TIPS ON HOW TO GROW YOUR NATURAL
HAIR
1. Remember that it can't grow
overnight: Unless
your scalp unleashes new strands like a Chia Pet, gaining new length is going
to take time. "Hair typically only grows about a quarter of an inch — to a
half an inch max — a month. "And that's only if it is super-healthy and
doesn't have a ton of split ends." The bottom line: practice patience.
2.
And don't
shampoo every time you shower: "It's shocking to me how many women
skip conditioner when showering, which is the worst thing you can do for your
hair — especially when you're trying to grow it long — and it's actually
shampoo that you should be skipping as much as possible," The purpose of
shampoo is to wash away dirt and product buildup, but it can also take
essential natural oils that keep strands soft and healthy along with it. When
you really do need shampoo, be gentler on your hair by only lathering up at
your scalp and then simply letting the suds slide down strands, hitting the
rest of the hair as the water rinses it away.
3.
Apply an
oil or mask treatment weekly: Because hair that touches your shoulders or beyond can be
several years old and most likely needs more TLC than normal conditioner. Use moisture-based
masks and oils weekly. "I make a natural oil treatment and give it to all
of my clients to use pre-shampoo," Townsend says. (His easy recipe: 1 cup
of unrefined coconut oil mixed with 1 tablespoon each of almond, macadamia and
jojoba oil.) Because oils can leave a residue on hair, he says to apply it to
damp hair, leave it on for 10 minutes, then shampoo and condition like normal.
"These oils are able to fill strands up with fatty acids and then, when
rinsed out, using regular shampoo helps seal them inside hair," adding
that Kate Bosworth, Diane Kruger, and Ashley and Mary Kate Olsen are fans. Not
into DIY? Try an oil-based hair treatment instead.
4.
Consider
trying hair-boosting supplements: Your body requires many vital nutrients to
create new hair, from ample protein to a slew of essential minerals. So take a
look at your diet because while eating a balanced diet helps, you may not be
getting the proper amount of all the hair-building nutrients needed to create
healthy hair that can grow super-long and withstand damage. Before starting to
take supplements, it's best to check in with your doctor to make sure not only
that you take the right amounts and that they won't interact with any medications
you're currently taking.
5.
Brush
your hair like it's spun from gold: Constant brushing can cause physical harm to
your hair. "When you detangle wet hair, be sure to start from the bottom
and work your way up — we often instinctually go from the scalp down but that
just brings small tangles into one large knot and can cause you to lose a lot
of hair, the Sheila
Stotts Natural Boar Bristle Brush, as boar bristle brushes are good at
distributing your scalp's natural oils down your hair and being extra-gentle on
strands too.
6.
Ditch your
cotton pillowcase: recommend
switching to a sateen fabric such as Calvin
Klein Sateen White Sheeting because it has a softer surface that won't cause friction
the way that regularly woven cotton does with your hair, so you'll wake up with
fewer tangles.
7.
Never,
ever wrap your hair in a massive towel again: What could be so bad
about putting hair in your super soft bath towel? A lot. "It causes so
much breakage,"Your hair gets caught in all the woven fibers and since
most women almost always wrap it too tight around their face, all those tiny,
fragile strands around your face are more prone to break." Opt for the
super-thin and soft microfiber hair towels instead (like Aquis
microfiber hair towel),
or a white t-shirt which are totally OK
to wrap into a turban.
8.
Switch up
your pony placement: It's an easy move that can help maintain the integrity of
your strands wherever you tend to secure your ponytail all the time, which
means they'll continue to grow out strong and damage-free.
9. Do a cold-water rinse at the end of each shower:"This really does
help to grow hair and keep long hair healthy for longer,"Cold water lays
down the outer layer of hair more smoothly, which helps prevent moisture loss,
snags and heat damage — you only need to do it for a few seconds, but this one
extra step over time can make a huge difference."
