Who wants longer hair? *hands raise across the nation* Yep, I want longer hair too. I miss my lengthy locks more than you could imagine and I check my hair every day to see how long it’s gotten since the day before. It’s like missing an old friend that you haven’t seen in a year… you can look at pictures of the two of you together, but you don’t feel right without them right there next to you.
Yeah, I really miss my long hair. About a year ago, I decided (and honestly, WHO let me do this??) to chop it all off. Like, A LOT of my hair. Yes, I remember all of the pro’s for cutting it: a new hairstyle, less time spent on washing and styling it, wanting a change… but gosh-darnit I miss it like no other.
That’s why I’ve decided to grow it out again, but make sure that I am taking care of my hair throughout the whole process to ensure that it grows under the healthiest conditions. I also figured that a lot of other collegiettes probably feel this same way, so here are a few tips for you to ensure that your hair grows out to mermaid-length with minimum breakage and maximum beauty!
1. Stop washing it every day
– This is probably this worst thing that you could do for your hair. It might sound weird or gross, but you should actually be washing it once, maybe twice a week. Your hair produces natural oils that are essential for hair growth and strength, and the more you wash your hair, the more you strip your scalp of these natural oils. On the days that you don’t wash your hair, try using a dry shampoo to take out some of the greasy-looking appearance while not totally stripping all of the important oils!
2. Use a heat protectant product on your hair
– While your hair is still wet after the shower, be sure to spray on a heat protectant product into your hair and comb it through your hair before drying it. The heat protectant will save your hair from becoming damaged by any hot styling tools that you use on your hair (blow dryers, straighteners, curlers, etc.). Hot styling tools dry out hair strands the more they come in contact with your hair, and dry strands break extremely easily. Be sure to use a protectant with wet hair only, to ensure that your strands are protected and won’t break off while you’re trying to grow out your length!
3. Only condition the ends of your hair
– Hair conditioners are lovely, but they’re only meant for our roots! When you’re washing your hair in the shower, only focus on conditioning the tips of your hair. For best results after shampooing your hair, squeeze out as much of the water from your hair as possible. Then grab your hair as if you were putting it into a low ponytail and apply the conditioner to that area only. Let it sit for as long as possible and then rinse it out at the very end of your shower. This allows for the conditioner to nourish and save the ends of your hair which tend to become dry and break, thus hindering your hair from growing!
4. Eat the right foods
Hair grows from the inside out, so for healthy hair, be sure to nourish the inside of your body for beautiful results on your scalp! Eat foods that are higher in protein such as nuts, beans, avocados, and meat to produce healthier, stronger hair. Stronger hair will build up endurance and be less inclined to break off… and nobody wants all of their hard work to be broken off when you’re so close to having that long, luscious hair! If you want, you can even try taking Biotin vitamins, which promote healthy hair, skin, and nails. I’ve been able to see a difference in my hair since taking them, and other girls swear by this method! Start with a safe amount or consult a physician before taking them, since this can really help hair to grow longer, faster!