As I've been blogging about in my previous posts, I'm on a new journey to regain my crowning glory! After watching tons of videos and reading lots of reviews, here's my full strategy. Don't say that I never share ok?

1. Pre-shampoo
Dr Oz mentioned on his show that hot water strips away a lot of natural oil from the scalp and hair. I've got oily scalp but very dry tips. Ever since watching that video, what I've done is to coat my dry hair with conditioner (either leave-in or those that you rinse off) at the START of my shower, leaving it in for a couple of minutes (while I wash my face) before shampoo.

Let me tell you that after 2 days of doing so, I can feel that my hair tips aren't as dry as before and as a result, they are a lot more manageable. This is my quick alternative because some hair experts recommend using coconut oil for thinning hair and they also recommend doing this pre-shampoo step 20 minutes before a shower. Um...no thanks.

By the way, Dr Oz mentions that you shouldn't shampoo your hair too often but when I spoke to my dermatologist about this previously, he said this, "We're in tropical Singapore where it is super humid everyday. We have to shampoo everyday. Unless your scalp isn't oily." So, go ahead and shampoo away!

2. Biotin

I reckon that I'm also not getting enough nutrients to my hair with all my stress eating and well...stress in general. So I'm taking Biotin supplements (Holland & Barrett's was having a sale...$9.90/bottle) and I also chanced upon this Biotin shampoo by GNC. The shampoo isn't cheap. It's $21.95/bottle but members are able to get a discount. I bought 2 bottles for $32.95 as the ongoing promotion is Buy 1 and get 2nd at 50%. It's still cheaper than Phyto shampoo so I figured, why not?

I haven't tried the shampoo but I've been taking the supplements for a week now. I don't see any significant difference but all these things do take time.

3. Conditioner
 Although I've done the whole pre-shampoo step, it is still important to protect the hair shafts. So, I still condition my hair using Argan Oil. I am currently using Body Shop's spray on argan oil and I must say that I love the smell. I only use 2 sprays each time and it has been about 4 months but I haven't used up a bottle. Barely half way. So...it is worth the money. Can't remember the exact price that I bought it at. Best thing is that after conditioning my hair, I can rub off any excess oil onto my body.

4. HairMax


As I had excitedly posted this about 2 weeks ago, I've been following instructions by using this 3 times a week. I must say that it has been helping with improving the oil balance on my scalp so far. I was not expecting this but...it did! I normally will shampoo my hair in the morning and by 4pm, it'll get visibly oily (at least to me) but ever since I started using HairMax, I find that this is delayed till after 6pm. Just in time for me to sweat it out in the gym and shampoo again.

5. Tonic
Although I've given this tonic less than a great review, I'm not going to waste what's left of it and just like the biotin supplements, if it is putting more good stuff into my hair...why not?

6. Hair cut
I've chopped off my locks and have gone for a fringe! This will lighten the overall load on my scalp while my follicles heal and I think that with the fringe (or bangs for you Americans) doesn't pull down the whole hair so my hair looks less flat. However, this hairstyle is surprisingly more high maintenance than my previous one because I now have to blow it a little. Otherwise, I'll look more bald!

7. Rest, rest and rest

I need to get enough sleep and cope better with stress so that my hair doesn't suffer. Just like how I was like on my long leave, I will listen to my body and rest whenever I'm tired. Body is now playing catch up.