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Highly raved biotin shampoos under S$13 to try for hair growth

Growing your hair out can feel like a real challenge. It seems like strands are constantly shedding or snapping in the process of daily hair routines, especially in showers or when you’re tackling tangles.

Do you know that biotin has been a popular solution to hair growth woes for many years? The vitamin strengthens hair follicles, providing them with the support they need to grow and stay healthy.

For those looking for a way to support your hair’s regrowth and quality, these biotin shampoos may be a great solution.

#1: Rainbow Research, Henna & Biotin Herbal Shampoo (360ml)

Price: S$8+

Rainbow Research’s Henna & Biotin Herbal Shampoo brings out the best biotin qualities to create a strengthening and nourishing product that features henna for additional benefits.

Designed for normal or colour treated hair, the natural colourless henna extract does not leave any stains behind. The pH-balanced and gluten-free product can strengthen the hair shaft and add body and shine to it.

It’s an item that’s completely gentle with no animal testing done. Purchase this shampoo if you want a perfect formula to get your healthy hair growth back on track.

#2: Mill Creek Botanicals, Biotin Therapy Formula Shampoo (414ml)

Price: S$9.90+

This invigorating biotin therapy formula is packed with botanical goodness for a vegan-free approach to biotin benefits.

The product adds vital B vitamins to your hair growth routine alongside a dose of peppermint oil that refreshes and sustains your hair from the inside out.

Designed to strengthen your hair, Mill Creek Botanicals’ Biotin Therapy Formula Shampoo works to bring your hair to new heights.

#3: Aubrey Organics, Men’s Stock, Ginseng Biotin Shampoo (237ml)

Price: S$9.90+

As the name suggests, Aubrey Organics’ Ginseng Biotin Shampoo is only for gentlemen. This natural biotin shampoo is vegetarian-friendly and biodegradable, prioritising sustainability and all-natural ingredients over chemical-infused ones.

The formula will contribute to clean, shiny, soft, and easy-to-style hair. It’s also an effective treatment for thinning hair, leaving your scalp in excellent condition as it works to support thick hair regrowth.

#4: Mild By Nature, Thickening B-Complex & Biotin Shampoo (473ml)

Price: S$11+

This mild product is ranked in the top spots on iHerb’s shampoo category.

Designed to feature B-Complex, biotin, and panthenol, this gentle pH-balanced formula boasts cruelty-free and vitamin-supported hydration that promotes thicker, fuller, and healthier hair.

It is also formulated without sulfates, parabens, or phthalates to give you peace of mind. Instead, Mild By Nature’s Thickening B-Complex & Biotin Shampoo comes with all the good stuff your hair needs to thrive – quinoa, flax proteins, and loquat leaf extract.

#5: Jason Natural, Biotin & Hyaluronic Acid Shampoo (473ml)

Price: S$11+

Jason Natural’s creations have been around for over 50 years, and the brand continues to renew and infuse all hair types with energy and life.

Its Biotin & Hyaluronic Acid Shampoo makes your hair two times thicker and fuller in volume while avoiding breakage. It also works to repair split ends.

Together with pro-vitamin B5 and hyaluronic acid, we’re not exaggerating the restorative properties of this shampoo. Try it to know the effects!

#6: Avalon Organics, Biotin B-Complex Thickening Shampoo (414ml)

Price: S$12.70+

Are you searching high and low for a rich, lathering shampoo that is vegan, biodegradable, and fully equipped with the right blend of biotin for your hair? Look no further.

Avalon Organics’ Biotin B-Complex Thickening Shampoo supports you in regrowing energised hair that’s strong and resilient against Singapore’s unpredictable weather conditions.

Use this product to achieve thick and rich hair follicles with Biotin B-complex, quinoa protein, and vitamin E.

Final thoughts

A biotin shampoo is a great resource to add to your haircare toolkit.

Those mentioned in this article can provide the hydration your hair needs to look its best no matter the weather condition. From strengthening natural properties to reliable vitamin infusions, you can trust the ones above to transform your hair growth routine.

IATA says we might be able to travel leisurely after May or June 2021

Are you hungry to travel? I sure am.

We’ve kept to several COVID-19 safety measures for about a year now, and it’s also officially been a year since the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the virus outbreak a pandemic.

Singapore, alongside other countries, has fought hard to keep the numbers down, and we’re thankful that vaccine supplies are sufficient in our little red dot at the moment.

Furthermore, there’s good news from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) recently.

Return of personal travel

According to Alexandre de Juniac, the IATA director, in an interview with The Straits Times, leisure travel will return from mid-2021 as borders reopen to people looking to hop on a plane to a destination.

“We will likely start seeing a change in the air travel landscape after May or June this year,” Mr de Juniac said. “We at IATA are already working with states to design and plan protocols and road maps for the reopening of borders.”

Though the volume of travel by the end of 2021 will not be on par with pre-pandemic levels (which makes perfect sense), isn’t it fantastic news for peeps who are looking forward to meeting their friends and families living abroad?

IATA’s Travel Pass

Image Credits: NFCW

But we won’t be able to make our dreams come true without key protocols in place.

One of them is the IATA Travel Pass. It is a mobile health verification app that electronically stores information on passengers’ health and virus tests or vaccines status. This is essential as we take steps to revive travel.

In fact, Singapore Airlines will be the first carrier to test out the full deployment of the IATA Travel Pass. Passengers heading to London with a phone operating on iOS later this month will have the chance to partake in the trial.

Travellers will be able to use the app to:

Submit flight information
Book a COVID-19 test at participating clinics in Singapore
View the test results directly and allow check-in staff at Changi Airport to verify their status accordingly

“Our partnership with Singapore Airlines for the first full deployment of the IATA Travel Pass will help get the world flying again,” said Mr Nick Careen from the industry body.

Leisure vs Business

Some of you might be wondering if business travel will take priority over leisure ones. But Mr de Juniac foresees that personal travel will come back more quickly than business travel.

He shares that leisure journeys will definitely bounce back, but business travel will take up to 18 months to recover.

Since more companies have hopped onto digitalisation technologies over the pandemic period to adapt to changing times, there is indeed a lesser need for in-person work meetings.

What’s next?

For those eyeing travel-related news, look out for the International Civil Aviation Organisation (Icao)’s latest protocols on health and safety guidelines. It should be out by April 2021.

Also, based on Mr de Juniac’s prediction of Asia-Pacific emerging as the most robust region for global air traffic recovery, that’s enough to bring a smile to the faces of travel-deprived folks.

Watch the news report here:

Kids Online Account Opening Promotion

Saving is a habit that takes time to build. It’s never too early to start teaching your child the importance of saving and spending wisely. With My Account, you can keep track of how much you save and add features to meet your growing needs.

Start by opening a My Account for your child and receive a POSB Smart Buddy Watch with a Limited-Edition Strap (Worth S$45) to keep track of their daily spending.

Reward:

Receive a POSB Smart Buddy Watch with a Limited-Edition Strap (worth up to S$45)* when you deposit and maintain average daily of S$1,500 for a 6-month period.

*Limited to first 600 redemptions only, while stocks last.

How to be rewarded:

Promotion period is from 2 March 2021 to 30 June 2021.

Please refer to the Terms & Conditions and Frequently Asked Questions for more details.

My Account for your child

For existing POSB/DBS account holders, you can apply for a joint alternate My Account with your child online¹.

¹Applicable to children below 16 years old, and do not own an existing joint alternate My Account

Apply now

Please prepare the following required documents prior to your application.

About POSB Smart Buddy

POSB Smart Buddy is the world’s first in-school savings and payments wearables on your child’s wrist. It lets your child tap to pay in school and at selected merchants, check on balances, and track fitness levels.

As a parent, enjoy greater convenience in managing your child’s finances and encourage smart living and saving habits – all with an accompanying mobile app.

Find out more

7 red flags that show you’re spending way too much money

Do you believe that one of the foundations of achieving wealth is saving as much money as you can? A highly effective method of building your savings is to live below your means, and we can’t emphasise that enough in our articles.

Just in case you get us wrong, this doesn’t mean taking a vow of poverty and selling all your possessions away. It just means actively monitoring your spending and watching for ways to spend less.

Watch out for these red flags that may indicate you’re spending way too much money.

#1: Spending above your salary

Spending more money than you make is a bad habit. Overspending can put you in debt, which is incompatible with your aim for financial freedom.

To better evaluate your spending, make a list of all your monthly expenses – housing, food, bills, memberships, and subscriptions – and compare it to your monthly income. If your expenditure exceeds your salary, you must find ways to increase your earnings or decrease your spending.

For freelancers with variable incomes, this can be challenging. One strategy is to calculate your average monthly payment over a rolling 12-month period and use that number to budget. You may also use a more conservative approach by taking your lowest-earning month as a baseline to account from.

#2: Budgeting based on your pre-tax income

Image Credits: wincofoam.com

Constructing your budget on your pre-tax earnings can be a huge mistake. If you’re a Singapore Citizen (SC), Singapore Permanent Resident (SPR), or a foreigner who has stayed for 183 days or more, you would be well aware of Singapore’s income tax requirements.

The more money you earn, the more you pay in taxes. This means our take-home pay is less than our hourly rate or our salary would suggest. It is, therefore, unwise to craft your budget on your pre-tax income since you do not get to keep everything you earn.

Build your budget around your take-home pay minus the taxes for a more accurate financial review.

#3: Oustanding balances on your credit accounts

Having credit cards to supplement your income can be highly attractive. However, unpaid debt on your credit lines is detrimental to your financial health.

According to some local findings, the average interest rate on a credit card on our sunny island is about 25%. If you do not pay off your credit card in full every month, the remaining balance will begin accruing interest, and this may grow out of hand if not kept in check.

Debt can increase rapidly even before you realise it. Be sure to pay off your credit balances in full at the end of each month, and if you can’t, at least go past the minimum sum required to “get by’. This is because merely making minimum payments every month is a dangerous practice.

Should you find yourself unable to do so, it means you are spending too much on credit.

#4: Having a negative net worth

Image Credits: corporatefinanceinstitute.com

Investopedia defines net worth as the value of all of your assets minus your liabilities. If your net worth is negative, you owe more money than you own. Makes sense? If not, read that again.

This is not a desirable state of affairs for sure. To know your net worth, you can calculate it using Moneysense’s Net Worth Calculator. The numbers will help you take stock of your current financial situation.

For those who are severely indebted, with a net worth of – S$15,000 or less, you may wish to consider examining Singapore’s bankruptcy laws to help you repair your finances and start afresh.

#5: Housing expenses over 40% of your gross income

Experts suggest that your housing expenses should not exceed 30% to 40% of your monthly income. For example, if you bring home S$4,000 a month, your monthly housing budget should be somewhere between S$1,200 and S$1,600.

To find out your ideal housing expenses, simply multiply your monthly income by 0.3 or 0.4 to see what your monthly budget for housing expenses should be. If your rent exceeds this number, you may need to try and find a less expensive apartment and not survive just on your savings.

#6: Spending to keep up with social influences

Image Credits: motors.hongsehgroup.com

In our current age of Instagram and TikTok, it is easy to get swirled into the world’s neverending wants. We may see influencers, friends, or family members buying new items or taking expensive staycations and begin to wonder if we should do the same.

But before we buy that latest device or spend money on an extravagant restaurant date, we must ask if we’re doing this for ourselves or to impress someone else on the worldwide web? Is it worth finding money in the budget to keep up with appearances?

Spend your money wisely and avoid the trap of wanting the latest of everything because that will only lead you down the point of no return.

#7: Your savings are literally zero

An absence of savings is a common-sense indicator of excessive spending.

A healthy savings account can help you survive unexpected expenses medically related and help you prepare for significant life events like starting a family or even early retirement.

If your savings account is empty or underfunded, you are spending too much and saving too little. Finding small opportunities to save money will help get your spending under control and your savings back on track.

6 Things To Consider When Buying A Laptop

In 2020, retailers and PC makers saw an incredible spike in laptop sales after the Circuit Breaker measures implemented the closing of schools and non-essential work premises. Electronics retailer Courts said that it experienced an “overwhelming demand for laptops because of the work-from-home situation”. Moreover, online retailer Lazada said that their sales of laptops increased by 80% following the Circuit Breaker announcement.

Having your own laptop or desktop computer is crucial to fulfill your roles in school or at work. As we transition to a digitally-centered world, you may consider purchasing a laptop soon. I just bought mine yesterday and these were the specifications that I researched for.

#1: SIZE AND FORM

You need to make sure that you pick a laptop that best suits your needs and personality. Depending on what you plan to be doing on your laptop, look for a size that is right for you.
For people who opt for portability, you may go for laptops with smaller screens. Look for laptops that have a screen size of 12.5-inches or 13.3-inches and a weight of 1kg to 1.5kgs. Smaller laptops are ideal for people who work mainly one emails, spreadsheets, and presentations. On the other hand, a bigger laptop is suitable if you edit videos on a regular basis.

As an editor or gamer, you can opt for a 15-inch model. This type usually comes with a powerful hardware such as a dedicated graphics chip for creating multimedia content and gaming.

#2: WEB CAMERA

Yesterday, I was faced with a dilemma involving the laptop’s web camera. I can either opt for a laptop with a better web camera and a slower processor or a laptop with an okay camera and a faster processor. I opt for the latter. I find it more convenient to purchase external accessories than to upgrade a laptop’s internal system. You may want to do the same thing too.

With the rise of video meetings and online classes, it is time for the web camera to shine! The 720p camera in most new laptops is more than adequate for your daily use. When buying an external web camera, you may consider its additional features such as unlocking your computer via facial recognition. Check the location of the web camera too.

#3: CPU

In most cases, notebooks come with a Core processor from market leader Intel. For many users, they are satisfied with the performance of the Intel Core Processor. Core i3-based notebooks are generally found in entry-level systems, while Core i5 are found in mainstream computers. The high-end processors are Core i7 and Core i9.

In a similar fashion, AMD processors have different conventions such as Ryzen 3, Ryzen 5, Ryzen 7 and Ryzen 9. Ryzen 9 offers the best performance.

#4: GRAPHICS

Produced by a graphics chip, the visuals you see on a laptop screen play an important role on how your experience your device. This comes in either a part of the processor or a separate dedicated chip.

For people who play games or produce digital content, having a dedicated graphics chip offer more options when it comes to controlling the performance. Know that the gaming firm Nvidia recently refreshed its entire GeForce mobile graphics chips.

#5: MEMORY AND STORAGE

System memory or RAM affects the responsiveness of a computer and its applications. The 8GB RAM should suffice most users. Those who edit videos and photos may need more RAM.

Another option is the solid-state drives (SSD) that are faster and more reliable. You should expect to have at least 256GB SSD. Ultimately, your lifestyle will dictate your needs in memory and storage.

#6: PORTS AND CONNECTIVITY

When it comes to ports and connectivity, an ideal laptop must have the HDMI port or USB Type-A ports. Moreover, you must check how fast it can connect to the wireless connectivity as most of us will be relying on the Wi-Fi router.

Image Credits: unsplash.com

When buying a laptop, you must strike a balance between all these features and your budget. You need to make some compromises based on your needs and your current funds. It is rare to be in a situation wherein all your boxes are filled, especially when it comes to the price. Good luck!