A Holistic Approach to Hair Loss
Whether you’re experiencing the shock of recent hair loss or you’ve got long-term alopecia like me, you’d probably try anything to get your hair back.
No matter the cost, the side effects, the headache of choosing between countless hair loss treatments…it’s all worth it, if it means hair growth, right?
Although personally I’ve come to accept my alopecia, and even enjoy having a bald head, I know not everyone is there yet. It took me 15 years, so it can be a long journey!
And while I don’t believe in miracle hair regrowth treatments, I’ve seen from experience how we can minimize hair thinning and promote hair growth through lifestyle habits: supporting gut health, taking supplements (if we’re deficient in certain nutrients) and using products that nourish our scalp and hair, instead of leaving it dry and brittle.
In this post, I’ll compare 2 brands – Hair La Vie vs Viviscal – to show how their range of natural hair care products and hair vitamins can do just that. Creating an optimal environment, inside and out, for healthier, longer and thicker hair.
Emma’s ‘not a doctor’ disclaimer
Hi there, I’m an alopecian, I’m not a doctor! Any advice I give is based on my own research and personal experiences. This site is, however, reader-supported. When you buy through external links, I may earn a tiny affiliate commission. Learn more here.
Hair La Vie produce topical treatments that focus on hair health and particularly, on revitalizing and restoring damaged hair from coloring or chemical treatments.
Even though their products are suitable for all hair types, I’d recommend Hair La Vie for people with fine hair or processed hair for that reason. It’s apparently great for those with sensitive skin or an easily irritated scalp, too.
Hair La Vie was founded in 2014 by a group of health and wellness entrepreneurs. Although it’s relatively new compared to Viviscal, the company has built a good reputation in the meantime: with positive reviews about its shampoos, conditioners, hair masks and serums.
In addition to their topical hair loss treatments, Hair La Vie offers different hair vitamins plus a powdered elixir to support a healthy gut and promote hair growth. All of their products are vegan, cruelty-free, paraben and sulfate free – and they’re composed of natural ingredients.
These ingredients include: Saw Palmetto Extract to block DHT (the hormone linked to hair loss, particularly androgenetic alopecia or male pattern baldness), Tocotrienol (a member of the Vitamin E family which reduces oxidative stress and inflammation) and Collagen (which helps increase hair-building proteins for thicker, stronger hair).
Customer reviews say Hair La Vie shampoo and vitamins helped their hair grow stronger, thicker and in better condition that it had been in a long time. Some reported new hair growth at their crown and hairline and a couple said they experienced less shedding. I couldn’t find any negative side effects linked to Hair La Vie.
Check out my full review to read more about Hair La Vie and its haircare range. Or keep reading to see how it compares to Viviscal!
Viviscal are a more established brand than Hair La Vie – they’ve been hair loss industry leaders for over 25 years. Although they’re best-known for the hair growth supplements they make for both men and women, they also make topical hair growth products with natural ingredients.
These hair care products include a shampoo, a conditioner, an exfoliating scrub and a serum – all of which, like their hair vitamins, are 100% drug-free.
So what makes Viviscal special? Well, for me, it’s their patented AminoMar Complex, which is made from marine proteins like shark cartilage and mollusk powder. The base of Inuit diets, it’s said to boost volume and promote hair growth.
Viviscal also contains Horsetail Extract, which can balance hormones by stabilizing calcium and magnesium levels in the body and Niacin, which improves bood circulation to deliver more nutrients to the hair follicles.
Combined with essential omega-3 fatty acids and other key vitamins and minerals, Viviscal’s formula works to nourish hair follicles, gently cleanse and moisturize the scalp and extend the anagen (growth phase) of the hair cycle – giving you a higher change of hair growth.
Read my full Viviscal review to see its full product line and learn more about those lovely ingredients.
So what are the major differences between these two supplement and hair care brands?
Between the two brands, it looks like Viviscal might be more trust-worthy. For starters, Hair La Vie had to retract some of the claims it made on its website, as there was no scientific evidence to back them up.
What’s more, many customers have complained about being signed up for an autorenewal program without their permission, too – which they can’t cancel. So Hair La Vie doesn’t have great reports about its customer service.
Viviscal, on the other hand, has plenty of clinical trials to back up its effectiveness. One of these clinical studies showed a “significant decrease in hair loss” among the participants after only 90 days, plus a “significant increase in the number of vellus and terminal hairs”.
Customers who buy Viviscal report efficient and reliable customer service – although some of the ones who bought from Amazon complained their supplements were only half the potency of the ones they bought direct from Viviscal.
However, one downside of Viviscal compared to Hair La Vie is the contraindications and potential side effects. Vivisical hair vitamins aren’t suitable for those with a shellfish allergy, for instance, due to the AminoMar complex. Some reviews also reported a “fishy smell and taste” and that the vitamins gave them nausea or stomach cramps.
I couldn’t find any negative side effects reported from using Hair La Vie.
Despite this, Viviscal still comes out much better on Amazon: with 4.3 stars for its Women’s Hair Growth Supplement compared to 4.1 for Hair La Vie’s Clinical Formula Hair Growth Vitamins. And that’s from 5x the number of reviews, too!
Even though it’s got better customer service, is a much more established brand and probably has a more impressive ingredients list, Viviscal is actually a good bit cheaper than Hair La Vie. One month’s supply of Viviscal supplements costs $40, or less if you get a subscription on their website. You can even get it for $29 on Amazon – although maybe that’s a weaker potency.
A one-month supply of Hair La Vie (90 caps, as you take 3 a day) costs $60 on Amazon. So, quite a difference!
It’s close, but I think one brand has the edge. Maybe this recap table will help you see which one you prefer!
Although I’d go for Viviscal over Hair La Vie, there are a few scenarios in which it mightn’t be advisable for you. If you’re pregnant, if you have a fish or shellfish allergy or if you’ve tried Viviscal already and have had any dodgy side effects…well, luckily there’s another great option available!
In terms of thinning hair treatments, my favorite brand is DS Laboratories – specifically, their Revita range. I love their sulfate and paraben free shampoo and conditioner, which are cheaper than either Viviscal or Hair La Vie, and I’m dying to try their serum with nanoxidil, too.
You could add these Revita supplements to your haircare routine but a brand that’s highly recommended by Lady Alopecia readers, and one I bang on about all the time here, is Folexin.
Folexin supplements contain saw palmetto, red clover and green tea to block DHT and act as antioxidants for the scalp. They also contain biotin to support hair protein production.
At $25 per bottle, they’re less than half the price of Hair La Vie, and they’re cheaper than Viviscal, too! The only contraindication I can find is that Folexin contains soy – so if you have a known soy intolerance, perhaps stick to Viviscal.
While Viviscal supplements are probably a better option (and cheaper!) for optimal hair health, Hair La Vie’s topical treatments might be better for hair recovery after chemical damage.
You can buy some, but not all, Hair La Vie products on Amazon. However, you can get more discounts through their website. You can also get Viviscal from Amazon, where it’s a bit cheaper – but to be sure of the real deal, you’re better off buying from Viviscal’s website.
Even with some of the potential side effects, I’d vouch for Viviscal. They’ve been around long enough to build up a loyal following, clinically test their products for effectiveness and work on their customer service – no scammy autoship programs here!
Their haircare treatments are recommended by celebrities and stylists alike and they don’t break the bank, either. I’m less familiar with Hair La Vie, to be honest – but while I like the sound of the actual products, the reports of autoship scams and bad customer service would put me off. Unless, of course, you buy from Amazon or your local salon!
Any readers tried both? Which did you prefer and why? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!
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Alopecian. Yoga Teacher. Copywriter. Here to share information, offer support and show people the adventures that can lie in hair loss. I’m proud to have alopecia and I want to help others embrace their baldness, too!
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I’m Emma. I’ve had alopecia for 24 years and I’m here to inform/hopefully empower people like me! Read my full story here. But I’m not a doctor, so any advice here is based on my own research and experience. I’m also in a few affiliate programs – see my disclaimer page for more. Or contact me here. Also, why not join a thousand fellow alopecians and get my-semi regular hair about life with irregular hair?
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