How I grew my hair long and healthy
A few years ago I had super damaged, short and thin hair from bleaching and heat-styling it frequently. Today I have super healthy hip long hair I simply love which makes me feel confident everyday. Of course every hairtype is different, but this routine worked wonders for mine.
I want to show you that you don’t need expensive or fancy products to get your dream length. I hope it helps you grow your beautiful hair as well! Don’t forget, no matter how long, short, which hair structure or colour.... you are beautiful goddesses/ gods who are perfect the way they are - no matter what. But there is nothing wrong with wanting to take a little care of yourself ;)
So here are my hair-care secrets...
1. Healthy body - healthy hair
Growth starts from within - this also applies with hairgrowth. In order to grow healthy hair, you need to have a healthy body. Mind your eating habits: make sure you get all the vitamines, fats and proteins your body needs. Also (of course) stay hydrated. Chose water or tea over sodas and energy drinks, in general not just for healthy hair growth.
Don‘t forget your hair won’t get longer if it is unhealthy and breaks off at the ends. You can have the fastest hair growth, but if your ends break, achieving long hair is close to impossible.
2. The right shampoo
I used to wash my hair with whatever my mom put in the shower and I feel like that was one of the worst things I did to my hair. Not that those brands were bad, but they just used so many low-quality ingredients, silica and fragrance it seemed to damage my hair more than it cleaned it. Other people might be just fine with those shampoos, but my hair is just really sensitive, so I avoid all kinds of drugstore shampoos. Like I said, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t use them. I get that not everyone can afford a 12€ shampoo, so do what feels right for your hair.
The shampoo that changed the game for me was the „Jason and the Argan“-Shampoobar from lush. I was looking for a sustainable option, with little to no packaging and to be honest so sceptical after purchasing my first shampoo bar. It was such a weird concept to me and I was so unsure of how to use it, but that all went away after the first few washes... The hair feels very clean and kind of dry right after washing, but that’s just because the bar is really concentrated and has such different ingredients to liquid shampoos. Don’t worry, after drying you should be fine.
Of course lush is a little difficult for people who are sensitive to fragrance, but I don’t mind.
I bought it fist two to three years ago and I never looked back... it is the best option for me, my hair and the environment. Did I mention that it lasts like six months, even with my hair length? Not bad.
3. Oils
I experimented a lot with oils after first hearing it was supposed to be good for your hair. I tried almond oil, olive oil, Indian hair oil blends, coconut oil and castor oil.... some worked better, some worse.
Today what I keep using is probably the most and least popular one: coconut oil.
A lot of people swear by it and some hate it but in the end you have to decide for yourself and I love it!
I like to massage my scalp with it once a week an hour before taking a shower, or brush it in my lengths with my fingers when I have freshly washed and towel dry hair. I only do the second option when I can wear my hair in a braid the next day or know I won’t be seeing anyone until my next wash, because chances are that it will look greasy. After doing a coconut oil treatment though, my hair looks so shiny and hydrated...
I love it.
(I always use organic, cold pressed if you were wondering.)
Because it is just “just hair”….
… It is an expression of your personality.
4. Heat protection
As mentioned in the introduction, my hair suffered from a lot of heat damage in the past. I used to curl my hair everyday before school without using any kind of heat protection.
That (next to bleaching it) probably was the worst thing I did to my hair back then.
I don’t want to say you can never use heat on your hair ever again, because I still do it occasionally, but please minimise it and if you do so, always use a heat protectant.
What I like to do now is use heartless hairstyles for curls, or waves or simply rock the natural hair my mama gave me.
Something most people tend to forget is the damage the sun can do to your hair as well. We always protect our skin, but what about our hair? I like to put a hazelnut sized amount of heat protectant hair oil into my towel dry hair right after showering. And yes - I do that every time. No matter how I am planning to style my hair after. Hair, like skin needs protection everyday.
5. Protective hairstyles
When growing out our hair protective styles are key. Many struggle with growing their hair longer than their shoulders, or chest and that’s because they tend to break when they are laying on your shoulders or chest. Putting your hair in a bun with a clawclip or a braid with a soft hair tie will help you get through this phase faster and minimise breakage. I still wear my hair in a protective bun or braid most of the time to keep my hair healthy, because maintaining it is just as important. The journey doesn’t just end at your dream length ;)
I recommend using silk pillowcases and/or always putting your hair up when you are going to bed. Bending and putting pressure on your hair can be really damaging. Take care of your precious hair even while asleep.
6. scalp massages
I do scalp massages every time before taking a shower to use my hairs natural oils. Just massage gently with your fingertips for a few minutes to improve blood circulation and promote hair growth in your hair follicles. If you want to go a step further you can flip your head upside down and massage while even more blood is rushing into your scalp from bending over. Be careful though and take a break or stop immediately if you feel dizzy.
This step of my routine is not only very beneficial for hair growth, it is also sooo relaxing.
So this is all for today... I still have a few more ways I grew my hair in mind, but the post would have simply been too long... so tell me if you want a part two on Instagram @lilly_lockwood or here.
If I can give you one last piece of advice: be patient. I know you probably want a change over night, but this is not how it works. You can speed up the progress with a few techniques, but it will always take some time.
Thanks for reading - love Lilly