30 Days of Testing Later, Sakara's New Line of Supplements Has Become My Best-Kept Beauty Secret
I might be a beauty editor, but I've always had an interest in and passion for all things wellness. Growing up, my parents taught me the importance of exercising and eating healthily (I was the "weird" kid at school with home-packed lunches full of organic whole foods), and for nearly half of my college career, I thought I'd be going into the health field with a focus in nutrition.
Now, here's some more context: Through elementary, middle, and high school, my life 100% revolved around dance. It's not news that issues of body image and high-stakes beauty standards run rampant within the dance world, and after a back injury curtailed my sophomore season, I became obsessed with nutrition in an unhealthy way as a means to control my weight during a period when I was unable to exercise and dance how I was used to. Ultimately, this lead to a battle with anorexia, and I spent the last two years of high school swiveling back and forth between outpatient and inpatient treatment. With lots of support from my family and care team, I was able to recover, move away, attend college, and ultimately land my dream job in Los Angeles as a beauty director. Reforming my relationship with food and approaching nutrition as a means to heal versus punish has been instrumental in my journey, and for the last 10 years or so, Sakara has been there for me every step of the way.
As a devout Sakara customer, I frequently take part in the brand's Signature Nutrition Program. Having organic, balanced, and healthy meals delivered has continued to support my recovery, and I've been a huge supporter and cheerleader as the brand has launched supplemental products to complement its nutrition programs. I've had many favorites over the years, but Sakara's brand-new collection of chic supplements—Daily Elixir, Night Service, Cell Reset, and, my favorite, Metabolism Bite—is, IMO, its best and most exciting work yet. I was lucky enough to receive a 30-day supply of all four formulas pre-launch, and I noticed some serious benefits physically and mentally. Sakara is one of the few wellness brands that I truly feel is worth every penny, and I can't wait to tell you all about the newness below.
The Inspiration
Chock-full of customer favorites, Sakara's existing collection of supplements is already robust and an appreciated complement to the brand's nutrition programs. I was curious—why now, and why these four supplements? As I shared with Sakara's founders Danielle DuBoise and Whitney Tingle, the line feels extremely intentional, a stark contrast to the noisy "more is more" chatter that so often fills the wellness space.
"We intentionally designed the Sakara supplements to not only have the highest-quality ingredients, which is key, but [also come] in formats that allow them to be the most bioavailable and, therefore, impactful," the founders tell me. There was also a lot of thought put into the packaging and the daily rituals of the Sakara customer. The four products are designed to effortlessly fit into someone's existing life and daily routines—from the moment they wake up to the moment they get in bed.
"The idea of 'wellness' has significantly changed since Sakara was founded in 2011," DuBoise and Tingle continue. "When we first started, our clients didn't have long lists of to-dos when it came to their [wellness] routines. But today, it can be overwhelming to decide what to use, when, and why." To put it simply, DuBoise and Tingle wanted to make living a healthy life easy and streamlined, which translated to developing supplements designed to be an enjoyable, low-effort part of clients' daily lives. No drastic overhauls and no extra, time-consuming steps.
How Sakara Rises Above the Competition
I've repeatedly credited Sakara as one of the few wellness brands on the market to talk the talk and walk the walk. With new products, trends, and brands exploding at an exponential rate, Sakara stays true to its original nine pillars of nutrition and recognizes the power of quality versus quantity. Unlike so many other wellness brands, you'll never see the brand popping out new formulas at breakneck speed, and there's a reason for that. According to DuBoise and Tingle, there are four defining factors that place Sakara ahead of the pack in terms of efficacy and intention: ingredient integrity, optimal formulation, stringent testing, and the brand's aforementioned "designed for ritual" philosophy.
"We use whole food–derived, bioavailable nutrients that the body can actually absorb and utilize," the founders explain. "Each ingredient is included at its most effective therapeutic dose—no unnecessary fillers and no megadoses that go to waste." Additionally, all products are third-party tested for purity and potency, which, they tell me, ensures that everything their customers consume is free of heavy metals and contaminants. While Sakara prioritizes its ingredients and formulation over anything else, a disconcerting number of popular brands on the market put more of their energy into marketing versus true efficacy. As outlined to me by DuBoise and Tingle, poor-quality ingredients, unnecessary fillers and megadoses, and a lack of third-party testing run rampant among the brands and products so many of us, as consumers, inherently trust.
The Benefits
The Sakara Supplements, Reviewed
The potential benefits: healthier skin, hair, and nails; improved body function; brain health support; healthy blood cell formation; improved mood
I've spent my entire adult life falling off of the daily-multivitamin wagon because I've never found a formula that actually felt right for my needs and body. Exorbitantly large doses of certain ingredients have triggered angry breakouts (I'm looking at you, biotin) or caused dysregulation in my system. With the Daily Elixir, I've finally found a Goldilocks multivitamin that is crafted with unparalleled quality, third-party laboratory tested (so important!), and—surprisingly—an absolute joy to take.
One question I clarified with DuBoise and Tingle is how the Daily Elixir is different from The Foundation ($120), Sakara's handy, all-in-one daily supplement pack. According to the founders, they each cater to different needs and preferences. "The Foundation is our powerhouse capsule-based supplement—perfect for those looking for a robust, multifaceted supplement with included probiotics and omegas," they explain. "The Daily Elixir is a convenient, single-tablespoon liquid that provides targeted doses of essential vitamins and minerals in a highly bioavailable format. It also includes functional ingredients like ashwagandha, an organic greens complex (aloe vera, sea moss, spirulina, and wheat grass), and an antioxidant extract blend."
How I take it and what I've noticed: Each morning, I measure out one tablespoon of Daily Elixir and dilute it in a 16-ounce glass of water. You can sip it alongside or without a meal, and it tastes delicious thanks to the subtle lemon and verbena mint flavor. I'm sure there will be even more benefits the longer I take it, but I've already noticed a significant difference in the brightness and clarity of my skin, and I've also felt more productive and energetic throughout long workdays.
The potential benefits: promotes relaxation, encourages restful sleep, supports serotonin production, restores nervous system
For as long as I can remember, I've had issues with my sleep, and it's not just one issue! It's not being able to fall asleep, not being able to stay asleep, and then waking up practically at the crack of dawn every day, unable to sleep in. Fed up and incredibly sleep-deprived, I began to rely on an OTT medley of sleep supplements and medicine before bed, including melatonin and Unisom. Horrifyingly, the list goes on. Did it work? Yes. Did I wake up feeling shitty every day? Double yes. Did the health-conscious voice in me know it was unhealthy and unsustainable? Triple yes. Really, Night Service couldn't have come at a better time. In the spirit of true testing, I gradually weaned off of everything I had been taking and layered in my two nightly capsules of Night Service. Folks, I was shocked. I had anticipated a rough transition period without the supplements I'd relied on for years to get a good night's sleep, but on my first night of taking Night Service, I logged a whopping eight-plus hours of sleep. I (and my Oura Ring) have never been more thrilled.
The magic all lies in the incredibly strategic and unique blend of ingredients. In addition to a nervous system–supporting blend of adaptogens (L-theanine, ashwagandha-root extract, eleutherococcus senticosus root, rhodiola rosea–root extract, holy basil extract, maca-root extract, reishi mushroom), the capsules contain PharmaGABA, 5-HTP, magnesium, and tart cherry extract.
How I take it and what I've noticed: As much as I love and recommend this sleep- and relaxation-supporting formula, I had to discontinue my use due to the fact that I am on an antidepressant. One of Night Service's hero ingredients, 5-HTP, helps increase the production of serotonin in the body. For anyone who's not on an antidepressant, this is a fantastic perk, but for people like me, it's imperative to consult your physician before starting this supplement. Together, antidepressants and 5-HTP can combine and potentially lead to serotonin syndrome (i.e., an overdose of serotonin), which is an extremely dangerous condition. This is yet another reason to always, always check with a care provider before staring a new supplement routine.
The potential benefits: curbs cravings, supports healthy weight management, boosts metabolism
I'm going to be super honest. I typically roll my eyes at the majority of supplements touting any type of metabolism-boosting benefits. Why, you ask? Most of the time, we are being lied to. "Metabolism" is a major buzzword many marketing teams love to throw around without any real or thoroughly tested data to back up any of their claims. Sakara's new Metabolism Bites, however, are one of the exceptions. I've been a ride-or-die fan of the brand's best-selling Metabolism Super Powder and the Metabolism Protein Super Bars since launch, and the changes and benefits I've noticed are real. (For a borderline TMI review, click here.) Of course, the brand's newest, seriously delicious bites have a totally different ingredient profile, but I will always trust the studied and specific ingredients Sakara chooses to include in its high-caliber formulas. What makes these gummies tick? A short and sweet ingredient profile featuring African spice fruit extract (DygloFit), saffron extract (Supresa), cinnamon bark extract, and pomegranate-fruit extract.
How I take it and what I've noticed: It's recommended to take two Metabolism Bites daily between meals. Since my cravings usually hit mid-afternoon between lunch and dinner, that's typically my favorite time frame. I've definitely noticed a steep decrease in sugar cravings, and according to DuBoise and Tingle, additional benefits may include healthy weight management, increased metabolism, and enhanced insulin sensitivity—which, as someone who deals with PCOS, is a benefit I love.
According to DuBoise and Tingle, the Metabolism Bites are safe and approved for everyone aside from people who are pregnant or breastfeeding.
The potential benefits: reduces oxidative stress, increases nutrient absorption, enhances the body's natural detoxification processes, supports cell health
Meet Cell Reset aka my new favorite way to guzzle my first glass of water each morning. The star ingredient? Fulvic acid—a major power player when it comes to fighting inflammation. Packaged in a sleek, easy-to-use tincture, the formula has a beautifully light wild-blueberry and lemon flavor (to me, it's reminiscent of Froot Loops in a healthy, non-artificial way), and according to DuBoise and Tingle, regular intake can reduce oxidative stress while supporting nutrient absorption, cell health, and the body's natural detoxification processes.
How I take it and what I've noticed: Every night before bed, I drop Cell Reset into a fresh glass of water that I place on my nightstand so that it's the first thing I see and consume each morning. It's a practice I've done daily for about 30 days now, and with the addition of the Daily Elixir and Metabolism Bites, I have experienced better focus, more energy, less brain fog, a calmer mood, fewer cravings, and brighter, healthier-looking skin.
These products synergistically work so well together, and while it's hard to say with complete certainty which product is causing which of the aforementioned outcomes, I won't be quitting the trio anytime soon. If you've felt as frustrated with the supplement market as I have, I highly recommend you consult a care provider and give any or all of the new Sakara supplements a whirl.
Can't decide? I don't blame you. I recommend going for gold and opting for this handy bundle, which features all four of the new Sakara supplements.
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