HALO BEAUTY Immunity Booster. Do you really need it? A pharmacist’s opinion
Tati Westbrook’s (aka glamlifeguru) brand, Halo Beauty has recently released a new product, the Immunity Booster. Liliana has been a pharmacist for more than twenty five years and is currently running her own chain of pharmacies. She has lab experience and she agreed to discuss the Immunity Booster for us. While some of the ingredients have been analysed in her previous analysis of Halo Beauty products, this time she will discuss the vitamins through the lens of them boosting your immunity. How does each ingredient help to strengthen your immunity? How well do they work combined? Do they really help?
This article is not sponsored or affiliated in any way with Halo Beauty or Tati Westbrook.
Breaking down the ingredients and their role for the Immune System
Vitamin A (as Retinyl acetate) | improves resistance to respiratory infections and it helps with the normal functioning of the immune system |
Vitamin C (as Ascorbic Acid) | it is not a vitamin that the human body can synthesize, therefore Vitamin C needs to be introduced in the body through products that contain it. Vitamin C increases the strength of your immune system allowing it to help fight against infections. It increases the activity of the cells that destroy the pathogen agents. |
Vitamin D (as Cholecalciferol) | it is a very popular vitamin nowadays. It protects the body from respiratory infections and it strengthens the response of the immune system when catching viruses. |
Vitamin E (as dl-alpha tocopheryl acetate) | Vitamin E is an antioxidant. It also has a catalyst role in some biochemical reactions in the body. It strengthens the immune system and it decreases the risk of infections. The version of Vitamin E in the Halo Beauty Immunity Booster is the synthetic one. This is the poorer choice out of the two alternatives (the natural or the synthetic version). |
Selenium (as Selenium Amino Acid Chelate) | it has the same antioxidizing effect as Vitamin E, protecting thus the cells from damage. Selenium is also a part of the immune system’s structure and it also fights against infections. |
Manganese (as Manganese Gluconate) | it is one of the essential minerals in the body. It sustains the response of the immune system. |
Magnesium Gluconate | it is a soluble form of magnesium. It helps your immune system, helping it fight against diseases. |
Zinc Sulfate | a soluble zinc salt that influences the immunity. It helps to fight against diseases. This is another very popular ingredient nowadays. In the Halo Beauty Immunity Booster the quantity of this is the same as in pretty much all the other supplements containing zinc. |
Sodium Bicarbonate | it is the base that creates the effervescence of the product once the powder is put into water (in simpler terms it makes the water go fizzy) |
Potassium Bicarbonate | It has the same properties as Sodium Bicarbonate (see above). |
Organic Ginger Root | it is rich in antioxidants, having its own benefits in boosting the immune system. Perhaps this ginger root also gives some flavour to the product. |
Beta-1, 3 1, 6 D-Glucans | it activates the immune system’s cells, the macrophages. These cells swallow the viruses and bacteria. |
L-Theanine | it is an amino acid that is naturally found in the leaves of green tea. These have the role of balancing the immune system. Green tea is also known for its rich antioxidant proprieties. |
Inositol | it helps with the normal functioning of the lungs. Perhaps this help is what is meant by giving a boost to the immune system. |
Elderberry Extract | an excellent plant that is often used for flus and colds. It has a sudorific (sweating) effect, helping you to eliminate toxins through sweat. |
Other Ingredients:
Natural Citrus Flavoring | it gives the flavour. This is a natural extract. |
Citric Acid | it offers the effervescent quality of the product. It can also give a sour flavour. |
Monk Fruit Extract | usually used as a sweetener (natural). |
Stevia | like the Monk Fruit Extract, this is another plant from which you can extract natural sweeteners. |
Silicon Dioxide | it helps the flow of the product by not letting the powder in the sachets harden and keeps the powder dry. This is an excipient, meaning that it does not have any medical or nutritive properties. |
Discussing the antiviral claims
How essential is a supplement that boosts immunity?
Liliana: Supplements that boost immunity are very important during times in which our body is weak and needs some help to fight against illnesses.
In today’s world, the food we consume is often filled with chemicals and lacks the nutrients, the calories, the vitamins or the minerals we need in order to have a balanced life. Supplements are ideal for people that have a rushed life, who do not have enough time to rest or to make sure that the food they eat is providing them with everything they need. For them, these pills and powders are their little magic, completing their needs.
Does the Halo Beauty Immunity Booster really offer protective antiviral ingredients?
Liliana: On their own, the ingredients in this product do not stop the viruses from getting into your body. Also, they do not kill the viruses once they get into the body. They do something different – they stimulate the immune system and the cells that are responsible for fighting against these viruses. You can still get viruses, but these viruses will be annihilated by the cells that are responsible with defending the body.
An analogy to explain this more clearly would be to imagine your body as a country. You have an army to defend your country, but if the soldiers in the army are tired and weak, they will not defend your country well at all. Imagine the immunity booster supplements as something that makes your soldiers in the army stronger, awake, alert and stimulated. Your army is now much stronger and ready to defend your country.
How well do the ingredients work combined?
Liliana: The ingredients work well together, having a synergic effect. This means that together the ingredients are much stronger than if taken separately.
Dosages, price and final thoughts
What is your opinion of the way Halo Beauty recommends you to take this product?
Halo Beauty recommends to take this product when you are feeling run down, like before getting sick or to take it two weeks on and off.
Liliana: That is okay, but my recommendation would be to take this type of product before the problems appear. That way you are giving the vitamins time to absorb into your body.
Halo Beauty say that the Immunity Booster can be taken together with the Nail, Skin & Hair Booster and with the other supplements they have. Would you recommend this?
Liliana: The Immunity Booster is focused on antioxidants, so technically yes. However, I would recommend two weeks on the Nails, Skin & Hair Booster (or Kiwi) and two weeks on the Immunity Booster, on and off from each other. You do not want to give too much to your body unless it actually needs it. This is something that each person has to optimise according to their own needs, after talking to a healthcare professional.
What is your opinion of the Halo Beauty Immunity Booster?
Liliana: It is clear to me that Halo Beauty has a team of experts behind the scenes who are studying these formulas very carefully. The formula shows that it was studied at length by experts and that it was put together in a careful manner.
In my opinion, this is not a better or worse product than other products on the market labelled with the same immunity boosting properties. However, the Halo Beauty Immunity Booster does show special care to keeping the list of ingredients short and sweet. It does not contain colouring agents, artificial sweeteners and other excipients that can cause harm in many people. This is an excellent thing in my opinion. It still contains natural flavours and sweeteners, which are not harmful and still make the product taste nice.
Do you think that £14 for 14 sachets is expensive?
Liliana: Unfortunately, cheaper products often contain colouring agents, artificial sweeteners and other ingredients that you might not want. The Halo Beauty Immunity Booster is a slightly more focused product, in terms that is containing less harmful and toxic excipients than other water soluble supplements. Products like these are generally more expensive and seems suitable according to its ingredients and composition.
Finally, from a scale of 1 to 10, what grade would you give to the Halo Beauty Immunity Booster?
Liliana: I would give it an 8. Not everyone tolerates a product like this. I have a lot of patients that ask for capsules, rather than water soluble vitamins. In fact, I would not be surprised if Halo Beauty also released a capsule version of this product.
The ingredients are good and well combined, although I do wonder why they chose to use the synthetic form of Vitamin E instead of the natural one. Also, while as a pharmacist I do appreciate the price to be leveled with the quality, some people might find it pricey.
Read more of Liliana’s Halo Beauty analysis:
Halo Beauty Kiwi Seed Booster – How is it different? A pharmacist’s opinion
A pharmacist’s take on Halo Beauty: His & Hers Multivitamins
Read more about TATI BEAUTY:
TATI BEAUTY: Safe ingredients? An in-depth look
EVERYTHING about Tati Westbrook’s eyeshadow Palette Vol.1
TATI BEAUTY failed the wear test?!
Watch my Review on TATI BEAUTY:
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only. Please consult your physician or pharmacist before taking any supplements, because they can interact with other medication that you take or with illnesses.
This article is not sponsored and does not contain affiliate links. This article does not have the purpose to endorse supplements.
The cover image is own by Halo Beauty and is used for review purposes only.
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