We’ve made it! We’re here!

At the beginning of the the year, many of us swore this was the year we’d get it together when it came to our health, including the health of our hair and skin. You have to have been living under a rock if you haven’t learned by this stage of the game that vitamins and minerals are vital to the health of your hair and skin.

Yes. There are some people who can eat

and down a can of

every single day, wash their hair once a year, and still sport lush, rich kinks and curls and glowing skin. You know who we’re talking about - that friend who washes her hair and face with old bar soap and comes out glowing. For the rest of us, making sure that we consume a well-balanced diet is key to the health, length and condition of our hair and the beauty of our skin.

Vitamin deficiencies are a major cause of hair breakage, hair loss, wrinkles and dry skin. Finding out which vitamins are important to our health is important let me know exactly which vitamins to take. Make sure that you’re taking your vitamins whether you’re sporting a lush afro, rocking relaxed tresses or flaunting a gorgeous bundle/closure combo.

Which vitamins and minerals are the most important for hair and skin health?

The following vitamins and minerals are your body’s go-tos for beautiful, glowing skin and healthy hair.

Vitamin D:

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Research has shown that vitamin D may be extremely helpful in creating brand new follicles in the scalp. This may be the reason why low levels of vitamin D are frequently found in people suffering from alopecia.

Many, many people suffer from vitamin D deficiencies anyway, so add it as a supplement to your daily regimen if you're not getting enough of it in your food.

Foods rich in Vitamin D include dairy, fatty fish, salmon, cod liver oil, and mushrooms (yay, vegans!).

Vitamin E:

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Vitamin E is an extremely popular antioxidant that helps prevent free radical damage and oxidative stress that can cause dry skin and brittle hair. In certain studies, people have experienced hair growth when adding vitamin E as a supplement to their diets. Foods rich in Vitamin E include vegetable oils, nuts, spinach, broccoli, avocado, salmon, pumpkin seeds, pistachios, red sweet pepper and butternut squash.

Vitamin A:

The fact that Vitamin A is extremely important for cellular growth makes it incredibly important for hair, the fastest growing cellular tissue in the body! Vitamin A is also key in helping glands create sebum, the scalp moisturizer that helps keep your hair healthy and soft.

A deficiency in vitamin A leads to hair loss and skin problems. Foods rich in Vitamin A include cod liver oil, orange and yellow fruits and veggies like carrots, broccoli, dark leafy green veggies, liver, salmon, cheese, butter, mango and papaya.

B vitamins:

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B vitamins are considered some of the most important vitamins for hair growth and skin health. A deficiency of the B vitamin biotin has been directly linked to hair loss in humans, while other B vitamins are important in the creation of red blood cells, the cells responsible for carrying nutrients and oxygen to the surface of the skin, scalp and hair.

Vitamins rich in B vitamins include whole grains, nuts, legumes, meat, dairy, dark leafy vegetables, citrus fruits, bananas and avocados.

Vitamin C:

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Vitamin C is considered one of the most powerful antioxidants, helping prevent free radical damage in your skin and hair. Free radicals attack your hair and skin quickly, creating wrinkles on the face and dry brittle hair.

Vitamin C also helps the body create the protein collagen, a critical nutrient in hair and skin health. Iron is also incredibly important for hair health and growth, and vitamin C helps your body absorb it. Foods rich in Vitamin C include broccoli, sweet potatoes, strawberries, papaya, tomatoes, citrus fruits and cauliflower.

Protein:

It makes sense to include protein on the list of most important nutrients for hair and skin since hair and skin is almost entirely made up of protein. Include enough protein in your diet so that your hair strands remain strong, your skin stays elastic and firm, and your exercise regimens and workouts are more effective.

Protein deficiencies often lead to hair loss, flaky skin and brittle nails. Foods rich in protein include meat, yogurt, lentil, dairy, and lentils.

So which vitamins are the most popular and deliver the goods?

There are so many hair, skin and nail vitamins on the market, but it can be really difficult to figure out which ones are good and which ones are popular because they get the most marketing. Following are some of the best hair skin and nail vitamins that have been working for people who have nothing to gain but glorious hair, skin and nails.

Nature's Bounty Hair Skin & Nail Gummies

The first time many people realized that these vitamins were a big deal was when they started seeing and hearing the tv, print and radio ads promoting the 30-day challenge. Nature’s Bounty

Hair, Skin and Nail Gummies are some of the most popular hair and skin and nail vitamins on the market. They’re popular because they taste good (seriously: they taste like Gummi Bears), they're easy to take, and they're loaded with all of the ingredients that you need to help your hair and skin thrive, including vitamin A, vitamin C and biotin.

You take two daily vitamins, preferably with a meal. The company also offers a gel capsule formula that’s just as popular.

Sports Research Biotin 5000 Mcg

This simple, black bottle of biotin holds a gold mine. This particular brand of biotin is extremely popular, with thousands of five-star reviews. It delivers 5000 mcgs of biotin in cold pressed coconut oil, allowing for better and faster absorption. People on Amazon and other sites have shared their results via social media, with many of them reporting getting increased hair growth of about an inch a month, more supple skin, and tougher, longer nails.

Biosil

Vegetarians and vegans, take note!

Many of the best hair skin and nail vitamins contain ingredients that are not intended for vegetarians, let alone vegans. Biosil is one of the most popular hair vitamins on the market, and it’s vegan-approved. This vitamin may have a fishy smell, but it is not derived from fish or other animals.

Biosil contains choline, an ingredient necessary for cell growth. Choline is also an anti-inflammatory and an antioxidant, protecting against free radical damage that could affect collagen.It also contains silicon, an important trace element in the body, helping improve skin elasticity and reduce hair loss. People who take biosil wax on and on about how it helps them enjoy plumper skin and stronger nails.

Vitafusion Gorgeous Hair, Skin and Nails

This hair skin and nail vitamin is another great tasting vitamin that has thousands of reviews that champion not only its great taste but also how amazing it works. This fusion of 11 nutrients includes everything from 5000 MCG of biotin, twice the vitamin E and six times the vitamin C of other vitamins. This formulation has prompted many reviewers to note that their hair strands were growing in thicker, faster and stronger.

Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides

Collagen comes from collagen-rich bovine, pig or fish tissue. Collagen creams and collagen powders have always been a part of many people's beauty routines, infused into creams and facial sprays.

A few years back, taking collagen orally became one of the top ways to reap its benefits. Those benefits are purported to include more hydrated skin and increased dermal density. Vegans can use “plant-based collagen” that, while not actually collagen, may help support collagen production.

There are several different types of collagen powders available depending on your particular dietary needs, but Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides is called out time and time again as one of the best. With just a scoop in the morning coffee or smoothie, users report drastically reduced hair loss, new hair growth and glowing skin.

DISCLAIMER: PLEASE CONSULT WITH YOUR DOCTOR, OR OTHER QUALIFIED HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONAL BEFORE USING ANY PRODUCT, VITAMIN OR SUPPLEMENT DISCUSSED WITHIN THIS WEBSITE.