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Fuller Hair in 120 Days? My Journey with Vegamour's GRO+ Advanced Hair Care System

Lifestyle, MotherhoodAmanda Walter | Maple AlpsComment

Ready to talk hair care? I’m back with another exciting collaboration with my friends from Vegamour, and I can't wait to share the latest in my hair care journey! Vegamour is a brand that aligns so well with my values—they’re vegan, cruelty-free, hormone-free, and their products are clinically tested. Today, I’m diving into their newest launch that claims to give you fuller-looking hair within 90-120 days—how amazing is that? 



If you’ve been following me for a while, you may remember my earlier post about daily habits for your thirties. Back then, I partnered with Vegamour to try their lash and brow serums and the original GRO serum, and I was so impressed with the results! My lashes and brows were noticeably fuller, and my hair felt healthier than ever. So naturally, when they reached out for another collaboration, I jumped at the chance.




Introducing Vegamour’s GRO+ Advanced System


This year, Vegamour introduced their GRO+ Advanced System—specifically designed for severe shedding. As someone who has experienced three pregnancies in the last four years (hello, motherhood!), my hair has been through a lot. Postpartum shedding is real, and let me tell you, it’s not fun. So, when I heard about this new system, I knew it could be a game-changer for me and anyone else dealing with thinning hair or major shedding.




The GRO+ Advanced System is co-developed with dermatologists, which reassures me that it’s not just another product with lofty promises. This is a truly extra-strength system designed for those of us who need serious help with our hair. I’m excited to see if this can really make a difference after dealing with years of postpartum hair thinning.




What’s in the Box?


Vegamour kindly sent me their full GRO+ Advanced Kit, which includes:

- GRO+ Advanced Hair Serum

- GRO+ Advanced Balancing Shampoo and Conditioner Kit




GRO+ Advanced Hair Serum

This serum has all the makings of a hair-saver. It’s designed to:

- Improve hair density

- Reduce shedding

- Hydrate the scalp to support the skin barrier



What makes this serum stand out is the blend of powerful, antioxidant-rich ingredients. It features Rhapontic Rhubarb Root and Japanese Beauty Berry Extract both of which are apparently known for their hair-thickening properties. These ingredients work together to create the perfect environment for healthy hair growth. The serum also includes Spanish Microalgae, a prebiotic superfood that helps to hydrate and rebalance the scalp environment. As if that’s not enough, plant stem cells are also part of the formula. They help to anchor the hair follicles at the root, allowing thinning hair to thrive once again.



This combination of ingredients sounds like exactly what my hair has been craving. Postpartum shedding can leave hair feeling weak and fragile, so I’m hoping this serum will be the secret weapon to get my hair back on track.




GRO+ Advanced Shampoo and Conditioner

Now, let’s talk about the shampoo and conditioner. This duo is inspired by skincare principles, and I love how the same ingredients that work for your skin can also benefit your scalp. 



The GRO+ Advanced Shampoo is formulated to:

- Exfoliate the scalp and gently remove buildup

- Help fragile, thinning hair feel nourished from the root




It includes Niacinamide and Spanish Microalgae to help promote a balanced scalp environment. The exfoliating effect is crucial because it clears away buildup that can clog hair follicles and prevent hair growth. Plus, it’s gentle, which is important when your hair is already delicate from shedding.



The GRO+ Advanced Conditioner is equally impressive. It’s free from silicones, which can sometimes weigh hair down, and instead, it’s packed with marula oil. Marula oil is known for its hydrating and shine-boosting properties, so I’m looking forward to seeing how this conditioner can improve the manageability and overall health of my hair. I also love how it leaves hair hydrated without making it greasy or heavy—something that’s essential for anyone dealing with thinning or fragile hair.

Why I Love Vegamour

One of the reasons I keep coming back to Vegamour is their commitment to creating products that are not only effective but also ethical. Their products are completely vegan, hormone-free, and cruelty-free, meaning I can feel good about using them. It’s also worth mentioning that their formulations are co-developed with dermatologists, so they’re backed by science, not just marketing hype. 


Another thing that stands out to me is Vegamour’s focus on sustainability. From the ingredients they use to their packaging, it’s clear that a lot of thought goes into making sure their process is as eco-friendly as possible. The packaging I received was not only gorgeous but also mostly recyclable, which is a win in my book!

First Impressions: Unboxing the GRO+ Advanced System

When my Vegamour box arrived, I was so excited to dive in. The packaging, as always, was beautiful—minimalistic yet elegant. I appreciate the effort they put into making the unboxing experience feel special. And as someone who is trying to reduce waste, I love that most of the packaging is recyclable. Everything arrived in perfect condition, and I immediately wanted to start using the products.



What’s Next?

So, what’s the verdict so far? I’m only just starting to use the GRO+ Advanced System, so I can’t give you a full review yet—but my initial impressions are very positive. Over the next few weeks, I’ll be using the serum, shampoo, and conditioner regularly to see how they work on my shedding-prone hair. I’m particularly excited to see if the serum lives up to its claim of reducing shedding and boosting hair density within 90-120 days.


Stay tuned for my full review, where I’ll break down how these products perform and whether they’re worth adding to your hair care routine. If you’re struggling with thinning hair or postpartum shedding like I am, this might be the solution we’ve been waiting for. 


I can’t wait to share my results with you all! Until then, if you’re interested in learning more about Vegamour and their range of products, you can check them out here.

Ten Baby Products We Use Every Day

Mama BuysAmanda Walter | Maple AlpsComment

Having a tiny human can be extremely daunting. When we first found out we were expecting, I already knew in my mind that I truly wanted the bare minimum amount of things possible. I searched for the most minimalist and versatile products out there that we could use and incorporate into our new normal. 


To be honest, I hated every second of research. I thought I would be excited about looking at baby things, but it was not the case. I got so sick of reading about baby gear and clothes and all the things people claimed we would need. I got tired of researching the best prices. I grew weary of reading reviews and consumer reports. It was all just so exhausting to me. 


I did, finally, get to a point where I felt pretty good about the choices we made for the newborn stage (and beyond - since we were thinking ahead as much as possible), and now that that stage is over [insert crying over my growing baby], I’m sharing my top ten must-haves!

(You can see more must-haves in my Amazon storefront here!)


Of course, this list is my list. Based on our needs. It is also not an exhaustive list; there are items we use every day that didn’t make this list because they’re so striaght-forward, like bodysuits, etc. There will definitely be some who disagree or don’t relate because their daily lives and setups look different than ours. So take it with a grain of salt. Just know, though, that I always only suggest things I personally recommend, so while there are some affiliate links, be assured I use and trust the products!


This blog post contains affiliate links

baby blanket and baby. Baby products that are worth every penny



Stokke Tripp Trapp High Chair

I love this high chair. We got the newborn attachment so that Baby Z could be at the table with us, and I’m so glad we did! The price tag is higher, but I like that this chair will grow with her. Not to mention it looks fantastic and will blend in with our decor. Get yours from Amazon today.

Lovevery Play Gym

Another high price tag, but worth it. Baby Z loves this play gym, and it’s been so fun watching her skills improve daily. Now that she’s almost a year old, we’ve attached the tent, and it adds such a fun dimension to play. I see us continuing to get a lot of usage out of this item! Get yours from Amazon today.

Copper and Pearl Blanket

I love love love this blanket, and we use it every day. I’m going to buy another one. It was fantastic for swaddling, for covering the car seat, for laying on the floor - seriously everything. On top of that, it’s so soft and stretchy and so well made. Get yours from Amazon.

Boppy Pillow

This pillow gets so much hate, but honestly, I LOVE it. There are definitely mixed reviews out there, and everyone’s situation is different but I have used this every day since we brought our tiny human home. It has been so helpful for nursing and all kinds of propping (both me and the baby, hehe). I’ll mention that a lot of people prefer the My Brest Friend nursing pillow, but I haven’t tried it yet. Get yours from Amazon.

Burp Cloths/Muslin Cloths

These pieces of cloth get so much use, it’s insane. Spit-up, slobber, and all of the messes…these do the heavy lifting. Especially during those early nursing days, I was never far from them - and I couldn’t have too many. I will mention that I had a variety of kinds, and I liked the muslin ones best - personal preference. These are so great, and you can get them from Amazon.

Skip Hop Changing Pad

I opted for this one because it was a little cheaper than The peanut one and was still a wipeable option. It’s not as portable as the other would have been, but that hasn’t been an issue (and we are a year in). I am more of a station person than a “let’s change the baby anywhere in the house” person since we only have one. I’m sure that will change with a second, but I have no problem taking a wipeable one around. Baby Z also likes the mobile on it, though it is removable if you’d prefer not to have it on there. Get yours from Amazon!

Esembly Products

We cloth diaper this one with the complete Esembly baby system. It works incredibly well, and we love it! We are into the next size now. I plan on writing more about our cloth diapering experience soon! You can get Esembly on Amazon or directly from their website (try Esembly it for 15% off by using this referral link)

Frida Products

Namely the sucker and the windii. The peri bottle was also crazy helpful during the first six weeks postpartum. We’ve really used every item in this whole package and still do. Get this whole pack on Amazon!

Solly Baby Wrap

After hearing about the benefits, I decided early on that I wanted to babywear and I have so much love for this wrap. Seriously. It’s perfect when I need to be hands-free, but the baby needs to come with me. Great on walks too. It looks complicated and daunting, but once you get the tie down, it’s so easy to use - not to mention it packs away perfectly as well and doesn’t take up a lot of space like some soft carriers. I ended up buying two because I found I still needed to use them if they happened to be in the wash. Get it on Amazon or directly on their website. As Z has grown, I’ve also added their loop carrier to my collection, and I love the ease of it! I have a feeling I’ll love this even more when we add a second!

Muslin Bibs

We got so many bibs as gifts either in packs or ones that came with outfits, but bandana bibs were my absolute favorite - they looked the best, honestly, and these muslin ones especially were so soft and actually absorbent. So necessary for spit up and then later for teething, when drool is out of this world. I thought this ten pack would be a bit excessive, but definitely used all of them. Plus I love the neutral hues. Grab your pack on Amazon.

Bonus: Kibou Bag (you can now get limited colors on Amazon!)

I love, love, love this diaper bag! It’s crazy convenient and holds more than you would think. Plus, it isn’t bulky and obvious to carry around (and is nice looking, so my husband isn’t embarrassed carrying it around either!). Seriously worth every penny!



 

So there you have it. ten baby products we use and have used pretty much every day since becoming parents! Mamas, what are some things that you couldn’t live without?


 

My Favorite Pregnancy Products

Pregnancy, Mama BuysAmanda Walter | Maple AlpsComment

I know I kind of shocked everyone waiting till about ready to give birth before saying anything on the blog. To be honest, I couldn’t believe it for the longest time, and on top of that, I was recovering from some very stressful things in my life. The thought of shouting this announcement from the mountaintops did not excite me, in fact, it did the opposite. My sweet husband was gracious enough to allow me that privacy for a long time before we let it out on social media. 



All that being said, I really was pregnant the whole time! Today I just want to share some of the things that made [honestly, an easy] pregnancy even easier. 



This post contains affiliate links.

Morning Sickness Lozenges 

These lozenges (affiliate link) really helped me out during my first trimester. I didn’t have just morning sickness. I had all-day sickness and it was horrid. What made it worse was teaching all day with a mask on. I was miserable. These lozenges helped a sister out. 



Boppy Wedge Pillow

This thing was seriously a lifesaver. Sleeping was getting so difficult, and in the summer it was way too hot for me to imagine buying one of those giant pregnancy, or body, pillows. The main reason I opted for this, however, was because we traveled for six weeks over the summer and I needed something small, portable, and still effective. Well, let me tell you: this was worth every penny. And it didn’t even cost that many pennies. I found it on sale, bought it out of desperation for $11 and I’ve loved it since (grab yours on Amazon here)



Maternity Leggings

Since I wear mostly high-waisted pants, I grew out of them pretty quickly. Maternity leggings were the best. I got a pair from Fabletics (here’s $40 off for you!) for walks and Pilates, and a few pairs from Target for in-between. I seriously lived in them. Still do. (This pair from Amazon are comfy too) I preferred the over-the-belly ones because I found that the ones that sit under the belly irritated my skin after a while.



Wireless Bra

Turns out your belly isn’t the only thing that grows when pregnant. During pregnancy, the body is going through so much change, inside and out, and comfort was really necessary for me. I struggled with the mental and physical aspects of all these changes. Anyway, this wireless bra (grab one from Amazon!) was sooo comfortable that I bought a few. And for a few bucks, it was totally worth it. Of course, if you want to save pennies (which I always do), grab this nursing version so you can use them comfortably postpartum too. Of course, things may change again, so it’s up to you.



The Bump App

This app was great. I used a few, but this was my favorite for easy-to-read articles, checklists, and other tools for pregnancy. Tracking the size and having an idea of what I should be doing was great. Maybe I’ll write a separate post about alllllll of the apps and websites I ended up using since there really were quite a few I would check every day. 



Babylist

Babylist was so helpful. We did not expect to have a baby shower, so I was really just using Babylist to help me stay organized and on top of making sure we had the basics that we needed. It was really helpful that we made a list when friends and family started asking for our registry, though!



Electric Heating Pad/Hot Water Bottle

This was especially helpful when the growing pains or back pains were unbearable. If you use this, of course, be careful and don’t put it directly on your skin! (get yourself one of these from Amazon)



Compression Socks

I thought this was the dumbest thing ever, but compression socks were perfect for me. The summer heat did not help the swelling situation, and compression socks provided relief. They were also fantastic when I was flying - they are perfect for the plane (get these cute ones on Amazon today!) Of course, for swelling, staying hydrated also helped!



Belly Butter

I guess theoretically I knew that my belly skin would stretch, but had no idea practically what that would look like or feel like. It was the strangest to me as I expanded that my belly button no longer existed. Anyway, all the stretching can be physically uncomfortable (think, itchy!). This belly butter really helped with any itchiness and aided with keeping my belly hydrated. That, and a loooot of water. It’s amazing how much more water I had to drink! I’m not saying that this was a miracle butter that prevented me from getting stretch marks, but I was grateful for the relief it provided.  



Bio-Oil

I’ve loved bio oil for years (get yours here), so it was natural that I would use it during pregnancy (and postpartum) as well. I used this when I wanted something a little lighter feeling than the body butter. 




Journal

You may already know that I have kept a journal for almost two decades now, and pregnancy was no exception. It was good to get my feelings out on the page, and I know I will enjoy looking back on the memories!

pregnancy-favorites.png
 

Any mama friends out there have any favorite pregnancy products? Let me know in the comments!


 

Running Essentials

Blog, LifestyleAmanda Walter | Maple Alps4 Comments

I started endurance running when I was in high school. My family was extremely confused when I started getting up before the sun was out and pushing myself up hills and around the neighbourhood. My dad even made me carry a whistle and keep my keys in my hand just in case - but I only ever saw one other person on my morning runs. It was an old man who walked forward and then backward. We had an understanding.

This post contains affiliate links

Running Essentials | www.maplealps.com




I think besides the high of feeling accomplished after a long run, or pushing myself to my limits, my next favorite thing about running are all of the faces that begin to look familiar that eventually become knowing nods and friendly waves.




Now that self-isolation has me upping my running goals, maybe you want to try the same! Today I’m sharing some of my favorite running essentials for taking on the trails with me. Enjoy!




Related: Six Free Apps I Use to Track my Health


Do you run? What are some of your must-haves?




Essentials for Your Plant-Based Kitchen

LifestyleAmanda Walter | Maple Alps10 Comments

Everyone has their kitchen staples, and I'm often asked about mine. Today, I am going to share with you 11 things that I could not live without in my kitchen - the things that get used pretty much every single day. On a slight side note: it's really important to make sure you have quality basics in the kitchen. Don't be like me and cheap out on a $30 blender when you absolutely need it every day for smoothies and sauces! It will start flashing lights and smoking, and blenders are not supposed to do that. True story.

This post contains affiliate links

Essentials for your Plant Based Kitchen | www.maplealps.com
 

Glass Containers

I love these glass containers. I pack up my lunch (leftovers, anyone?) in these babies and the next day, I'm ready to go! I like them especially because they are made of glass, and I don't have to worry about the grade of plastic and the possible effect on my food. 

 

Ceramic Electric Kettle

I love my ceramic electric kettle (Get one from Amazon) and use it every single day! The ceramic is just a really nice touch and it saves a bit when it comes to utilities - I had been using a stovetop kettle for a few years, but since I got this guy, I've never looked back!

 

Fun Utensil Holder and Bamboo Utensils

I like to keep my bamboo close since I use it constantly. It helps to have a nice utensil holder home right on hand. I'm very picky about what goes into it - only my bamboo!

 

Related: Organizational Products That Will Keep Your Home in Order

High-Speed Blender and Reusable Straws

Daily smoothies would not be possible without our awesome blender. It gets daily use - and multiple times sometimes! Sauces, soups and smoothies wouldn't be possible without it. We also got these stainless steel straws and we love them - even though they get pretty cold with our smoothies. We've gotten used to it. They come with a brush for easy cleaning!

 

Mixing Bowls and Colander

These mixing bowls are my favourite. They're cute AND useful. I caved and got these stainless steel ones because my ceramic bowls were getting a little heavy for some of the recipes I was whipping up. They have this awesome grip at the bottom which keeps it from sliding around. This colander is a life saver too - vegetables don't get cleaned otherwise (and pasta doesn't get drained). 

 

Bread Box

I love this bread box! Ours is used every day too - and there's homemade bread in there 90% of the time. Bread for breakfast is a true staple over here, so having it easily accessible is a bonus. Besides, it's pretty!


Garlic Rocker

This garlic rocker has literally changed my life. No more annoying and messy garlic press. This one is easy to clean and is sturdy! I've been using it for four years now and I keep telling everyone that it is easily the best money I've ever spent (I got mine from Amazon). 

 

Whisk Set

These whisks are a must-have for all of the sauces and dressings I mix up.  

 
 

What are some of your kitchen essentials?