I am a person easily seduced by the promises of dietary supplements. I walk into a Holland & Barrett and am immediately overwhelmed by the urge to buy any number of pills, liquids and capsules that will, I’m told, fix problems and deficiencies I didn’t even know I could have. It doesn’t help that I’m a hypochondriac; every winter, it takes all my willpower not to stock up on every ‘immune-boosting’ product on the market.

The growing market for supplements and vitamins means that finding products that are of high quality and are worth taking can be a challenge. That’s even more of an issue when it comes to women’s health, an under-researched space saturated with misinformation and high-flying claims. Bare Biology is focused on transparency, after founder Melanie Lawson was unsatisfied with the levels of transparency around, in particular, fish oil supplements for postnatal depression. Many brands founded by women are created out of anger or disappointment, frustrations that certain needs are not being met, and this is no exception.

The company was set up back in 2013—before ‘wellness’ started to become the juggernaut it is today—and has been family-run since its inception, with its fairly small range of products endorsed by nutritional therapists and customers alike. The company emphasises its commitment to not selling for selling’s sake, catering to whatever trend is most popular at a given time. There’s no chance of weight loss powders or teas on their site, instead remaining focused on a range of core products in various forms; Omega-3 can be taken as a capsule or a liquid, with Vitamin D available as a spray.

A dedication to transparency doesn’t stop the packaging from being extremely appealing, though. Thick cardboard with a textured matte finish is decorated by flowing graphics of women throwing their hands in the air, or standing in a tree pose. Rather than going down the minimalist, strictly scientific route that many health and wellness companies have favoured in recent years, there’s a softness to Bare Biology’s branding that helps it stand out from the competition.

Marine Collagen Plus Vitamin C Strawberry Flavour

Since I learned that collagen production starts to slow down in your 20s (and immediately began to panic), I’ve tried out a few different supplements. It’s hard to tell whether they’re having an impact, of course, but at the very least they put my mind at rest; I’m doing something good, even if I can’t see the benefits right away. Bare Biology says that its collagen powder “dissolves without trace” in liquids, a claim that many such products make but which often ends up being disappointingly untrue. The strawberry-flavoured supplement (a flavourless version is also on offer), however, lives up to its claims. I’ve taken to mixing it with plain yoghurt in the mornings, and not only does it leave no graininess or unpleasant aftertaste, but it’s also genuinely enjoyable to consume. The flavour isn’t overwhelming or superficial and complements my breakfast rather than being an annoying addition to my routine.

Life & Soul: Pure Omega 3

Omega-3 is one of those supplements that everyone’s heard of, purported to benefit the heart, brain, joints and eyes, along with providing several other perks. Bare Biology’s capsules are fairly large compared to a standard vitamin, but they’re not difficult to take. Although they may not have had the fun factor of strawberry flavour that the collagen powder has (I yearn for the chewy, orange-flavoured multivitamins of my childhood), these are satisfyingly inoffensive and do the job.

It’s reassuring that the company is rigorous in its product development and testing, too. Beyond meeting international fish oil standards (IFOS), Bare Biology runs two further tests, and the Norwegian fisheries providing the ingredients are certified by Friends of the Sea and the Marin Trust.

While it can be difficult to quantify the impact that vitamins and dietary supplements have, Bare Biology’s products certainly seem to have no downsides. If nothing else, I’ve found a fun way to jazz up my breakfast—and if it helps my skin too, then that’s an added bonus.

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Lucy Carter is a London-based writer with a strong interest in the arts, entertainment and culture spaces. She can generally be found spending too much time and money at food markets and coffee shops, or going on long walks around the city. To read more of her work, take a look at her Substack and Muck Rack and follow her on Twitter @lucyllcarter.

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