt to speed things up.
If you think you may have a vitamin or mineral deficiency, or you have questions about taking supplements alongside medication, seek advice from a qualified health professional.
THE BEST SUPPLEMENTS TO KNOW AT CULT BEAUTY
Aegle’s Clear Skin Complex
Taking a skin-from-within approach to blemish-prone skin, Aegle’s Clear Skin Complex brings together vitamins A, C and D3, zinc, inulin, a probiotic blend and selected plant extracts in a daily capsule formula.
How to take this supplement: take two capsules each morning with food.
The Nue Co. Prebiotic + Probiotic
Putting your gut-focused routine first, The Nue Co. Prebiotic + Probiotic brings prebiotic inulin together with a probiotic complex. Housed in convenient daily capsules, the formula slots effortlessly into an existing wellbeing ritual.
How to take this supplement: Take two capsules in the morning.
Vida Glow Radiance+ Capsules
Glow goals, incoming. Vida Glow Radiance+ Capsules unite plant extracts, vitamins and antioxidants in a daily formula created with skin health and radiance in mind. Simply add them to your routine alongside your favourite topical formulas.
How to take this supplement: Adults should take one capsule daily with a meal.
Myvitamins Vitamin D Gummies
Bringing a little sunshine to your supplement shelf, Myvitamins Vitamin D Gummies deliver vitamin D3 in an easy-to-take format. Vitamin D contributes to the normal function of the immune system and helps maintain healthy bones and teeth. An everyday all-rounder? We think so.
How to take this supplement: Take one gummy daily.
Myvitamins Sleep Capsules
Evening ritual due an update? Myvitamins Sleep Capsules are designed to complement your nighttime routine. Add them to those all-important steps between go-mode and slow-mode, alongside putting down your phone and settling in for the night.
How to take this supplement: Take 3 capsules as a daily serving, ideally 30-60 minutes before sleep.
Vida Glow Hairology
Putting the focus on your strands, Vida Glow Hairology is a daily supplement created with hair health and appearance in mind. It makes a convenient addition to your usual hair care ritual when you want to take a more holistic approach.
How to take this supplement: Take one capsule daily with water, preferably with a meal.
Supplement FAQs
Can Supplements Replace a Balanced Diet?
No. Food supplements are designed to complement a varied, balanced diet, not replace it. Your everyday food intake should remain the foundation of your routine.
Can You Take Different Supplements Together?
That depends on the formulas. Different supplements can contain the same vitamins, minerals or other ingredients, so compare labels before combining products.
If you take prescribed medication or are unsure whether supplements are suitable to take together, speak to a qualified health professional.
When Is the Best Time to Take Supplements?
There is no single best time for every supplement. How and when you take one depends on the individual formula, so always follow the directions provided on the packaging.
If you take several supplements, checking the label of each one can also help you avoid accidentally doubling up on particular ingredients.
What Is the Difference Between Vitamins and Supplements?
Vitamins are individual nutrients that the body needs in certain amounts, while food supplements is a broader category that can include vitamins, minerals, botanicals and other substances. A supplement may contain one vitamin or combine several different ingredients in one formula.
Cult Beauty’s Senior SEO Copywriter, Trifonia started out in the industry when bold brows were just becoming a ‘thing’, and shares a passion for all things fashion and beauty. Currently embracing her curly girl journey (after endless years of straightening her strands), she is finally reverting to her natural ways! When Triffy isn’t busy testing out the latest curl-saving solutions, you’ll find her binging the latest reality TV show or on a long walk listening to her ever-evolving country music playlist.