I’M A VITAMIN SNOB AND YOU SHOULD BE TOO

I’d call myself a vitamin snob.

So much so that it took me years to post any kind of vitamin-related content on The Skinny Confidential.

The thing FOR ME is vitamins are sort of like deodorant, you know? I haven’t found one I love. One that I can blah, blah, blah around town about. Because you know I will blab my mouth around town the second I find the winner in the deodorant department, but it’s SO hard to find a star. Vitamins are like this too.

Like you have to kiss a gazillion frogs before you find a prince- that’s how it is with deodorant AND vitamins- there’s a shit ton of frogs. Wah, wah.

But you do, you know?If you know me you know I like to do my research- this means testing. Lots of testing. I try products for a living- which is weird, but it’s really a huge part of the scope of work. Testing, testing, testing. Imagine me like a little mad scientist with tons of beakers everywhere- except it’s products. Sometimes I even use it as an escape. To shut off my phone, go in my office & just try a bunch of products. It’s relaxing.

Anyway, back to the point: vitamins. Let’s hop to it.

I’ve tested TONS, like I said. There’s a select few that I LOVE and that are TSC Masterlist approved. But here’s why I like this specific brand, Ritual: it’s all in one place ( think: Vitamin K2, D3, B12, Omega 3, Boron, Iron, Vitamin E, Folate, & Magnesium ( LOVE MAGNESIUM TO KEEP THINGS MOVING ). This means you don’t need to carry around 2309428 bottles- I’m busy, always traveling, & just running around in chaos 80% of the time, so having everything streamlined in one pill is a real lifesaver. I know I’ve talked about this specific vitamin brand on the podcast A LOT but I wanted to also do a blog post to REALLY break it down.OK first things first: very into the fact that these vitamins are chic. Like you want them on your bathroom counter next to your overpriced serum & medley of red lipsticks. Which is ironic? I mean most of the time vitamin bottles end up stuffed away next to cold medicine…which sucks because then you forget to take them…which turns into a vicious cycle of you buying more vitamins…that you then stuff away & forget to take AGAIN. The struggle.

But yeah. Also, Ritual’s marketing is incredible, really. I live for a good brand so I had to shout that out. I mean it’s important- especially in this Instagrammy age. So you get something that has everything you need in one pill AND a bottle you want on your perfume tray- I’M IN.

The thing that really seals the deal for me though? They aren’t chalky- they’re quite the contrary actually. They’re MINTY. DO YOU DIE?! MINTY! VITAMINS! The minty tab is infused with peppermint oil which makes the vitamins have a hint of mint taste. I bet this kind of mint is what Meghan Markle’s wedding smelled like. That & royalty. Magical.

Vitamins are sort of like putting on sunscreen: the sooner you do it, the better for your long-term health. I mean did you know that 90% of women aren’t getting the nutrients they need every day, for example, 90% of women aren’t getting enough D3, over 70% of women aren’t getting enough Omega-3? NUTS.

I have to call out some other vitamin brands here: 90% of vitamins use folic acid ( the cheaper form ) versus food-form folate ( which we want- RITUAL ), but over 1/3 of women can’t properly utilize folic acid. So you could be taking something every day & it could not even be doing anything in your body, which is why the forms of every nutrient are MUY IMPORTANTE. Ritual ALSO uses the forms that actually work in the body ( another example is methylcobalamin vs cyanocobalamin for their b12 ( the latter being the most commonly used cheaper form which contains a molecule of cyanide which is prob not something you want in your body- JUST SAYING.

LOOK AT ME GETTING ALL SCIENCE-Y ON YOU!

Anyway, I can’t help myself- I sure do love a detail.

Since I’ve told you about the details, maybe it’s time to discuss the benefits. Because- eer, that’s what you want out of vitamins, benefits!

Absorption:

With vitamins, magnesium is the star of the show. To name some of its benefits: mood support, strong immune system, & healthier heart/bones. Ritual delivers magnesium in a form that protects it from interacting with other, more oily vitamins, which means better absorption. CHA-CHING.

Healthy Aging:

The vitamin ensures that your body has all the nutrients it needs to help support tissue structure, build new cells, & maintain its daily functions.

Heart Health:

Research continues to provide evidence that the Omega-3 fatty acids support heart health by keeping the cell membranes fluid.

Bone Health:

Helps support healthy bones thanks to two key nutrients: vitamin K2 & vitamin D3, both of which help keep calcium in the bones where it belongs, instead of letting it wander around the circulatory system. More calcium in your bones= stronger bones as the aging process begins. This is especially important for women.

Skin Health:

The skin is the body’s largest organ so it makes sense that what you put in the body has an effect on the skin. Vitamin E helps provide antioxidant protection for skin cells so that they’re more equipped to fight free radicals.

Brain Health:

The brain is in charge of nearly everything that happens in the body. Folate, Vitamin B12, iron, magnesium, Omega-3s, & vitamin D3 all work together to keep the brain cells in tip-top shape.

{ via }

Just stalk the ingredients for yourself. The vitamins are $30 dollars a month, subscription-based, & you can cancel anytime. Ya, it’s that simple.

Oh & real quick: let’s talk about storage because it’s a thing.

If I am traveling, I keep mine in this pink MTWTFSS PILL ORGANIZER to keep it efficient. With this pink organizer, I can just keep it in my bag or by my keys to GRAB AND GO! You coulllllldddd also bring the bottle because it’s relatively small.

NOW! Try to tell me these pictures don’t smell like mint tea! Seriously though- you’ll want to eat them! Watch out. HA. They’re that minty fresh, I’m telling you.

Alright. That’s it! What’s your current vitamin routine? Tell me. Or just tell me what’s on your bathroom counter, that will do too- I’m weird like that, I want to know. Whatever works.

Want to simplify your routine? You can exclusively order Ritual ( only available on ritual.com! ) now. And if you don’t totally love it, Ritual will pick up the tab.

LOVE YOU ALL, lauryn

+ read more wellness posts on The Skinny Confidential.

++ be sure to listen to the latest podcast episode – it’s a good one! 

TAKE YOUR VITAMINS