Long hairs are beautiful but it doesn’t grow overnight! It takes lotsa work and proper maintenance to get long and thick, Rapunzel hair. Some lucky women are born with it but for some women, tweaking certain aspects of your day-to-day hair routine must be made in order to achieve that dream long hair. 

You can always opt for hair extensions but they’re effing expensive! If you ask us, as painstaking as it can be growing your own hair longer, is the best possible way. It is natural, cost-free and safe. We won’t sugar coat it, growing your own long hair requires a lot of willpower and PATIENCE!!!!!

We often get impatient when we are waiting for our hair to grow out, or when we set our hearts on another hairstyle which requires the hair to reach a different length. First, mentally prepare yourself to do a lot of waiting. Seriously, hair grows up to half-an-inch a month max, and that’s if it and you are both in prime condition so it’s gonna take a while.

To help speed up the process a bit we’ve gathered some tips to help grow your hair faster naturally, and help strengthen your hair as it grows. Whether that be changing your hairbrush, not using hairstyling tools, taking hair growth-boosting vitamins, these easy 15 steps done right can help you achieve long, lustrous locks! So, here are our pro tips to guide you in the right direction. 

1. Trim Your Hair Regularly

It may contrary to your common-sense expectation, but if you want long hair that’s actually healthy-looking and thick then you need to trim your hair regularly. You can ask any hair experts and they too will agree on the concept of trimming your hair to make it grow faster. So, if you’re after long, healthy-looking hair, frequent trims are non-negotiable!

Yes, we do agree haircuts won’t make the hair grow longer instead they do the opposite but regular haircuts can help you get rid of split ends that break your hair. If you do not get rid of split ends, they will eventually cause your hair to break farther up on the strand, which will not only make your hair look way thinner but, also take away the shine, volume, and smoothness. If you want to know exactly how long you can go between trims, follow this guide.

Every 10-12 weeks is the general benchmark to get an eight-inch trim but you always have to wait for that long or short to make a recurring appointment. Just keep an eye on your ends, if you do notice split then just head to the salon. Make sure to tell your stylist to only take off the split ends. Don’t worry a baby trim won’t cost you much!

Check out the best hair salons, here.

2. Avoid Using High Heat Styling Tools

If you want your hair to grow long then stop using heat-based styling tools such as curling irons, hair dryers your hair. Generally, these devices are safe to use but if you use it too often, over time they can have a negative effect. Too much heat can lead to brittle hair and split ends. The healthier your hair is, the longer it will grow, and overuse of these tools is not conducive to long hair.

Depending on the situation heat can either help your hair or can damage your hair.  But, generally, too much heat is not good for the scalp and hair. So, try avoiding putting too much heat on your hair and if you are using heat styling tools then we recommend decreasing the temperature and always using a heat protectant otherwise, you are damaging your hair.

Our top picks heat protectants are: Desert Essence Coconut Hair Defrizzer & Heat Protector, Kérastase Discipline Fluidissime Spray and OUAI Memory Mist Heat Protectant

3. Eat The Right Foods

People often put in lots of effort on picking the best products for their hair but let us tell you if you want long, healthy hair what you put into your body need the equal amount of attention as well. A healthy diet is important as it gives your hair the nutrients it needs for growth. 

Increase your protein intake with foods like eggs, salmon, oysters, prawns, beans, nuts, and whole grains. If you’re not a meat-lover, then eat more veggies like avocado, spinach, soybeans. Basically, any food that is high in omega-3 fatty acids can contribute to healthier hair. Also, make sure to load up your body with vitamins and minerals that can boost hair growth.

4. Use Sulfate-Free Shampoo

The purpose of any hair shampoo is to wash away dirt and keep your hair clean but in order for it to do so, most shampoos are filled with harsh soaps called sulfates. Sulfate is what makes a shampoo sudsy. But too much sulphate can strip away the hair natural oils hence makes the hair dry and brittle. And if your scalp is sensitive, sulfates can cause irritation like redness, dryness, and itching. 

So, when you do need to cleanse your hair, make sure to choose a sulfate-free shampoo. Sulfate-free hair shampoos can maintain the natural oils on the scalp and hair and ultimately leaves your hair with more moisture. Opt for products with coco betaines instead of sulfates. It is a surfactant derived from coconut oil and it’s slightly milder than sulfates. 

Also, just because a shampoo that does not contain sulfates is mild doesn’t mean you will need to do more of a rigorous massage on the scalp in order to get it clean or wash your hair every day. Gentle massages and warm hair baths 2-3 times a week is good enough. Washing your hair every day even with a sulfate-free shampoo is not good as you are giving no room for the hair to produce oil and grow!

We recommend you using sulfate-free shampoos like The Body Shop Rainforest Moisture Shampoo, Oway Moisturizing Hair Bath or Aveeno Skin Relief Soothing Shampoo.

5. Drink Plenty of Water

Just like plants, hair too needs water in order for it to grow. Water is a key ingredient that produces vitamins that can contribute to your hair growth. Believe it or not, but water makes up almost 25% of the weight of a single strand of hair! So, stay hydrated by consuming at least 8 glasses of water a day. It helps to keep your hair healthy as dehydrated hair is brittle and prone to breakage. Yes, dehydration can immediately halt hair growth. 

As previously stated, our hair needs moisture so when it doesn’t have the moisture it needs, your hair ends will split or become brittle. This makes it difficult for hair to grow. It is possible for one’s hair to stop growing completely if you’re not drinking enough water. Drinking water also triggers the energy that is transmitted to the scalp that runs to your hair’s end. When the roots are hydrated, this will eliminate problems like dandruff! So, drink more water!

6. Massage Your Scalp One A Week

One easy way to boost your hair growth is by massaging your scalp. Massaging your scalp can increase blood flow to the scalp and can boost your mood and relieve stress, Stress is often linked to hair loss problem and can slow down hair growth. So, relax and refresh yourself with a good head massage a week.

You always head down to the spa and treat yourself with a good head massage or you can also do it at home. Pretty easy just start at the front of your scalp and work your way back with gentle yet firm and consistent pressure. Also, massaging damp hair is better than soaking wet hair and dry hair. 

So, damp your hair with some water or even better with a hair mask and massage it gently for about 10-20 minutes. Then rinse your hair off. Hair masks are great because they’re able to fill strands with fatty acids, even after they’re rinsed out.Fatty acids can help strengthen and protect your hair as you grow it out. 

Massage your hair with these hair masks: Sephora Coconut – Nourishing & Repairing Instant Hair Mask, Botanist Botanical Treatment (Smooth A) and Briogeo Don’t Despair, Repair! Deep Conditioning Mask.

8. Use More Conditioner On Your Hair

Conditioners should be your best friend if you’re trying to grow your hair long and fast! Because conditioning your hair after shampoo nourishes your hair and strengthens it while growing it longer. So if you want your hair to grow healthy then load up on conditioner. Basically, it’s your first defence against the damage that threatens your long-hair goals.

So, remember to condition your hair every single time you shampoo your hair. It will really help replace the lipids and proteins inside the hair shaft as well as seal the outer cuticle. Especially, if you have coloured hair and heat styling cause strands to get thinner at the bottom,” he says, which can lead to more breakage and shorter lengths.

Condition your hair after shampoo and use oils to nourish your hair to strengthen your hair while growing it longer. So to get your ends back to good health, load up on conditioner, which helps replace the lipids and proteins inside the hair shaft as well as seal the outer cuticle. Basically, it’s your first defence against the damage that threatens your long-hair goals.

Here are top picks: Pantene Pro-V Daily Moisture Renewal Hydrating Conditioner, Herbal Essences Renew Arabica Coffee Fruit Conditioner and Paul Mitchell Tea Tree Special Conditioner.

9. Take Some Hair Growth Supplements

If you’re following a balanced diet then you wouldn’t need any additional supplements because your body is already loaded with hair-strengthening ingredients like biotin, folic acid, vitamins D, A, C, and E. Doubling your dose won’t actually make a difference because your body only keeps what it needs and then it gets rid of the rest. 

That said, if you suffer from a certain vitamin deficiency or you’re in stress or trauma, you might not be getting the proper amount of nutrients you need to grow healthy, long hair. If that’s the case, your body will shut down your hair growth first and redirect nutrients and energy to the organs that need it most. If that’s the case then you can go for supplements.

If you are going to hair supplements, make sure to first check-in with your doctor first! They can advise you the right amount and type of vitamins.They are many hair vitamins you can find online for really cheap prices but those aren’t actually regulated by the FDA, meaning they can contain any ingredients they want and claim whatever miracles they want!

Here are some FDA approved hair supplements: Viviscal Extra Strength Hair System and Ivy Bears Hair Vitamins Women

10. Comb Your Hair Gently

Combing your hair is essential to its growth. It will fix detangling and frizziness but just keep in mind, aggressive combing can cause physical damage to your hair and scalp. Basically, if you can hear the sound of the brush crunching through your strands, you’re being too rough. And be especially careful when your hair is wet as they’re more susceptible to breakage. 

Anytime you comb your hair, especially wet hair, be sure to start from the bottom and work your way up slowly. Combing from the scalp down pushes small tangles into one large knot and can cause you to lose a lot of hair. Instead of using janky comb opt from natural boar-bristle brush, which helps gently distribute your scalp’s natural oils making it healthier and more moisturized. 

Watsons Groom & Detangle Comb, The Body Shop Detangling Comb and Tangle Teezer The Original .