I’m a PhD & RD: These Are My Top 3 Pet Peeves With Beauty Supplements

Sounds magical, but according to Ferira, it’s just plain annoying. By “fairy dusting,” she refers to manufacturers and brands that use less than efficacious doses (on purpose) just so they can say a specific, premium ingredient exists in their supplement. 

“Astaxanthin, or lycopene, or lutein, even with CoQ10 or ceramides—these are expensive raw ingredients,” says Ferira. “And so they can often be folded into something called a proprietary blend, which usually lacks transparency regarding how many milligrams or grams of each ingredient is in that blend.” 

That’s why, says Ferira, it’s important to familiarize yourself with the science and the supplement’s ingredient list. For example, studies of astaxanthin tout six milligrams for the strongest skin care benefits (like hydration, elasticity, and wrinkle reduction)*; so you might want to look out for brands who market astaxanthin in their supplement with non-efficacious doses.