Hair supplements that will give your locks a boost

We've done all the hard work for you and separated the studs from the duds

hair supplements
(Image credit: Liz Devine/WWD/REX/Shutterstock)

We've done all the hard work for you and separated the studs from the duds

When it comes to choosing the right hair supplements, the health market can feel a bit overwhelming.

There are endless tablets, tonics and chewables on offer all claiming to be your one-stop fix for just about every concern under the sun.

The problem is that they don't all work. And when you're hoping for thicker, stronger and fuller hair, or to combat hair loss, you want a pill that pulls the punches.

Allow us to step in and fix that; we spoke to some of the best experts in the business to find out which hair supplements are worth taking, as well as exactly why they're are the best of the best. And when you're done here, be sure to read our similar guide on effective skin supplements, too.

Viviscal Max Strength Supplements, Lookfantastic

Hair supplements

Best for: Hair growth

Known for being one of the best supplements to take if you're trying to grow your hair out, Viviscal's max strength supplement is fortified with Biotin, Zinc, vitamin C, Iron and Niacin to strengthen your hair as much as possible. You'll need to take for a few months to notice a difference, with the brand recommending six months as the optimum. Trust us when we say that it's worth the wait for that enviable, full and bouncy mane.

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Vitabiotics Perfectil Plus Hair for 60, Boots

hair supplements

Best for: Healthier hair and preventing hair loss

'Stress, hormonal imbalances and insufficient nutrients are key players in poor hair quality and hair loss,' says Harley Street nutritionist, Yvonne Bishop-Weston. 'A good diet along with a top up supplement of key amino acids, vitamins, minerals and plant extracts, can help give you the luxurious locks that signal well-being within.' You can also incorporate one of our best shampoo for hair loss picks into your haircare routine.

'Perfectil Plus Hair contains a number of nutrients that support healthy hair; vitamin C, which is important for collagen production, helps to keep nails and hair strong and supple, while vitamin E helps protect hair follicles from daily damage and premature ageing, also supporting circulation and delivery of nutrients to the scalp,' Yvonne adds. 'Perfectil Plus Hair also contains magnesium, low levels of which can lead to hair loss.’

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Philip Kingsley Tricho Complex, Cult Beauty

hair supplements

Best for: Thinning hair and hair loss

Legendary hairdresser and trichologist Philip Kingsley was (and still is) one of the most trusted names in hair, so you can be sure his hair supplements cut the mustard. Tricho Complex contains 100% of your daily iron intake and biotin, known to promote hair growth and strength.

This is important because iron deficiency is in fact the leading cause of hair loss. 'Even if you are eating well, iron and ferritin (stored iron) deficiencies are common, especially in menstruating women as blood and therefore iron is lost every month,' says Anabel Kingsley, trichologist at Philip Kingsley and yep, you guessed it, his daughter.

'To improve and maintain iron and ferritin levels, take an iron supplement alongside a diet that includes iron-rich foods,' she advises. 'I recommend Tricho Complex as it contains iron, vitamin C (needed to absorb iron), vitamin D and vitamin B12, all nutrients that are essential to hair growth and that we commonly have deficiencies in.'

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Hairburst Healthy Hair Vitamins, Holland & Barrett

hair supplements Hairburst

Best for: Stronger, healthier hair

We'd put money on you having already heard of Hairburst, or at least recognising the bottle from your Instagram feed, because they're the best-selling hair supplement in the UK. 'Hairburst adds all the vital vitamins and nutrients (Biotin, Selenium, Zinc, Collagen) to your diet that your body needs to grow stronger, longer hair. Our unique formula has produced fantastic results for our users, reporting hair that appears healthier, thicker, longer, shinier, more manageable and faster growing.'

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JS Health Vitamins Hair + Energy Formula

JS Health Vitamins Hair + Energy Formula - hair supplements

Best for: All-rounder

These are the ideal daily supplements for when you don't really have a particular hair niggle, but would very much like bouncier, healthier looking hair. And who can honestly say they wouldn't like that?! On top of that, there's Zinc inside the formula, which also promotes healthier skin and nails.

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Pop one of these supplements and say hello to the best hair of your life. Who said you couldn't buy great hair?

Katie Thomas

Katie Thomas is the Senior Beauty Editor at Marie Claire UK. With over 10 years of experience on women's luxury lifestyle titles, she covers everything from the best beauty looks from the red carpet and stand out trends from the catwalk, to colonic irrigation and to the best mascaras on the market. She started her career on fashion desks across the industry - from The Telegraph to Brides - but found her calling in the Tatler beauty department. From there she moved to Instyle, before joining the Marie Claire digital team in 2018. She’s made it her own personal mission to find the best concealer in the world to cover her tenacious dark circles. She’s obsessed with skincare that makes her skin bouncy and glowy, low-maintenance hair that doesn’t require brushing and a cracking good manicure. Oh and she wears more jewellery than the Queen.