Hello Shiquers and welcome back to Nerdy Shique Universe! I did say I was going to be doing another post. And this is the boiling hot topic that is going on in the beauty world!

Disclaimer: This post is based on thoughts from the lead writer. She also did her research on this topic and bringing it to you guys here! Any fans of the person or product must respect her thoughts and opinions along with the experience she went through.

Being Careful With Vitamins!

I bet you’re wondering, what’s this is all about? Well, you see it deals with a new vitamin supplement that came out and not a lot of people like it or are skeptical of it. Tati Westbrook also known as Glam Life Guru has released her first product of her beauty line and people were expecting makeup but it turned out to be vitamins. These vitamins are supposed to help with hair, skin, and nails which you can find in the drugstore and what’s even more interesting is the pricing and that you can pay for more ach month which is around $40 per 30 day supply. What’s interesting is not only people don’t like the price but don’t like the idea of her releasing vitamins because although she claims they’re safe but they include ingredients that can be harmful to someone that might be allergic to them, that can’t use anything with that ingredient, and so much more. People were asking questions about the ingredients which she only addressed on Instagram and Snap Chat and she disabled the comments on her announcement video because of the comments and supposed to make a video addressing them and she also claims that she’s working with medical experts and labs to create these vitamins in order to be glutton free, vegan, and sugar-free. And she’s claiming its “magic” and it “works.”

Who’s Buying It?

According to the Snap that drama channels have played is that 25,000 people have bought it but most other people aren’t. I bet you’re wondering if I will buy it. No! Why? Well, let me tell you about my experience with one of the ingredients and that is Biotin.

For a while I wanted to grow my hair out because Gondras wanted to see me with longer hair and I’m trying and when I found a bottle of Biotin I decided to try it out. I didn’t consult a doctor and thought I was fine until last summer! Since around 2005, I’ve been seeing an Endocrinologist due to a threat of Thyroid Cancer and I was growing hair in areas where guys grow hair. So, last summer I was seeing my Endocrinologist for a follow up and she tells me that my thyroid levels were off and I told her I was taking Biotin supplements and didn’t know I was supposed to talk to her and that it’s known for making levels go haywire and that there’s signs warning people about it in their labs in the building since it’s easier for me to get my ultrasound and blood work done there. So, I did return in two weeks to get blood work after seeing being off of Biotin will help but it didn’t and had to get my meds increased to 212 where I have to take two different micrograms of my thyroid med to equal that amount. So, afterwards I decided to stop taking it knowing that I would risk my thyroid even more and it is an important gland for all of us and I have had these problems since I was three weeks old back in Boston. Ever since stopping, I did see my Endocrinologist again and she was happy that I took myself off completely and I’m still on the same dosage and have to see her again in May. Yes, blindness is hard but a thyroid issue is a whole bigger level than that. I did share my experience on the announcement video so people can be aware about it and people were surprised and the ones who had issues too thanked me for it and even someone tossed their Biotin when I put my comment on a drama channel’s response since Tati did disable the comments. So, yes if you have a thyroid problem definitely consult your doctor if you want to get this vitamin but best since they would say is to stay away from it, even articles on the net talked about people going through the same thing and took more of the generic forms of thyroid med and go through the same levels issues.

Another ingredient that people have issues with is Saw Palmetto! What it is, from doing research, is an oil used from the fruit from the Saw Palmetto plant which is well-known here in the Gulf Coast area especially Florida! It was mainly used for men to help with sexual drive and prostate issues. It is also used for hair loss and they did say women can take it but their side effects besides the usual stomach issues can include breast size increase. People have commented on Tati’s videos and apparently Instagram that it also blocks birth control effects and can cause pregnancy if not careful. Okay! I am thinking why would an ingredient meant to help men more be used in a product like this? I’m thinking maybe some men who have hair, skin, and some nail issues want to take this too? Even though the oil is meant for hair loss but when I researched there were some pages saying it’s better as a topical treatment which you run it through your hair.

Another ingredient that seems to be huge in the Halo vitamins is Ceramides RX. I had to take some research since I never heard of this kind of thing and found out it’s a topical product that is meant to help with dehydrated skin. There are creams made with this and now thinking about it like with Saw Palmetto, why is something like this in vitamins? I decided to take a look further to see if it can be injested and just found an article from January of this year! According to Very Well.com, there is no knowledge about any Ceramide supplements taken by mouth since it’s best to go for any lotions and skin care formulas to be placed on top of skin. What is also more interesting about the Safety section is that it mentions high blood levels of Ceramides tested shows diseases like Cardio Vascular and Diabetes. Oh no! Even though Tati has backed this ingredient and how it works…oh…jeez…looks like this might bite her in the butt because again these are meant for topical uses not injestion. I’m kind of thinking was this researched at all before the start of the creation of these vitamins?

There are other ingredients that were used even ones that are seen in other Hair, Skin, and Nail Vitamins but there are some that weren’t used like my fave vitamin to help with my eye sight, Vitamin A! Also Calogen wasn’t mentioned when I was watching a video on the ingredients and we know that this a very important thing in skin and how it survives when we keep it healthy with Calogen. Heck, even Japan put this ingredient in marshmallows at one point as a jelly and I remembered seeing a snacks video eating them and she mentioned the importance of Calogen and how at a certain age where we’re depleted of it over time. Better to mention this than one scene from Speed Grapher that still freaks me out to this day.

Looking at this vitamin, I’m agreeing with a lot of the YouTubers when it comes to this and that is consult any doctor, as in a Nutritionist, Dietician, and even an Endocrinologist!

Oh right, almost forgot! FDA! I should mention this since before the comments were disabled that people were asking if the FDA approved these vitamins. This is a big concern since there is a different approval process from prescribed supplements and meds. Even though it’s not required to be approved by the FDA but companies have to put the same warning labels given by the FDA and can’t falsely claim anything on their labels to consumers. Oh yes! That is another red flag since Tati did state in her Snap that it’s not FDA approved and when I did go to the Halo website myself to check out and see if the full ingredients list is there I did see the FDA message that is used everywhere at the bottom of the page. And of course, pointing out something interesting since she says that her vitamins will work in three weeks, I noticed there is the statement that everyone was waiting to see and that is “Results may vary!” Which means not everyone will get the same results according to the original product claims. So, is this whole “Three Weeks You Will Get Results” a disclaim? Time will tell and reviews popping up from people who may have purchase will have to see if it does work according to Tati. I mean my Vitamin D didn’t start showing better levels until my Endocrinologist appointments in the three month mark.

Alternatives to This Vitamin

Are there any alternatives? Yes! You can get the individual vitamins over the counter that were put into these vitamins such as C and B 12 Complex. Heck, you have so many B Vitamins on the shelves at every single store you go to. You can, if you can take it by the way, get Biotin over the counter for around $8 and Nature’s Bounty Hair Skin & Nails for $10 to $15 if you can’t afford these “magical” vitamins.

Also, another alternative is go for skin care, hair care, and nail care in drugstores, beauty supply stores, and your local nail salon if you can. I will use my stuff for example, I do use Celestial from Lush even though it costs $20 but it is way cheaper than getting Sunday Riley in my book and my skin loves the coolness it gets from the vanilla water. I also use a hydrating primer from NYX, coconut oil to remove my makeup, and even use it on my cuticles and my face and on my elbows time to time. Heck, I sometimes run it through my hair for added moisture and do have other hair products like Garnier Sleek & Shine anti-frizz serum and R&B from Lush, which I have been using since 2008, and my hair looks amazing! I also change up my shampoo and conditioner time to time to keep it from being dull and use a dry shampoo on top of it. Whenever I want to straighten my hair, I do use the Garnier heat protectant to keep it from frying. So, yes there are alternatives in cosmetics and vitamins to what Tati is selling. I’m not saying not to buy since it is consumer’s choice but at the same time should be careful with what you put into your body.

Oh right! Almost forgot one alternative and that is there are foods enriched with certain acids like orange juice with your daily amounts of Vitamin C, vegetables like sweet potatoes, spinach, and other leafy greens that help. Even nuts and seeds do have these vitamins and can help with keep your skin and hair healthy. When I first started doing the hair growth thing, I looked into the diet thing and saw things on seeds and I have containers of Flax and Chia Seeds, and a bag of sunflower kernels for whenever I make trail mix or even put on a salad or oatmeal, or when I have ice cream or frozen yogurt I break out the Flax and Chia seeds. You can find different ways of helping your health with vitamins and have to consult your doctor, even a nutritionist can help you with picking out what vegetables and fruits that can help you the most day to day. Sorry Tati, I did enjoy your channel for a few years but Halo’s vitamins aren’t what I need nor take, and if anyone is wondering…he is going to address in detail in a video about the concerns. I did get a bit irked knowing that in her Snap that she thinks that people are attacking her character instead of the vitamin and don’t have the proof to back their facts. I am interested in seeing that more in detail since I did mention I commented my experience and people thanked me for that along with mentioning it on drama videos and people have seen my original comment before those comments were disabled. That’s another thing is that people will be concerned and comment towards a product that is being put out, I mean look what had happened with the Subculture pallet and the unprofessionalism that took place. I won’t go and harp on this part but to make it simple I agree that Tati didn’t handle what people were asking very well and I will have to see what she has to say. In the meantime, if you want to purchase the vitamins to try them out, in my advice even asking doctors for consultations not his product, just buy a month’s supply and see if it gives you the results in three weeks like she says and be your own judge but if you experience side effects at all just stop. Or go with the alternatives instead and get the over the counter stuff when it comes to vitamins and skin care!

Well, that was a hard post to do but it was very informative. I won’t say if this release was a flop to me but time can only tell if people have certain issues and experiences. So, until next time guys!