Does this ‘ingestible retinol’ skin supplement actually work?

After taking the supplement for a couple of months, the results were visible (iStock/The Independent)

While we may have our topical skincare routines down to a fine art, supplements have been hailed as just another step in our skincare arsenal that work from the inside out.

Whether you’ve been reading up on collagen or pondering on probiotics, there are so many brands making big claims that it can be difficult to know which capsules are worth our time.

One name you may have come across is The Nue Co. The company prides itself on producing high-quality supplements – by which it generally means clinically studied, and collected with sustainable and ethical practices – but do the supplements really work?

In our review, our tester took a range of these supplements for up to two months, and among them, they tried the skin filter, and so-called “ingestible retinol”. These capsules are claimed to boost skin clarity, texture and radiance, and after a couple of months of use, our tester saw a visible change in their skin.

From the ingredients to the claimed benefits, here’s what you need to know about The Nue Co’s skin filter supplement.

The Nue Co skin filter: £42, Lookfantastic.com

The skin filter capsules are designed to visibly improve the skin’s firmness, clarity, texture and radiance and, as the name suggests, create a blurred finish to the skin. Containing zinc, vitamin A and vitamin C, they’re claimed to brighten, tackle fine lines, and improve the level of elasticity in the skin.

“Skin filter is coined as ‘ingestible retinol’, working to clear blemishes, smooth skin and brighten tone”, our tester explained in their review, “just as topical creams and serums would do but in capsule form”. The capsules are suitable for all skin types, age groups and genders, and were “straightforward to consume”, our tester added. They’re taken once a day, each morning, and are “taken with food, which makes things easier”.

They went on to add that while they’ve “sometimes found sensitivity issues when applying retinol products”,  they were intrigued about getting skincare “benefits without any worries of irritation”.

The results? “Within a couple of months of taking these capsules, we noticed a visible change in texture on our face, with there being smaller pores and smoother skin”, they praised. “Not only did this make our foundation sit nicer on our face but we also felt more confident when going make-up free”, they added, before going on to note that their skin “felt less dry than usual.”

There are 30 capsules in the bottle which will have you covered for a month’s use.

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