6 Non-Cosmetic Ways To Boost Hair Growth

Hair is important to us. Whether you may realise it or not, many of us are lost without it; it can be a comfort blanket, a small way in which we express our identity. Therefore, hair loss can be far more than a physical experience. With the baldness comes a plethora of feelings- emotional complexities such as shame, guilt, and distress. While many of you may know that I speak a lot about trichotillomania, it is important to note that it isn't, of course, the only form of hair loss. Hair loss can be experienced by anyone for a number of different reasons. But did you know you can take steps to actively reduce this loss or make hair grow back faster? Whether you are suffering from baldness (head, eyelashes and eyebrows, to name a few places), or simply want to boost the growth of your barnet, here are some easy steps you can take to achieve that without having to turn to cosmetic treatments.

Confusing and Hypocritical? The Difference Between Cruelty Free and Vegan Beauty

Today's guest post is written by the lovely Helen Burdett. In light of our beauty-buying habits becoming increasingly informed in the ways of animal testing, Helen discusses the differences between labels such as Cruelty Free, Vegan and Vegetarian; can a lipstick that uses animal by-products really be considered cruelty free? Can a brand be cruelty free despite its ownership by a renowned animal-testing business? There's far more to it that you'd think...


The hypocrisy of ‘Cruelty Free’ labelling is something that has bothered me for a long time. While, yes, a labelled product is free from animal testing and certain types of cruelty, the irony is that a product can be deemed cruelty free while still containing ingredients that an animal was killed for. One of the most common examples of this is Carmine; a product of boiling dried Cochineal beetles to extract carminic acid. Not something that sounds cruelty free but nevertheless found in Cruelty Free labelled lipsticks, glosses and blush. The fact that a company can label a product as free from cruelty, with a certified label to boot, when an animal, even one as seemingly insignificant as a beetle, has died for it, is, to me at least, extremely misleading.

NEW YSL Vernis À Lèvres Glossy Stain Shades (With Matching Matte Nail Varnishes!)

It's not everyday I get excited about the fact a lipstick is available in some extra colours, but YSL's Glossy Stains are definitely the exception to the rule. (Don't get me wrong, I pee my pants with excitement about new range launches, but colour extensions are usually a bit meh). YSL's Pop Water range stole my heart the moment they launched, with the unusual-shaped applicator and long-lasting wow-factor, and I can assure you that the new 4 shades are equally as fabulous. As if the new additions to an already-fantastic range wasn't enough, each shade has its own matching MATTE nail varnish to top off your Autumn/Winter beauty look.

Why Being Open About Trichotillomania Was The Best Thing I've Ever Done

You may (or may not) be aware that I re-started this site last year in order to not only bring some focus to my life, but also to openly discuss a mental health disorder from which I have suffered for 18 years- trichotillomania. For all this time, the hair-pulling impulse disorder had taken over my life, leaving me bald, ashamed and struggling with an incredibly low self-esteem. Whilst writing about the illness has by no means cured me (I still go through good and bad patches like all other sufferers), it has opened up a new positive relationship with my disorder which I had never before experienced. Here's how.

5 Cruelty-Free Beauty Products That I Swear By

Welcome to the first of many new posts on my new feature on vegan / cruelty-free beauty! There will be a new post either every week or every other week, so keep 'em peeled! Today, myself and Helen (who will be helping out with the new feature) have racked our brains (mainly hers- I'm still not sure if I even have one) and have come up with our 5 favourite beauty products which are totally cruelty-free. The brands here are vegan or vegetarian, so hopefully there is something for everyone and will reassert the fact that you can have amazing beauty products without having to test on or harm our animal friends.

Joseph's Wigs: The Wig Experts That Have All Your Hair Loss Troubles Covered

Experiencing hair loss can be a terrifying time. Whether it happens through disorders such as trichotillomania, as a side effect of chemotherapy, or as a result of alopecia, the impact on the sufferer's self-esteem and confidence is the same. It's relatively well-known that wigs can be the solution to this hair loss dilemma, but they are often associated with fake-looking, itchy, old-fashioned styles which puts many people off turning to them. Joseph's Wigs is one company who ditches this stereotype by offering an extensive range of high-end, high-quality wigs.