This Buzzy Hair-Growth Peptide Is Also Boosting My Nails & Lashes

Omi started with a selfie. Naomi Whittel, a nutrition expert and founder of several supplement brands, was in Calabria, Italy, three years ago, and took an impromptu selfie, angling her phone high to get the right angle. It captured the beauty of Calabria — but also the top of her head. “I saw that my part was three times as wide as it is now,” she says. Whittel had been losing a lot of hair, shedding more than what’s considered normal, but had ignored it, telling herself it wasn’t so bad. “We play these games in our heads with different things. But that selfie told me everything,” she says.

Whittel knew she wasn’t the only one suffering from lost follicles — it was a problem affecting women everywhere. “Due to chronic stress, hormonal changes, aging, environmental pollutants, nutrient depletion, and other lifestyle situations, it's very difficult to keep all our nutrients in balance,” she says.

For women, hair loss has become a defining feature of our time. Apart from the above factors, Whittel shares that people taking GLP-1 Agonists — the class of medications that includes Ozempic, Mounjaro, and the like — anecdotally report hair loss.

Whittel saw a problem, and her problem-solver mind started whizzing. In Dec. 2024, she launched Omi, a line of hair growth peptides that are available in gummy as well as capsule form — and it’s quickly become one of the buzziest supplements in the category.

Meet Omi

Once Whittel knew she wanted to tackle hair loss, she connected with Dr. Rob Kelly, a New Zealand-based researcher with a background in protein and keratin chemistry, who told her about a new breakthrough in which ingestible peptides derived from sheep wool help “anchor” in the hair follicle. Whittel then flew to New Zealand and got Kelly to create the patented peptide complex that’s the backbone of Omi.

Today, the founder says she’s been taking the peptides for two and a half years and has more hair than she’s ever had in her whole life. “It's also the quality of the hair. I'm 50, and I just went through menopause. We’ve been analyzing my hair strands and the diameter of the strand has grown,” she says. “The structure, strength, and shine are amazing, and I also have nails that I have never had.”

Kris Jenner came on as a stakeholder in the brand after she tried Omi for a month. “As I got older, I had been experiencing noticeable thinning throughout my hair and I had talked with my hairstylist about it. After using Omi, I noticed a real difference, and so did my hairstylist,” she says via email to Bustle. “My hair feels fuller and different in a way that’s hard to explain, but it has improved. Rather than just returning to baseline, my hair feels healthier and stronger than before.”

She’s not alone. Celebrity hairstylists also want in: Tracey Cunningham has been appointed as chief innovation officer, and Lona Vigi is a supporter of the brand. Both of them have been seeding the peptide to their A-list clients.

How It Works

Clinical research conducted by the brand shows new hair growth, less hair loss, and stronger strands in all hair types in 90 days. At the core of the formula is the Intermediate Filament Peptide derived from various keratins. Omi obtains this complex peptide from the wool of a specific breed of sheep called strong wool sheep. “Dr. Kelly has discovered a way to very carefully tease out these peptides,” says Whittel. “The peptides act as a key, unlocking specific receptors in the body to trigger targeted physiological processes. After being broken down and absorbed into the bloodstream, it travels to hair follicles, where it stimulates and fortifies anchoring, securing hair, and enhancing nutrient absorption.” Other supporting ingredients in the formula include vitamins B3 (niacinamide), B5, and B6, zinc oxide, and copper sulfate.

Anyone who’s tried to grow hair knows it’s a long game. But Omi promises results in as little as six days, which seems an eyebrow-raising period for this task. Specifically, in less than a week it begins “follicle anchoring”, in which there’s an increase of collagen IV (a type of collagen that provides structural support to various cells) at the base of the hair follicles, and improves anchoring in the bulb. “This enhanced anchoring mechanism allows the hair root to efficiently absorb essential nutrients and peptides, strengthening the hair cortex. As a result, hair becomes longer, stronger, and healthier,” says Whittel.

My Experience With Omi

I’ve been taking Omi for a couple of months now, but to be fully transparent, my compliance with the regimen has been sporadic at best. This is, of course, user error and no issue on the brand’s part, since the dosage couldn’t be more manageable — it’s two average-sized capsules to be taken once a day, or two gummies daily.

I noticed absolutely no difference for the first six days when I did take them daily, but I honestly wasn’t expecting any outcome so quickly no matter what the brand promised. Plus, I had no way to really measure if my hair would be better anchored in its bulb, and I didn’t think tugging at it to check was fully scientific.

Surprisingly, I noticed a change in my lashes first. I’ve had a full natural set in my younger years, but over the past six months, my eye fringe has been getting sparse and not growing as long. When I put on mascara a few weeks ago, I saw enough of a change to double-check which mascara I had picked up. I’ve been using that product for years, so it wasn’t that — it had to be Omi, since I hadn’t made any significant lifestyle changes.

The next area of improvement has been in my nails. Two months ago I performed a faulty removal of a set of press-ons, which significantly damaged my natural nail beds. I was expecting months of cracking and peeling, and while that unfortunately is what happened, I’m happy to note my nails are growing out much quicker. Having damaged nails prone to breakage for a prolonged period of time has been considerably shortened.

And finally, the hair on my head is showing some progress. What I have observed is a change in the amount of strands I’m losing when I brush my hair — a task that’s typically depressing for me because of the resulting ball of lost strands that inevitably come out. I’ve recently been noticing that that ball is much smaller. I’m not yet noticing rampant hair growth or dramatic improvement in the diameter of the strand, but I’m seeing enough positive change that’s encouraging me to keep taking Omi.

There’s No Magic Pill

Whittel doesn’t rely on Omi alone to have lush hair growth. Her diet is full of healthful, nutritious whole foods. “A protein-rich, nutrient-dense diet featuring keratin-boosting proteins, B vitamins, zinc, copper, iron, healthy fats, and antioxidants supports optimal hair regrowth and scalp health,” she says.

Her keratin production hot list includes foods that provide the body with its key building blocks, like salmon, chicken, turkey, Greek yogurt, lentils, and chickpeas. “Strengthening keratin’s sulfur bonds is also crucial, and is supported by sulfur-rich foods such as cruciferous vegetables, garlic, onions, and eggs,” she says. Additionally, vitamin A-rich foods like sweet potatoes, carrots, liver, eggs, and dairy, promote keratin synthesis, while vitamin C sources such as citrus fruits and bell peppers enhance collagen production, improving keratin structure and overall hair resilience.

Additionally, she uses a red light cap as well as different massage tools to perform a scalp massage daily. Omi can help, but diet and lifestyle are forever.