HOW TO FIND INGESTIBLE BEAUTY PRODUCTS THAT ACTUALLY WORK
With product options from probiotics to collagen powders, pills, skin teas, glow gummies and more, navigating the range of ingestible beauty supplements is certainly daunting.
The global market for ingestible beauty products is reportedly worth several billions of dollars, with an overwhelming number of financial analysts predicting a steep growth in sales over the next few years – potentially reaching as much as more than AUD $14 billion by 2027.
Dr Sam Megalli, a Senior Pharmaceutical Executive, university lecturer, medical research specialist and founder of Australian wellness brand Ultra Nature, says that while the ingestible beauty market is saturated with product options, Australians today are more conscious than ever before of their inner health and wellbeing.
“Times have changed. Designer packaging is no longer enough. People want to know what they’re paying for, and ultimately – that it’s going to work," he said.
"I consider this to be a very positive shift and my advice to those embarking on a wellness journey is always to do your research.
"Read the science. Informed decisions – especially in relation to supplements – is the key to better inner health that radiates via the outer skin too.
“I also strongly recommend taking only TGA-approved supplements. Australian-made and TGA-approved supplements are by-and-large safer and more reliable than unknown, overseas produced products.
"Australian standards are arguably the most stringent in the world, especially when it comes to pharmaceuticals and this is to the benefit of Australian consumers,” Dr Megalli said.
An avid believer in the ‘amplifying the power of nature’, Dr Megalli says the use of natural extracts in ingestible beauty supplements is not new and while many supplement manufacturers spruik the use of natural ingredients, Australian consumers should look to how these ingredients are maximised by manufacturers to ensure value for money.
“Amplifying the power of nature quite simply means taking completely natural ingredients - bioactive extracts of things like turmeric, bee propolis, microalgaes, herbs and naturally occurring trace minerals and vitamins – and maximising them through the use of state-the-art lab equipment to make them as potent, dynamic, bioavailable and readily absorbable as possible.
“We’re not exactly reinventing the wheel here - these types of extracts have been used over the course of thousands of years and to great acclaim in Ayurvedic and Chinese medicines - but with today’s scientifically-backed research and technology, the key is to significantly upgrading their power; increasing the extracts’ efficacy with pioneering analytical ‘fingerprinting’ of raw materials and up-the-minute formulation technology.”
However, when it comes to collagen powders which have had a cult-like status during the past few years, Dr Megalli believes the ingestible beauty market has evolved significantly.
“We’re seeing huge demand for advanced, complex formulas that go way beyond addressing just superficial skin concerns.
"I strongly believe beauty starts from within - the whole body is connected, so fixing some gut issues can actually improve your skin or even memory and so on.
“Making smart, evidence-based formulas with supportive scientific data to tackle issues that damage the skin - and indeed, other organs on a cellular level - is absolutely the way forward.
"Protecting against free radicals, repairing damage on a cellular level, enhancing healing, hydration and collagen formation, plus boosting circulation and supporting skin’s structural integrity is the focus of Ultra Nature’s advanced skin formulations,” he said.
Dr Megalli founded Ultra Nature in 2018 and the Ultra Nature Skin Anti-Ageing + Energy supplement is the only product on the Australian market formulated with NAD+ precursor.
NAD+ is basically the fuel that keeps sirtuins – or signalling proteins involved in metabolic regulation – going.
“Nicotinamide Riboside (NR) is clinically proven to maintain cellular energy and support DNA repair in every cell and organ in the body,” Dr Megalli said.
“The body’s NAD+ levels naturally decline with age, so boosting the levels back to an optimum level is essential to maintain skin health.
"It also contains a highly absorbable version of hyaluronic acid to increase skin hydration, firmness and reduce wrinkle formation, in addition to biotin, zinc and vitamins C & E.”
Ultra Nature Skin Clear is also among the Australian brand’s best-selling ingestible beauty supplements.
The chewable tablet is uniquely developed with a powerful antioxidant that helps neutralise free radicals to promote healthier, brighter skin and promote regeneration. L-glutathione reduces oxidative stress by increasing antioxidant levels, and when combined with grape-seed extract, reduces inflammation. The addition of Selenium and vitamin D3 help combat damage caused by UV.
The Ultra Nature range of supplements and vitamins can be found via leading pharmacies and health food stores across Australia, as well as online at ultranature.com.au.
