Beauty

Tried and True: Hair Vitamins that REALLY Work.

We’ve all been there, walking down the vitamin aisle looking for vitamins that will transform our hair from this…

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To this…

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In a fortnight. Well, I have bad news. There’s no vitamin on earth that’s EVER going to work that fast, but if you’re willing to wait three months, these vitamins might give you visible results.

I started this research when I did my annual jaunt to the Natural Products Expo in Anaheim in March. It’s like Mecca for granola people.I go there to get a sense of what the trends are in health and wellness so I can share it. The big thing this year and last year was collagen.

So what is it? It’s a substance your body produces that is the building blocks of your skin, muscles and tendons. But as we age, our body produces less collagen, and it shows. Your skin may look a little dull, your hair may be thinning, and you might notice more aches and pains in your joints. So the natural health community is raving about it as a sort of “fountain of youth.” But be wary–not all vitamin bottles on that aisle are created equal. More than likely, the cheap ones are cheap for a reason. The USDA has loose regulations on natural supplements, so you’d best do your own homework and not be hypnotized by fancy claims and packaging.

The character of my hair is fine, 4a. For years I had a thin spot at the crown of my head–not exactly bald, but thinning. Maxi Me would make sure to fluff the hair around it so you couldn’t see it as pronounced when I wore my hair straight. After three month of taking collagen and keratin supplements, my hair isn’t necessarily longer. BUT…it’s thicker and fuller than it’s ever been…like, ever.

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My hair in May/June 2012

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May hair in May 2013

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May 2013

COMPARE THE HAIR AROUND THE TEMPLES WITH THE PHOTO ABOVE WITH THE ONE FROM LAST YEAR.

What do I have to thank for the new-found density of my hair? Besides exercise and good, clean eating, I’ve been taking the following:

Reserveage Collagen Booster with Hyaluronic Acid and Resveratrol

Granted this product is more for the skin and joints–the hyaluronic acid works to “plump” the skin so it looks soother, which reviews are raving about. But this product has definitely contributed to the density of my hair. Clo Clo (my middle girl, 10) has told me several times that my hair now looks like the afro wigs I’d picked up while on my book tour last year. Now THAT’S huge.

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I’m also taking this…

Reserveage Keratin Booster with Biotin and Resveratrol

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And if you still have doubts, you need to mosey over to Amazon and read the reviews. I’m on my third bottle–that I bought, which is HUGE for me, because I can get all kinds of random vitamins for free. The real worth of a product in a blogger’s eyes is if you’d actually buy it yourself, even if it was never given to you to review. Got my first batch for free, but I’ve paid for two bottles since and they’ve got a customer in my for life. Hell, even my nails, which are usually thin and weak as paper have improved.

These are my tops picks, but honorable mentions must go to…

Neocell Collagen Plus Vitamin C

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Check out what this You-Tuber has to say about it:

https://youtu.be/CA721VoGAUs?t=1m32s

People have also reported growth using Phyto Phytophanere Dietary Supplement for Hair & Nails.

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It doesn’t contain collagen, but other essential vitamins and healthy fats, plus Vitamin A and Vitamin C. I’ve taken these in the past and I’ll most likely start again, because I didn’t notice a slight change in my growth rate. The makeup sites give it rave reviews.

Last but not least, there’s Biosil.

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I add it to the list not necessarily because it’s worked for me (I have taken it in the past, but I can’t quantify it), but because of how many people swear by it. Be careful though…acne has been a bothersome side-effect for some.

Bottom line, make sure you give these products enough time to work, which is around three months. Make sure the quality is up to par, though, otherwise you’ll waste three month drinking snake oil and your will still look like this…

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