NOW Foods Hair, Skin & Nails with Clinically Tested Cynatine® HNS – 90 Capsules
Product Overview & Quick Specs Snapshot
NOW® Hair, Skin & Nails is an advanced beauty-from-within formula built around Cynatine® HNS, a patented, clinically tested form of soluble keratin protein. Unlike standard beauty pills that only offer plain vitamins, this comprehensive formula delivers the actual structural proteins, sulfur donors, and bioavailable Albion™ chelated minerals your body needs to build thick hair, resilient fingernails, and supple skin.
Quick Specs Snapshot
✓Active Form & Potency: Delivers 500 mg of clinically tested Cynatine® HNS solubilized keratin, 500 mg MSM, 200 mg beef gelatin, 50 mg hyaluronic acid, and Albion™ chelated zinc and copper per 3-capsule serving.
✓Primary Cellular Target: Directly fuels keratin production in hair follicles, reinforces the nail matrix against splitting, and promotes dermal collagen and hydration.
✓Supply & Value Math: 90 capsules provide a full 30-day supply of clinical-grade structural nutrition at an exceptional daily value compared to buying individual bottles.
✓Formulation Purity: Non-GMO, BSE-free beef gelatin, allergen-screened, and packaged in an eco-friendly 100% post-consumer recycled (PCR) resin bottle.
Most hair and nail supplements found on big box store shelves rely on basic biotin or unhydrolyzed keratin. Natural keratin is completely insoluble, meaning your digestive enzymes cannot break it down and it passes right through your body unabsorbed. Cynatine® HNS solves this problem through a patented process that makes pure keratin water-soluble and highly bioavailable, allowing over 90% of its intact amino acids to enter your bloodstream [1]. Furthermore, NOW pairs this with gentle Albion™ bisglycinate chelated minerals, which absorb through peptide channels without causing the stomach nausea common in cheap drugstore formulas [3].
Ideal For Shoppers Who:
✓Struggle with brittle fingernails that chip, peel, or split easily under daily stress.
✓Notice excess hair shedding in the shower or brush and want clinically tested follicle nourishment.
✓Want an all-in-one matrix of keratin, collagen peptides, MSM, hyaluronic acid, and silica without swallowing a dozen separate pills.
Consider Another Option If:
✗You follow a strict vegan or vegetarian diet (this formula contains BSE-free bovine gelatin and sheep wool-derived keratin).
✗You have trouble swallowing capsules and need a liquid, powder, or chewable beauty supplement.
✗You are looking only for a single-ingredient biotin product rather than a complete structural multi-nutrient complex.
Every order is backed by VitaNet®, LLC's unconditional 100% money-back guarantee (we even cover return shipping on opened bottles) so you can evaluate this formula completely risk-free.
How This Formula Works in the Body
Your hair, skin, and nails are made of dense structural proteins. To stay firm and flexible, they require specific building blocks and mineral spark plugs working together:
Over 90% of your hair fiber and nail plate is made of keratin protein. Keratin relies on strong chemical ties called disulfide bridges (−S−S−) that hook protein chains together like steel crossbeams [1]. Cynatine® HNS supplies bioavailable, cystine-rich peptides directly to growing hair follicles and nail root cells, strengthening hair strands against pulling tension and fortifying nail edges against splitting [1].
MSM (Methylsulfonylmethane) acts as a biological sulfur donor, providing the elemental sulfur your cells require to build tough connective tissue [2]. Meanwhile, BSE-free beef gelatin and free-form L-Proline supply key amino acids that your body weaves into the triple-helix collagen fibers that give skin its youthful bounce and elasticity [2].
3. Patented Albion™ Chelated Minerals
Zinc and copper are essential cofactors for the enzymes that weave collagen and protect cells from everyday oxidative damage. Albion™ Zinc and Copper Bisglycinate are organically bonded to two glycine amino acids [3]. This molecular "shield" protects the minerals from binding to dietary phytates, allowing smooth absorption without triggering nausea or competing with other minerals in your intestines [3].
4. Dermal Moisture & Silica Architecture
Hyaluronic acid functions like a microscopic sponge in your skin, holding up to 1,000 times its weight in water (H2O) to keep dermal layers deeply hydrated and smooth [4]. Working alongside it, Horsetail Extract provides natural plant silica, an essential trace mineral that activates prolyl hydroxylase enzymes to cross-link collagen and reinforce hair luster [5].
Daily Dosing, Timing & Synergy Protocol
Optimal Timing & Meal Pairing
Take 3 capsules daily with food and a tall glass of water. Because this formula contains fat-soluble vitamins (Vitamin A and natural Vitamin E) along with amino acid peptides, taking your dose alongside a balanced meal activates digestive enzymes and gallbladder bile, ensuring optimal absorption across your intestinal wall.
Daily Schedule & Split Dosing
You can take all 3 capsules together with breakfast or lunch. Alternatively, you can split the dose—taking 2 capsules in the morning and 1 capsule with lunch or dinner—to maintain steady levels of water-soluble B-vitamins and amino acids in your bloodstream throughout the day.
✓Smart Synergies: Pairs exceptionally well with Vitamin C or Omega-3 fish oils, which further assist collagen synthesis and dermal lipid hydration.
✗Spacing Rules: If you take prescription thyroid medications or separate high-dose iron supplements, space this product at least 2 hours apart to prevent minerals from competing for uptake.
Timeline of Expectations
Week 1: Systemic absorption begins; cellular vitamin and trace mineral reserves are restored to fuel daily cellular defenses.
Weeks 3–4: As new keratin matrixes form at the base of your nail beds, fingernails often feel sturdier with less peeling and flaking [1].
Months 2–3+: Because human hair grows roughly one-half inch per month and fingernails take months to fully replace themselves, consistent daily use yields visibly smoother skin, reduced hair shedding, and stronger, thicker nail growth [1, 2].
NOW® Hair, Skin & Nails comes in clear vegetarian hypromellose capsules (size "00"). The smooth plant-derived capsule shell slides down easily with water and dissolves rapidly in the stomach, releasing the active nutrients without any binding waxes or synthetic dyes.
Natural Aroma, Taste & Color Notes
Because this formula is packed with active MSM and sulfur-rich Cynatine® HNS keratin, you will notice a light, natural sulfur aroma when opening the bottle. This is proof of real, active sulfur compounds at work. The capsules themselves are taste-free when swallowed, and natural golden-tan powder variations can occur between lots due to real botanical horsetail extract.
Other Ingredients Demystified
•Hypromellose (cellulose capsule): Pure vegetable plant fiber that forms the easy-to-digest capsule shell.
•Ascorbyl Palmitate: A fat-soluble form of Vitamin C that protects delicate active nutrients from oxidation.
•Silicon Dioxide: A natural mineral compound that keeps powders flowing smoothly during encapsulation so each capsule contains an identical dose.
•Rice Flour: Clean, non-allergenic plant grain used as a natural filler to ensure consistent capsule fill weight.
•Maltodextrin & Modified Food Starch: Plant-based carriers used to stabilize and evenly disperse delicate herbal and keratin extracts.
•Citric Acid: Natural fruit-derived acid that helps maintain freshness and active compound stability.
Storage & Eco-Friendly Packaging
Store your bottle tightly closed in a cool, dry place after opening. To help keep plastic out of landfills, NOW packages this product in a sturdy bottle made from 100% post-consumer recycled (PCR) resin.
NOW Foods Quality Standards: ISO 17025 Labs & Strict Contaminant Testing
Many discount supplement brands sold at big box stores cut costs by skipping raw material testing, resulting in products contaminated with heavy metals or failing to contain the ingredients stated on the label. NOW Foods takes raw material purity to a higher standard, operating one of the largest private analytical laboratories in the nutritional supplement industry:
✓ISO/IEC 17025:2017 Accredited Laboratories: NOW's in-house analytical chemistry and microbiology testing labs hold independent ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation, confirming the same rigorous instrument calibration and testing competence expected of pharmaceutical laboratories.
✓ICP-MS Heavy Metal Clearance: Utilizing Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS), every raw lot is analyzed for toxic heavy metals—including Lead (Pb), Arsenic (As), Cadmium (Cd), and Mercury (Hg)—down to single parts-per-billion (ppb) detection limits, strictly meeting or exceeding California Proposition 65 and USP standards.
✓HPLC & FTIR Potency Verification: High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) and Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) verify the molecular fingerprint of every vitamin, amino acid, and botanical compound to guarantee 100% active potency and zero counterfeit fillers.
✓Pathogen-Free Microbiological Screening: Finished capsules are tested to confirm zero presence of harmful bacteria including Salmonella spp., Escherichia coli, and Staphylococcus aureus, alongside strict yeast and mold safety limits.
NOW Foods frequently conducts independent retail sweeps purchasing discount online brands and exposing low-quality products that deliver less than 10% of their label claims. When you choose NOW Hair, Skin & Nails, you receive laboratory-verified potency and uncompromising purity in every single capsule.
Supplement Facts & Retailer Verification
Supplement Facts
Serving Size: 3 Capsules • Servings Per Container: 30
Allergen & Dietary Notes: Contains Vitamin E from non-GMO soy. Not manufactured with milk, egg, fish, shellfish, tree nut, or sesame ingredients. Produced in a GMP facility that processes other ingredients containing these allergens.
Safety Caution: For adults only. Consult a physician if pregnant/nursing, taking medication, or have a medical condition (especially glaucoma). Keep out of reach of children. This product contains Biotin which may interfere with some laboratory blood test results.
Trademark Notices: Cynatine® is a registered trademark of Roxlor, LLC. Albion™ is a trademark of Balchem Corporation or its subsidiaries.
Curator's Quality Note • VitaNet®, LLC
Since 1995, VitaNet®, LLC has curated authentic, science-backed nutritional supplements from our retail store in Hartville, Ohio. Bringing over 31 years of hands-on human biochemistry and supplement curation experience, we partner exclusively with trusted American brands like NOW Foods that operate certified in-house laboratories. Every order is backed by our unconditional 100% money-back guarantee, and we even pay the return shipping costs on opened bottles.
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the difference between Cynatine® HNS and standard collagen powder?
Collagen powder is rich in glycine, proline, and hydroxyproline, which support general connective tissue. Cynatine® HNS is pure solubilized keratin, which is uniquely packed with sulfur-rich cystine. While collagen nourishes the lower dermal layer of the skin, keratin is the primary structural protein that actually builds the hair shaft and hard outer nail plate. Using them together or choosing Cynatine® directly targets hair strength and nail hardness.
2. Why does this formula include both Zinc and Copper?
Zinc and copper work closely together in human physiology. Taking zinc without copper over long periods can cause copper depletion, which can affect healthy hair pigmentation and enzyme production. NOW includes both minerals in patented Albion™ bisglycinate chelate form at a balanced physiological ratio to support healthy tissue synthesis safely.
3. Will the biotin in this formula interfere with medical blood tests?
This product contains 300 mcg of Biotin (1,000% DV). While this is a moderate nutritional dose compared to 5,000 mcg or 10,000 mcg mega-doses, biotin can still interfere with certain hospital lab assays that use biotin-streptavidin technology (such as thyroid tests and cardiac troponin). It is always best practice to notify your doctor and pause biotin supplements 48 to 72 hours before elective blood draws.
4. Can I open the capsules and mix the powder into a smoothie?
Yes, you can pull the vegetable capsules apart and stir the contents into cold water, applesauce, or a smoothie. Keep in mind that because this formula contains real MSM and cystine-rich keratin, the powder will have a distinct, natural sulfur taste that is much more pleasant when swallowed whole in its neutral capsule shell.
5. How long does it take to see noticeable improvements in hair and nails?
Fingernails grow about 3 millimeters per month, and scalp hair grows approximately half an inch per month. In published clinical studies on Cynatine® HNS, participants showed measurable improvements in nail hardness and reduced hair shedding within 30 to 60 days, with maximum benefits seen after 90 days of consistent daily use.
Scientific References
Beer, C., Wood, S., & Simpson, R. H. (2014). A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical study to investigate the effect of Cynatine(®) HNS on hair and nail characteristics. The Scientific World Journal, 2014, 641723. PMID: 24701163.
Muizzuddin, N., & Benjamin, R. (2020). Beauty from within: Oral administration of a sulfur-containing supplement methylsulfonylmethane improves signs of skin ageing including wrinkling and elasticity. International Journal for Vitamin and Nutrition Research, 92(3-4), 182-191. PMID: 32083522.
Gandia, P., et al. (2007). A bioavailability study comparing two oral formulations containing zinc (zinc bis-glycinate vs. zinc gluconate) after a single administration to twelve healthy female volunteers. International Journal for Vitamin and Nutrition Research, 77(4), 243-248. PMID: 18271278.
Barel, A., Calomme, M., Timchenko, A., et al. (2005). Effect of oral intake of choline-stabilized orthosilicic acid on skin, nails and hair in women with photodamaged skin. Archives of Dermatological Research, 297(4), 147-153. PMID: 16205932.
