Fun fact: we generally lose up to 50 hairs per day. While this is normally nothing to worry about, you may have noticed the amount sometimes increases with the change of season. This so-called “seasonal alopecia” is caused largely by autumn’s dwindling sunlight and can last for weeks. Luckily, adopting good habits will keep hair looking as healthy and full as possible – regardless of the inevitable seasonal shed. Try drying your hair with a microfibre towel, using a boar bristle brush, and opting for products with gentle, natural ingredients.
The benefits of biotin for hair
It’s also a great idea to take care of your hair from the inside out. Diet can help – especially since certain nutrients are essential for healthy hair. One vitamin we all hear a lot about is biotin, aka vitamin B7 or vitamin H. It’s found in bananas, sweet potatoes, egg yolks, avocado, and more.
Biotin – which gets its name from the Greek prefix bio, meaning “life” – helps the body make energy from food. Like other B vitamins, it’s vital for healthy skin, nails, and hair. Some studies suggest that biotin may be helpful for stimulating hair growth and preventing hair loss, too.
How to use biotin for hair loss
While scientific evidence is limited, many people anecdotally swear by biotin supplements – and most experts say that, because biotin is water soluble, it’s relatively safe to take as a supplement. However, it’s important to note that most experts also agree that additional research on biotin’s true efficacy when it comes to boosting hair growth and limiting hair loss is needed.
With that in mind, there are things to consider if you plan to take a biotin supplement – or any over-the-counter supplement, for that matter. Be sure to look for ones that are third-party lab tested to ensure they’re high quality, and do your due diligence around other potential risks. For example, a few years ago, the FDA released a warning that taking biotin supplements can interfere with the results of certain lab tests. The daily recommended dose for biotin ranges from five to 35 micrograms, but “many dietary supplements promoted for hair, skin, and nail benefits contain biotin levels up to 650 times the recommended daily intake of biotin”, the agency further reported.
The best biotin for hair
With all this in mind, it’s probably best to amp up your biotin intake the old-fashioned way: via the foods you eat. “Many foods contain some biotin,” the US National Institute of Health’s info page states. “Foods that contain the most biotin include organ meats, eggs, fish, meat, seeds, nuts, and certain vegetables such as sweet potatoes.”
If you eat a well-rounded, healthy diet – one that includes healthy fats, lean proteins, whole grains, and a wide variety of fruits and veggies – you’re probably consuming adequate levels of biotin already. However, if you want to consume an extra-effective hair-healthy diet, consider focusing on the following specific (and delicious) biotin sources: avocado, sweet potato, eggs, salmon, tuna, sardines, broccoli, spinach, almonds, mushrooms, legumes, walnuts, and sunflower seeds.
Can biotin shampoo help hair growth?
You may have noticed that biotin is also found in a tonne of hair treatments, including shampoos, conditioners, and serums. However, there’s very little evidence to support the idea that applying biotin topically to hair can improve hair quality.
Hair treatments enriched with biotin
That said, many biotin-enriched treatments include other high-quality, hair-healthy ingredients that can enhance fullness, volume, and shine. If you would like to try a shampoo, conditioner, or other hair product containing biotin, these are some worthy options to try.
The Coco & Eve Boost Therapy Shampoo-Conditioner Duo
Coco & Eve’s Boost Therapy range is formulated to increase volume, strength, and thickness with a combination of biotin, hydrating panthenol, coconut oil, and the brand’s proprietary complex, Biovolume 128™, which is clinically proven to increase hair volume after three months.
JVN Embody Daily Volumising Conditioner
Dedicated to damaged hair, this conditioner is beloved for the bounce and vitality it gives to flat hair. The recipe for success? Bamboo extract, biotin, and squalane.
Oribe Serene Conditioner
This conditioner includes several active ingredients with super-hydrating properties (edelweiss, shea butter) and fortifying powers (biotin, panthenol, quinoa).
Ouai’s Fine Hair Duo
Specially designed to protect fragile hair that sheds easily, this shampoo and conditioner duo acts directly on the scalp with a formula that includes hydrolysed keratin, biotin, moisturising hemp seed extract, and chia seed oil.
Grow Gorgeous Scalp Care
A cocktail of algae, caffeine, biotin and plum extract revitalise hair from root to tip.
Olaplex Bond Maintenance n4 Shampoo
Like other treatments in the Olaplex range, this bestselling shampoo works wonders on weakened hair, split ends, and broken strands.
Virtue Full Shampoo
A mix of biotin, hydrolysed quinoa, and alpha keratin 60ku™ protein provide shine to hair while leaving it supple and stronger.
Augustinus Bader Leave-In Hair Treatment
It took more than 30 years of scientific research to develop this treatment, which protects hair from heat styling, UVA and UVB rays, and chemical treatments.
Rahua Enchanted Island Shampoo
This shampoo has an irresistible guava and coconut scent and includes carefully chosen active ingredients such as biotin and vitamins B6, A, C, and E.
