If you've been searching "best hair supplement UK", you've almost certainly bumped into both Glowwa Hair Food and Viviscal. Both promise thicker, stronger hair. Both have loyal followings. But they're built on very different formulas — and one of them costs nearly twice as much per day. As an official Glowwa stockist in Falkland, Fife, we get asked which one to choose every week. Here's our honest, side-by-side answer.
The quick verdict
- Pick Glowwa Hair Food if you want a broader, plant-based formula, a vegan option, and a lower price per day.
- Pick Viviscal if you specifically want the marine AminoMar® complex and don't mind paying a premium.
How the formulas compare
Glowwa Hair Food leans on a wider blend of clinically studied nutrients — Biotin, MSM, Zinc, Selenium, Vitamin C and plant-based DHT support (saw palmetto, pumpkin seed). Viviscal's hero ingredient is AminoMar®, a proprietary marine protein complex derived from fish. Both work; they work differently.
Ingredient comparison
| Ingredient | Glowwa Hair Food | Viviscal Maximum Strength |
|---|---|---|
| Biotin | ✓ Included | ✓ Included |
| Zinc | ✓ Included | ✓ Included |
| MSM (Sulphur) | ✓ Included | ✗ Not included |
| Plant DHT support (Saw Palmetto / Pumpkin Seed) | ✓ Included | ✗ Not included |
| AminoMar® marine complex | ✗ Not included | ✓ Included |
| Vitamin C | ✓ Included | ✓ Included |
| Selenium | ✓ Included | ✗ Not included |
Price per day in the UK
Cost matters when you're committing to 3–6 months. Here's how the numbers stack up at current UK pricing.
| Glowwa Hair Food | Viviscal Maximum Strength | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-month RRP | £34.99 | ~£49.99 |
| 3-month supply | £104.97 | ~£149.97 |
| Cost per day | ~£1.16 | ~£1.66 |
| 6-month total | ~£209.94 | ~£299.94 |
Over a 6-month course — which is what both brands recommend for visible results — Glowwa works out roughly £90 cheaper.
Vegan, vegetarian and dietary suitability
This is the biggest dealbreaker for a lot of our customers. Glowwa Hair Food Original and Glowwa MENO are 100% vegan. Viviscal's core formula contains AminoMar®, which is fish-derived, so it isn't suitable for vegans, vegetarians, or anyone with a fish or shellfish allergy. If a plant-based supplement is non-negotiable, the choice makes itself.
Who each one is best for
Glowwa Hair Food is the better pick if you…
- Want a vegan or plant-based supplement.
- Are dealing with general thinning, post-partum shedding, or stress-related hair loss.
- Want broader nutritional cover (MSM, Selenium, plant DHT support) in a single capsule.
- Want to spend less per day without dropping clinical-grade ingredients.
Viviscal might suit you better if you…
- Specifically want the marine AminoMar® complex and have responded to it before.
- Eat fish and don't mind a higher monthly spend.
- Prefer a brand with longer UK high-street availability.
Results timeline — what to actually expect
Both supplements need consistency. From what we see in the salon with Glowwa, and what Viviscal publishes in its own clinical literature, the timelines are similar:
- Weeks 4–6: Reduced shedding in the shower and on the pillow.
- Month 3: Visible improvement in thickness and density at the crown and temples.
- Month 6: Peak results — the moment most clients tell us "people are commenting."
For more detail on what to expect with Glowwa specifically, read our full Glowwa Hair Food review, and if you're trying to understand the root cause first, our guide on why your hair might be thinning is a good starting point.
Frequently asked questions
Is Glowwa better than Viviscal?
For most of our UK customers, Glowwa offers a broader formula at a lower price per day, plus a vegan option. Viviscal's AminoMar® complex is well studied but fish-based and more expensive. If you don't specifically need AminoMar®, Glowwa is the easier recommendation.
Is Glowwa Hair Food vegan, and is Viviscal vegan?
Glowwa Hair Food Original and Glowwa MENO are 100% vegan and plant-based. Viviscal's core products contain AminoMar® (a marine/fish protein complex), so they are not suitable for vegans, vegetarians, or those with fish allergies.
How much do Glowwa and Viviscal cost per day in the UK?
Glowwa works out at roughly £1.16 per day; Viviscal Maximum Strength is typically £1.66–£1.83 per day at RRP. Over a 6-month course, Glowwa is around £90 cheaper.
How long until I see results with Glowwa or Viviscal?
Both brands recommend a minimum of 3–6 months. Most of our clients notice reduced shedding by week 4–6 with Glowwa, and visible thickness by month 3. Viviscal publishes similar timelines.
Can I take Glowwa and Viviscal together?
We don't recommend it. Several nutrients (Biotin, Zinc, Vitamin C) overlap and stacking could push you over safe daily intakes. Pick one and stay consistent for at least 3 months before judging results.
Our verdict
If you'd asked us five years ago, Viviscal would have been the default answer because there was nothing else with that level of clinical backing. Today, Glowwa Hair Food matches it on results, beats it on breadth of formula and vegan suitability, and costs noticeably less per day. For the vast majority of customers walking into our salon, Glowwa is the better-value, more inclusive choice.