Review – Silicea Direct by Hübner – Beauty in the box

What is Silicea Direct?

Silicea is a food supplement that can help maintain healthy skin, hair and strong nails, preventing (to a degree) the signs of ageing and it keeps hair, skin and nails looking beautiful. It can also play a role in the maintenance of healthy muscles and bones.

What’s inside the pack?

Silicic Acid gel (90%), fruit mix from fruit concentrates: Grape, Elderberry, Blackcurrant, Strawberry, Raspberry; Fructose, Thickening agent; Pectin, Xanthan gum; Acidifier Malic acid, Natural Flavour, Selenium and Biotin.

This means that the product is 100% natural. Silicea contains silica, one of the body’s essential nutrients, which is used by all the connective tissue. Our body uses up silica on a daily basis as flakes of skin, hair and nails are discarded, so this is an easy and convenient way of replacing it. Silica is one of our most valuable minerals and one of the most important ‘beauty’ nutrients: it helps to support the formation of collagen and elastin which strengthens skin, hair and nails by encouraging the body to hold on to water and other vital nutrients.

And what’s inside the pack for real?

The answer is still the same; just as above 😉 It comes in the form of delicious red berry ‘smoothie’ shots that are providing mineral silica in a highly available form for better absorption. Hübner’s convenient silica shots provide a measured dosage in a sachet form and because they do not require refrigeration, are ideal for people on the move.

Suitability:

• 100% natural
• Dairy, lactose, wheat and gluten free
• No preservatives
• GM free
• Not tested on animals
• Suitable for vegetarians and vegans

Directions:

Take one sachet (15ml) daily between main meals.

Treatment Time:

The recommended treatment time is 3 months at least twice a year.

It might sound like a long term project, but one finger nail needs around 6 months until it is fully re-grown, skin needs around 28 days to regenerate and hair grows just over one centimetre per month… so no rush there…

Price:

£12.95 for 15 x 15ml sachets

Availability:

Hübner Silicea Direct is available to buy from health stores nationwide and at Healthy2U online.

My thoughts:

Interesting product, this was the first thought that came to my mind. I know there is a huge range of beauty supplements sold as pills or tablets or even a powder which you mix with water but I’ve never seen or tried anything in the form of a gel. If I had to describe the product in just one word it would be weird. You might ask if it is a good weird or a bad weird … Actually neither…it is just weird. The reason for this is the texture. It is a bit like watery jam, but what is the weirdest part is that not all of the shot has the same consistency; so some portions within one sachet are thicker than others. It really is quite surreal experience. Taste wise it is fruity and you can’t miss the berry flavour but it also has quite strong metallic taste. I guess this is how silica tastes 😉

As I received only one pack and used it for just over two weeks I can’t really comment as to the visible benefits of it.

As food supplements go, I like the idea of this one. I think helping our skin, hair and nails from the inside are important. I will get myself a bigger pack for a longer test but I think I will try the capsule version. Yes, they have it in a capsule version too.

Did you ever try Silicea Direct or any silica based products?

* I received one pack of Silicea Direct for free for review purpose. All opinions about the product are honest and my own.

Nail files – which one would you choose?

Our nails, like every other part of our body, requires’ special care in order to be healthy and strong. I am quite lucky in this department as I have never had problems with my nails, they seem to grow nicely and do not break so often, but despite this “gift of nature” I do my part to help keep them this way.

The main tool needed to take a proper care of our nails is a humble nail file.

These days nail files come in many different forms and sizes; they are also made from different materials and sometimes it is really not so easy to pick which one is perfect for us.

I remember when I was younger, much younger, that was just one type of a nail file – the standard silver metal one, which you could buy in different sizes but those days are no more… now the choices are endless and it is worth knowing what each particular nail file can do.

So what are our options?

Metal nail file

Many people do not have a good opinion of these nail files anymore. A lot of people think they are responsible for many split and scratched nails. Is it true? I don’t know to be honest.  What I do know is that they are very solid and will last “forever”, they can be washed and disinfected and in most cases are very thin and bend easily, which allows you to do with them as you please. I think that if you know how to use a metal nail file correctly and do not press to hard and do not keep it at the wrong angle, you should be fine.

Paper nail file so called emery board

They are by far the most popular and the cheapest option. They come in different grades from 80 going up. This numbers tell us how many grains there is on 1cm2 of the file – the higher the number the more grains meaning the nail file is that much more delicate. The most popular ones are double sided with 80 or 100 on one side – used to shorten your nails and either 180 or 240 on the other side, which is used for your final shaping. They also come in different shapes – straight, rounded, half moon or even a block – different shapes help with more specific tasks we may want to achieve. Emery boards are not perfect, they can’t be cleaned or sterilised in most cases, they have a “short” lifespan compared to other files and in most cases they are thicker than other nail files, which is not very helpful in home set up, everyday use if you are not a professional.

Ceramic nail file

I have never used one so I have no idea if they are good or not, but I do know that they exist – yes, I know not a very informative part of my post…

Glass nail file

They are not the cheapest out there but they do seem to be the best tool for the job. They are long lasting – some companies give lifetime guarantees for their files 🙂, they can be cleaned and disinfected as needed. They are gentle for your nails but at the same time they work fast. For me there is no going back…

I was sent a Crystal Nail File from Healthy Nails and this is the first glass file I ever owned and used. This is also the first nail file which I ever seen coming in its own case :-). The Crystal Nail File works fast, it turns excess nail into dust, leaving a smooth finish every time. It has an extremely pointy tip which for me is a great plus. I used to use a metal nail file in places where my emery board couldn’t reach… now there is no need for it… I can use just one nail file for all the tasks.

The Crystal Nail File from Healthy Nails has an RRP of £16.99 (currently on special offer reduced to £12.99) which might seem like a lot of money for a nail file, but is it really? This will be the only nail file you will ever need – no need for replacing it because it will never wear out. The Crystal Nail File is currently available in 3 different colours – you can chose between black, pink and a lovely purple one. They all come with a carry case, which will help you protect it and keep it safe 😉

So, which nail file is for you?

Or is there something else on the market and I didn’t mention it?