We asked a beauty editor if taking a beauty supplement actually does anything.

This wonderful nugget of beauty wisdom comes courtesy of Mamamia’s shiny new beauty podcast, You Beauty. Each week, hosts Leigh Campbell and Kelly McCarren will answer your burning beauty questions, share their favourite exxy and budget beauty buys, and rummage through the beauty bags of famous women to see what they’re loving.

To ensure you never miss an episode, subscribe to You Beauty here. It’s a blast.

Scroll through Instagram or your local health food store and you’ll find a million and one beauty supplements that claim they’ll change your life.

Clearer complexion, stronger nails, bright eyes and hair that grows faster – many products on the market promise the world.

But do they deliver? Does taking a beauty supplement actually do anything, or are we all being played for fools?

It’s precisely this question we put to beauty journalist of 15 years and Mamamia executive editor Leigh Campbell on this week’s episode of the You Beauty podcast (get it in your ears below)…

After strongly prefacing her thoughts on the topic by stating she is 100 per cent not a doctor and you should always speak to your GP about taking vitamins and supplements, Leigh explained there is some truth to the claims made by some beauty supplements.

“The premise of beauty supplements is ‘beauty from the inside out’. It’s all about gut health at the moment, and in the last few years there’s been some really great research around how healthy your gut microbiome (all the bacteria in there) is and how it affects mood and depression, weight gain and skin, hair and nails,” she said.

“There are so many products on the market and it can be a little overwhelming, a lot of them have very similar iterations of the same ingredients. Common ingredients you’ll see are: marine collagen, silica, zinc, all sorts of antioxidants, biotin, vitamins B, D and E… they’re all the good things that are going to repair your proteins, and proteins are your hair, nails and skin.”

Leigh believes beauty supplements can provide a boost for your skin, hair and nail health, but only in conjunction with a healthy lifestyle.

“If you’re eating margarita pizzas and drinking margaritas like there’s no tomorrow, and then you want a beauty supplemental to fix your skin, it ain’t gonna happen.”

Personally, Leigh uses products from Australian brand The Beauty Chef daily.

A post shared by Leigh Campbell (@leighacampbell) on Jul 12, 2017 at 12:31am PDT

“I use the GLOW Inner Beauty Powder, which I pop in my morning shake, and then I drink their COLLAGEN Inner Beauty Boost, which is sort of like cordial for grown ups, it’s a berry flavour, and you put a dash in your water.”

At the end of the day, it’s important to remember no powder or pill can work miracles – if they could, we’d all be walking around with perfect skin, no?

They’re also not to be taken without consultation from your GP, especially if you’re pregnant, looking to get pregnant or are breastfeeding.

You Beauty Cheat Sheet

Other questions Leigh and Kelly answered, as well as products mentioned in passing, and their ‘spendys’ and ‘saveys’ (and where you can buy them).

‘What is the most moisturising thing to put on dry body skin?’

• Leigh loves body oil instead of lotions as she finds them more hydrating and nourishing.
• To use a body oil, you can mix it into your lotion to make it more amped up before bed or put a big slurp of body oil in the bath at night and marinate in it because then you don’t have to do all the rubbing in.
• Avoid products with sulphates as they’ll dry you out more.
• Leigh also recommends MooGoo products – they’re really hydrating because they’re used to treat eczema and psoriasis.
• If you like lotions, Leigh says Danish brand Beaute Pacifique’s body lotion sinks right into the skin and doesn’t feel sticky.

Products in Passing

The Beauty Chef GLOW Inner Beauty Powder, $59.95.

The Beauty Chef COLLAGEN Inner Beauty Boost, $39.95.

Jeffree Star 24 Karat Pro Palette, $55 ($40 USD).

Beaute Pacifique Moisturising Body Lotion, $68.

MooGoo Skin Milk Udder Cream, $16.50.

Spendy and Savey

Leigh's Spendy: Living Proof Perfect Hair Day Shampoo and Conditioner, $69 per bottle.

Why she loves it:

• Comes in 60ml ($16), 236ml ($38) and 1L (on sale for $69) bottles.
• Leigh says it's the Goldilocks of shampoos and conditioners - strikes just the right balance between volumising and hydrating.
• Hair feels clean, soft and hydrated.
• Try the travel size first to see if you like it before committing to the larger sizes.

Kelly's Spendy: Elizabeth Arden Green Tea Honey Drops Body Cream, $36.50.

Why she loves it:

• Kel got really burnt in Europe and picked this up from duty free.
• It's luxurious and smells divine.

Leigh's Savey: Rimmel Insta Strobing Highlighter, $14.95.

Why she loves it:

• One of Leigh's favourite mass affordable colour cosmetics brands.
• It's little, good for travelling and chucking in your bag.
• Pearlescent and iridescent, not shimmery or glittery, and has a fine texture.
• Leigh puts it on her cheekbones and cupid's bow for a beautiful, natural glow.
• Kelly mixes it in with her cc cream or foundation and applies to her décolletage.

Kelly's Savey: Jojoba Oil, $19.95.

Why she loves it:

• Kelly uses jojoba oil instead of a moisturiser.
• Technically it's a yellow wax, but feels like an oil.
• It's anti-bacterial - great for clearing up acne.
• Versatile - can remove hardcore eye makeup.
• Kelly also puts a few drops in her foundation or cc cream for extra hydration.

Until next week, stay lovely.

Love all things beauty? Come join our You Beauty Facebook group for more chit chat about things to put on your face. And body. And hair.