Do beauty and wellness gummies really work?

From longer and thicker hair to brighter and tighter skin, a delicious gummy is available for every beauty concern. Do they make a substantial difference? 

What’s common between Khloe Kardashian, Kylie Jenner and your diet? Beauty gummies—that is, if you consume them—just like 76 per cent of Indians, who harness the nutrient-dense attribute of VMS (vitamins, minerals and supplements). Beauty and wellness supplements have witnessed maximal growth in the past few years, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic, when self-care and preventive health care took centre stage. The global gummy market, valued at $ 16.28 billion in 2020, is poised to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 12.6 per cent between 2020 to 2028. Closer home, Power Gummies, a key player in the homegrown beauty and wellness supplement industry, enjoyed a sixfold growth between 2021 and 2022 as the sales hiked from 8.8 crores in 2021 to 54 crores in 2022.

What do gummies do?

When we talk about beauty and wellness gummies, we’re not only referring to those that improve skin, hair and nail health but also the ones that address concerns like bloating, indigestion, stress, anxiety and nutrient deficiency. Different gummies claim to bear different advantages through different flavours, and that is what seems to be giving the category an upper hand over conventional over-the-counter vitamin and mineral supplements. “Gummies are a good option for those who cannot or do not want to take pills. They usually come with flavouring and sugar, and hence are easier to consume. If the doses of vitamins and minerals are right, they might help people complete their nutritional needs,” says nutritionist Rakhee Jain.

The ease of consumption isn’t the only distinguishing factor between beauty gummies and multivitamins. “Few beauty gummies may have lower doses of nutrients compared to multivitamin pills. On the other hand, another major difference would be that beauty gummies usually contain added nutraceuticals or actives like hyaluronic acid and Sea Buckthorn that address specific beauty concerns,” shares Jain.

How nutritious are these gummies?

Most consumers love beauty and wellness gummies since the idea of chewing on a fruity candy that potentially meets your daily nutrition intake plus promises shinier hair, glossier skin and a lighter gut feels assuaging and game-changing in equal parts. However, what most consumers fail to realise is that every gummy might not contain the required dose of the essential vitamin to deliver perceptible benefits.

According to Dr Kiran Sethi, gummies aren’t as propitious as they are touted to be. “Typically we need quite a large host of different vitamins, minerals and nutrients for skin and hair health and no beauty gummy has that as they [gummies] do not have enough capacity to hold the amount or the quantity of actives needed. Hence, more often than not, gummies do not have nutrients sufficient enough to protect the skin, hair and nails; they are more focused on looking good and tasting good, instead of doing good.”

Being a nutrition expert, Jain is always wary about any product that claims to have gut-healing properties. “Since gut issues are varied in nature, something generic might not work. I always check the ingredients before suggesting it, depending on the concern,” she says. “However, beauty gummies might be helpful and effective. I would suggest buying the ones that claim to target a concern that you’re facing with an adequate nutrient percentage in correspondence to the RDA (Recommended Dietary Allowance). Try them out for three months to see if there is any actual improvement,” furthers Jain.

Ananya Agarwal, CEO and founder of homegrown beauty and wellness supplement brand Nyumi brings statistics and data into play when it comes to her offerings, which are target-based nutritional solutions. “Our gummies are as good as multivitamins, and each of them has undergone extensive clinical trials  registered and approved by the Clinical Trial Registry of India (CTRI),” says Agarwal.  

However, it is important to note that beauty and wellness gummies may or may not be regulated by the Food & Drug Administration of India and are definitely not intended to treat or cure a condition or ailment. “There are no good, decent studies with a large enough sample population to prove their effectiveness,” says Sethi, who believes that such beauty gummies cannot replace skincare products or legitimate medication prescribed in clinics. “A beauty supplement is a different way of feeding your skin nutrients. Topically, when you apply vitamin C or collagen, it has a different effect than when you eat it. So they are actually complementary methods and cannot replace one other,” says the dermatologist. “We need to recognise that supplements are there to do just that—supplement,” Dr Whitney Bowe, a board-certified dermatologist in New York City and the founder of Bowe Growe told Vogue.

Are gummies safe and healthy?

Once you’ve navigated your way through conjecturing the efficacy of beauty and wellness gummies, their safety is the next point of concern. Not all gummies are quintessentially bad for your health, but “at times, they can do more harm than good, when they contain perilous substances like emulsifiers, stabilisers, sugars, thickeners and so forth,” says nutritionist Karishma Shah. While the dietary expert doesn’t advise against beauty and wellness gummies, she urges consumers to carefully scrutinise the ingredient label before shopping for one.

“Nyumi’s Radiant Skin gummies contain 100 per cent of the required daily allowances for vitamins A, C, D and E which are essential for good skin health along with 100mg patented curcumin and 120mg hyaluronic acid which are clinically proven to maintain clear skin and hydrate the skin,” says Agarwal. However, she cautions against titanium oxide, artificial sweeteners, artificial colour, artificial flavours and preservatives, as these are the agents that can make gummies rather problematic.

Besides the formulation of the gummies, the quantum of consumption can also make or break your experience. “There can be chances of overdose if you are already taking a certain amount of (non-gummy) supplements or if you already have a good amount of a particular nutrient stored in your body,” cites Jain. “It is best to get a blood test done before taking them. Additionally, since they are designed to taste so good, some people may not have control over how many they eat at once or in a day; over-consumption can have adverse effects,” she adds. “Well-made beauty and wellness gummies can be a good way to complete nutritional requirements, especially for people who tend to forget to take their supplements. However, go for gummies with natural flavouring and low added sugar content—up to 3 grams of sugar per serving is acceptable,” concludes Jain.

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