Nutribeauty supplements target men for healthier skin, hair and nails

Nutricosmetic formulators are on to the fact that in the world of selfies — as well as Teams or Zoom call close-ups — physical appearance matters not only to women, but to men, too. Savvy brand owners are taking action. 

In its Condition Specific Report 2023, Nutrition Business Journal’s analysts forecasted 4.7% growth for the beauty-from-within category by 2026. Future Market Insights noted the mass market was the fastest-growing channel for these products between 2021 and 2022, and predicted the global nutricosmetics market will climb to $15 billion by 2033. 

“The nutricosmetic sector is experiencing dynamic growth, driven by a blend of traditional cosmetics marketing and evolving consumer preferences,” Maïté Jeanroy, marketing strategy and communication manager for finished product brand Activ’Inside, said. “Initially, the market targeted young women, leveraging promises of enhanced beauty and health benefits.” 

The rising demand for ingestible skin care products is not confined to women; men also represent a significant market. In a 2022 survey by the Benchmarking Co. involving 800 men ages 18 and older, 56% reported spending between $26 and $100 monthly on personal care items. Additionally, 57% of the respondents acknowledged they are purchasing more supplements now than they did five years ago. 

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Antoine Vanhove, product manager at Gnosis by Lesaffre, suggested that “benefits sought for supporting men’s skin health range from targeted care to managing oil production, larger pores and the effects of shaving.” 

Launched in 2019, Particle is a line of hair, skin and body products aimed at men. In five years, it has built up an impressive brand portfolio and public presence. Founders Ayal Ebert and Guy Falkovitch began the company after an “awkward” experience seeking facial anti-aging products in a drugstore aisle. The brand’s website reveals the questions that ran through their heads: “We were surrounded by beauty products but none of them looked like something we needed. Were we in the female aisle? Why was everything pink? Can’t we find anything that doesn’t smell like a flower?” 

The duo’s expansive topical line now includes a skin vitamin gummy (featuring collagen, biotin and vitamins C and E) and a hair vitamin gummy (with zinc, biotin and vitamins B12 and E). 

Thicker skinned 

One of the many differences between men and women is the characteristics of their skin. Mariana Ortega Rufino, product manager of the Nutra division at Monteloeder by SuanNutra, noted, “Men’s skin is about 20-25% thicker due to a higher density of collagen, making it firmer and less prone to wrinkling — although when wrinkles do form, they tend to be deeper.” 

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Collagen also behaves differently in the sexes throughout the human life span. Jeanroy explained, “While men have more collagen, it decreases at a constant rate over the years. In contrast, women’s collagen levels remain relatively stable until menopause, after which the reduction is more dramatic. This sudden decline leads to more pronounced signs of aging in women over a shorter period.” 

Denser collagen in men’s skin can also contribute to a slower-looking aging process compared to female skin. Generally, according to Jeanroy, a woman’s skin appears about 15 years older than a man’s skin of the same age. 

Susan Hamrahi, N.D., scientific communications specialist at AstaReal Inc., added, “Male skin generally produces more sebum than female skin, making it more resilient to the environment and less prone to dehydration.”  

This contributes to firmer skin texture and resilience against aging-related changes. Conversely, women produce lower amounts of sebum, which can lead to variances in skin hydration (with men’s skin tending to be drier). 

As such, men’s skin needs more moisture, and several ingredients can help. For example, Hamrahi pointed to a Japanese study where subjects took AstaReal brand astaxanthin combined with vitamin E, resulting in skin hydration benefits. 

Related:Beauty Inside and Outside the Box: Beauty from Within

As an antioxidant, astaxanthin showed to protect the skin’s topmost layer (stratum corneum) from exposure to environmental factors leading to an increase in water loss or evaporation. 

In the 12-week study, the group taking 2 mg/day AstaReal combined with collagen showed significant improvements in transepidermal water loss and skin elasticity in participants with photoaged facial skin compared to placebo. “By helping to promote the integrity of the top layer of skin, astaxanthin helps to lock in moisture,” Hamrahi commented. 

Skin cell fibroblasts also produce collagen, and the collagen network in the dermis produces tensile strength and smoothness in skin. Skin is exposed to environmental factors that often lead to production of free radicals and oxidative stress. AstaReal was shown in a lab study to reduce both inflammatory markers and expression of collagen-degrading enzymes in fibroblasts. “In the same preclinical study,” Hamrahi noted, “when skin cell fibroblasts were exposed to free radicals, the free radicals obliterated all the collagen production of these cells; however, when these same skin cells were pretreated with AstaReal astaxanthin, 80% of the collagen production was protected.” 

Along the same lines, a recent in vitro study with human dermal fibroblasts showed potential benefits of HOWARU Radiance (the probiotic strain B. lactis Bl-04) on skin appearance by supporting collagen homeostasis and balancing immunological status during inflammatory stress, per Benjamin Milhau, EMEA marketing lead at IFF Health. And a clinical study with 1.75 billion CFUs (colony-forming units) of HOWARU Radiance showed significant benefits on skin wrinkles at four weeks, while a proprietary IFF consumer study showed perceived improvements in skin wrinkles, hydration and overall skin health at weeks four and eight. 

Jeanroy said ActivInside’s SkinAx² Urban Detox — which combines wild pansy (Viola tricolor L.) with antioxidants — was created to “serve as a protective barrier against pollution, and aid in detoxification to promote clearer skin.” The formulation was also tested on men. In the unpublished study of 40 participants who consumed 200 mg daily for two months, 64% of men experienced reduced sebum production and 70% noticed smaller pores after just 15 days. 

Wrinkles and photoaging 

As previously mentioned, men tend to experience deeper wrinkles. One study bore this out, concluding, “Our results showed that gender-dependent differences exist in the degree of facial wrinkles. In general, men tend to have more severe wrinkles than women.” 

AIDP’s newest product, Grantria, is a proprietary Punica granatum (pomegranate) extract standardized to three bioactives — punicalagins, punicic acid and ellagic acid. Courtney Higginson, the company’s business development manager of supplement ingredients, shared the results of an unpublished study. The research showed 300 mg Grantria significantly improved the appearance of wrinkles (crow’s-feet and forehead furrows) and enhanced skin texture by improving tactile roughness, as well as improved skin elasticity and radiance after 60 days. 

Those facial furrows are often exacerbated by pollution and UV (ultraviolet) rays, both of which generate a festival of free radicals. Gnosis by Lesaffre’s Lynside Forte Se+ selenium-enriched yeast and Lynside Forte Zn zinc yeast are targeted to nutricosmetics, specifically to combat photoaging through antioxidant defenses, Vanhove indicated. “Photoaging directly impacts the skin, in addition to the accumulation of reactive oxygen species [ROS], which manifests in wrinkle formation,” he stated. “Selenium may reverse UV light damage and play an anti-aging role in the skin. Zinc also protects skin against damage incurred by ROS generated by too much sun.” 

Monteloeder’s Zeropollution likewise helps protect skin from the effects of free radicals that can cause wrinkles, discoloration and other signs of environmental aging, according to Ortega. This blend of rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis), olive (Olea europaea) leaves, lemon verbena (Lippia citriodora) and Japanese pagoda tree (Sophora japonica) extracts was demonstrated in an in vitro study to reduce free radicals and inflammation, preserving the skin barrier. In a human study, Zeropollution was shown to diminish the appearance of wrinkles, as well as enhance firmness, texture and hydration, promoting overall skin health. 

Another sun-protective ingredient from Monteloeder is Nutroxsun, which features Mediterranean rosemary and grapefruit (Citrus paradisi) extracts. Research showed that at doses of 100 mg/day, the formulation improved the appearance of wrinkles induced by UV rays and environmental stressors. 

Also touted for thwarting UV damage is BioCell Collagen from Bio-Cell Technology LLC. A naturally occurring matrix of hydrolyzed collagen type II peptides, chondroitin sulfate and hyaluronic acid, the proprietary ingredient was studied for counteracting photoaging. 

‘His and hers’ market potential 

A novel approach to adding to or launching a nutricosmetics line is a “his” and “hers” value proposition, which might appeal to couples. To read insights into successfully using this strategy, please download the free SupplySide Supplement Journal digital magazine here — your toolbox for better business.