For Jen Atkin and Vital Proteins, healthy hair begins from within.
The celebrity hair stylist has teamed with the Nestlé Health Science-owned brand, best known for its collagen powders, on its new product Hair Complex, $30. The unflavored powder, now available on the brand’s site and on Amazon, is formulated with collagen peptides and Lustriva hair complex (made up of L-arginine, inositol, potassium silicate and magnesium biotinate) to promote thicker and healthier hair. It is suitable for all hair types, according to the team.
To inaugurate the launch, Atkin has joined as an ambassador for the product, as she is known for her healthy hair approach. Atkin also founded hair care brand Ouai and hair tool brand Mane.
For Atkin, this partnership aligned with her passion for hair wellness and her clients’ and followers’ needs.
“I’m always preaching about hair routines and hair health and how you can get better hair,” she said. “That’s the number-one thing I’m flooded with: questions on Instagram and TikTok about ‘I’ve noticed there’s clumps coming out’ or ‘I noticed that my hair has changed over the years.’”
According to the Cleveland Clinic, the hair growth phase can take between two and seven years and may result in strand changes. Anecdotally, Atkin saw clients experiencing these changes over the years and seeking answers. Therefore, she recommends proactively caring for hair, as has been the norm with skin care.
“It’s important to think about your hair before you start to notice something change,” Atkin said.
That being said, the easier the routine is, the better, according to Atkin.
“I hate anything that is complicated,” she said. “My clients are taking so many pills. I feel like my girlfriends in our 40s have so many pills that they take. It’s obnoxious.”
That being said, the Hair Complex is an easy-to-mix, unflavored powder that can be added to any drink. Atkin mixes hers with some water and electrolytes. The powder drink format fits nicely into the “sexy water” craze, as consumers are stacking drinkable supplements.
While Atkin is planning to create educational content around the product, a picture’s worth a thousand words.
“The best part about social media is that you get to see people’s before and afters,” Atkin said. “I’m working on my own, actually, having my mom take it because she has been experiencing her hair, due to stress, is a little less full… I’m doing a whole journey showing how her hair is already looking better.”
While hair issues, whether it be thinning or dryness, can be caused by an array of factors, including menopause, stress and chemical damage, Atkin recommends starting with Vital Proteins Hair Complex, getting regular haircuts and caring for the ends of strands, whether with a treatment mask or hair oil.
“It was so annoying always prescribing so many different pills and vitamins,” Atkin said. “[Hair Complex] is such an easy addition to your life.”