Does Biotin really make your hair grow faster?

Speaking from personal experience, I would say it does.

Having tried the most expensive hair supplements in the market, which can turn out to be quite costly (but have also worked for me in the past), I decided to give straight biotin supplements a try, after a not-so-pleasant hair disaster.

I started by taking 300mg (SOLGAR brand) initially, along with a vitamin B complex (since I read it helps), which didn't seem to do much, until I upped the dose to 900mg that resulted in a one inch growth per month, on average. I could immediately tell from my roots, as I dye my hair.

Quite impressive and cost-effective!

Now there are a few things that must be taken into account, before taking Biotin supplements, one being acne. I found that, taking over 300mg has resulted in persistent, small cysts, due to excessive sebum production, so it would be best to increase water intake and use acne preventative products if you are prone to breakouts. If you find that this doesn't work either, then perhaps it would be best to lower it to a "safer" dosage... you'll still get the benefit of stronger and healthier new hair AND nails.

Another unpleasant side effect from taking biotin was insomnia, probably because I didn't do my research and took supplements late in the evening (big mistake...).

Biotin is best taken with meals and can also be found in fooods like nuts, eggs, milk and veggies, like cucumbers.

If you're on a mission to grow long and healthy locks, I will share a few hair growth tips that work for me, in conjunction with taking Biotin and B-complex supplements;

• Stimulating blood circulation by using a sparse wooden bristle brush, concentrating on the scalp, not only worked for me, but also helped decrease my frequent headaches.
• Washing your hair with a clarifying shampoo (I use the Pantene Pro-V Clarifying Shampoo) can also be helpful, as it removes excess sebum from your scalp and product buildup from your hair. Since it can be extremely drying, its best to follow with a nourishing hair mask. Some people swear by Head and Shoulders, but it did absolutely nothing for me.
• If your hair is chemically treated, make sure you use treatments and serums, every time you're out of the shower to prevent breakage and keep your locks moisturized (esp. if you're using hot tools to dry your hair).
• Keeping my hair up in a bun, has also promoted hair growth. Just make sure your bun is not too tight; pulling the hair tightly does NOT equal hair growth, but a loose bun will protect your hair from potential damage and breakage, esp. during sleep.

If you have any hair growth tips that worked for you, I'd love to hear them! ^__^

Three easy steps to achieve long lasting vibrant red lips...

Vibrant red lips are THE trend for Fall 2011, and an absolute classic, when matched with a bold, clean cut, cat-eyeliner look.

So I thought it was the perfect time to share a fool-proof method, which will ensure your red lips stay put and vibrant for the entire day...

Before applying any kind of lip product its always a good idea to prime/moisturize your lips. I prefer MAC's lip primer for this job, as it keeps my lips moisturized, yet not overly greasy and slippery. 

On to the method...

Step 1: Stain your lips...

The first and most important step is to stain your lips, using a red/deep pink lip stain product.

Make sure you use a liquid consistency stain, any brand will do the job.

This step will help you achieve a bright red tinted base, which literally won't budge, even if your lipstick wears off and you forget to re-apply throughout the day.

Step 2: Line your lips...

Using a red lip liner, define the outline of your lips to prevent your lipstick from bleeding.

Filling in your lips with a red lip liner, can also serve as an additional base, prior to applying lipstick.

Step 3: Apply a matte textured lipstick... 

I find that matte textures are the best, especially for this look, since it doesn't detract from color, and lasts way longer than glossy lipstick finishes. 


From personal experience, for this step, I highly recommend MAC matte finish lipsticks, my favorite, along with satin finish. If you have a favorite drugstore brand, that works for you, it will do. :)

In case you have trouble finding the right tone for you, I suggest matching your lipstick to your skin tone.

• If you are cool-toned, go for cool-toned lipstick shades, like MAC's Russian Red; THE perfect red shade, with blue undertones (also recommended if you want your teeth to look whiter). 

Russian Red (Matte Finish)

• If you are warm-toned, a warmer, orange-based red, will look very flattering. "So Chaud" by MAC is a perfect example.

So Chaud (Matte Finish)

• A universal fiery orange red tone that could work for both warm and cool skin tones is MAC's lady danger, thanks to its coral undertones.

Lady Danger (Matte Finish)

Hope this was helpful!  ^___^



Swatches taken from: http://www.maccosmetics.com

Growing your brows back for a natural look...

Surely most of us have come across eyebrow tutorials, on where to place our arch, how to correctly shape our brows and so forth...

Sounds great, but if your natural brow is not shaped this way, you'll probably end up with overplucked, pencilled brows.This may look amazing on photos, with appropriate make up, but in reality, you're messing up your facial proportions.

There's nothing more beautiful and flattering for your facial structure than your own natural, well-groomed, set of brows. And despite the "myths", I'd say it's never too late to grow your them back.

All it takes is patience! ^^


Tips on how to grow your eyebrows back:


- I would recommend commiting yourself to this process little by little, perhaps you could consider sporting a fringe, as a temporary solution to cover up the "mess".

-If your eyebrows are severely overplucked, you could start by initially growing the first two thirds, and then move on to the end of your brow, once its fully grown to the point/thickness you'd like to achieve. 

- You certainly don't have to part with your tweezers, in fact consider them an ally in this process, only tweezing stray and out-of-place hairs (i.e. nowhere near your basic brow shape).

- If you have been tweezing your brows for years, you may find individual hairs growing in all possible directions. In this case, I would recommend spotting the specific, unruly hair and carefully pluck it to the direction you'd like it to grow. Trust me this worked wonders for me... :)

- Mini curved scissors will also help you define your shape better, contributing to an overall groomed look. Often I find that most women need a "trim" more than extreme plucking. Don't overdoit in this case either, just comb your eyebrows with a spoolie and trim the excess.

- For further grooming:

• equip yourself with a light brown brow pencil, that works for most hair shades (don't go too dark, unless you like an intense drawn-on brow), to cover up "bald" spots
• a spoolie to soften harsh lines for an airbrushed effect
• and most importantly, a liquid eyeliner pen (preferrably in the lightest shade of brown, to simulate the look of actual hairs - takes a bit of practice to get the hang of it, but once mastered you'll love it

- A tip that people always forget is to take hair vitamins, and follow a healthy lifestyle. What works for your hair, works for your eyebrows too! :)

- You could also use a mild exfoliant on the brow area (I used a tiny amount of "pores be pure", a skin clarifying mud mask by Formula 10.0.6, use with caution as it stings) to help unclog pores and stimulate hair growth, massage with almond oil drops to relieve dryness and condition your eyebrows.

How to maintain and shape your brows once grown:


- Simply follow your natural eyebrow shape, there's no trick or gimmick to that. We are all unique for a reason, what works for one, may not work for another.

- Pluck stray hairs only, i.e. obviously far from your brow shape.

- Trim excessively long hairs if needed (this prevents the "caterpillar" brow effect)

- To intensify your look, use a brow pencil. Although from personal experience, I can assure you that you won't be needing it as much as you did, once your brows are fully grown.


Final thoughts:


Depending on your case, this may take a month, or even a year.

In my case, it literally took over a year to achieve the coveted natural brow look, but I took it very slowly. I'd say by the first two months my eyebrows were looking normal again.

If you have persistent "bald" spots don't give up, the hair will eventually grow back.

The process is definitely worth the wait.

Audrey Hepburn; an inspirational role model for gorgeous, natural eyebrows.