Think you know everything about hair growth? Think again! These tips will skyrocket your hair length.
Do you dream about obtaining long, luscious locks that trail down to your waist? I can say that I checked that item off my to-do list!
Using these hair growth hacks made my hair grow over five inches in just a few months! So sit back and take some notes on how you can grow your hair super fast too.
The desire to grow out my hair is what made me start my clean beauty journey in the first place. And let me tell you, the world of hair growth hacks can be a jumbled mess.
But these five tips are ones that I swear by, and/or they have a good scientific backing. Believe me, it took a lot of trial and error! Let’s get started.
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How Can I Stimulate Hair Growth at Home?
You can actually increase hair growth very easily! The average amount of growth per month is about ¼ inch, but I think that varies from person to person.
Depending on your hair care routine, you might be able grow your hair ¼ inch each month, but that growth turns into breakage instead. And that’s why your hair doesn’t seem to grow at all!
My favorite hair growth hacks are designed to preserve your hair so there’s minimal breakage. If you combine that with switching to natural and nontoxic hair care products, you should expect to see some growth almost overnight!
Don’t believe me? My hair is living proof of that idea.
My hair length now is actually where it was when I first started my clean beauty journey (my profile pic is at the bottom of this article if you’re on mobile).
But when I switched to a natural shampoo and nontoxic conditioner and did these hair growth hacks religiously, this was the result a few months later:
Crazy right?! All it takes is some protection, some natural ingredients, and a whole lot of patience.
I’ve since decided to live the short hair life because I realized it suits me better, but I’m so happy I got to check long hair off my list!
How to Become a Hair Growth Guru (My Story)
It all started in my freshmen year of college.
I had short, fine hair that refused to grow past my shoulders, and it was a big insecurity of mine. I remember trying hair tutorials when YouTube was in its “beauty blogger” era and I would run out of hair before the youtuber was even halfway done!
The shock of starting college and leaving home did a number on my confidence, and I somehow concentrated fixing that problem on growing out my hair.
My roommate introduced me to Pinterest, and my mind was blown! I found so many beauty hacks that I had to try. Consequently, I discovered the magical world of hair growth hacks and fell down the rabbit hole.
Most of the hacks I found on how to grow hair faster were complete baloney, but I found a few that are actually worth doing! And the best part is that most of them are super easy to implement.
No crazy hair mask and messy kitchen required!
The following tips are what I gleaned from many sleepless nights scrolling Pinterest and waaay too many failed attempts at DIY recipes.
Protect Your Hair Like Nobody’s Business
Nighttime is one of the most important times to protect your hair. Not only is it annoying to sleep with long hair down, but it also creates friction on your ends.
This makes your ends split faster, which decreases the health of your hair. Having your hair in a neat, organized place all night prolongs the life of your ends, allowing your hair to grow.
When my hair was long, I rarely slept with it down. I always made sure it was in a top knot made with these spin pins or a braid before going to bed.
I certainly noticed that my ends felt better when I protected them at night. And I could go much longer in between trims!
A huge plus with protecting my hair at night was that I would wake up with wavy or volumized hair every morning! I would put in some all-natural texturizing spray along with some nontoxic dry shampoo and I’m good to go!
If your hair is too short to tie up at night, I highly recommend you give a sleep cap a try. It’s not the most glamorous thing in the world, but it can greatly reduce the friction caused by your pillowcase that eventually creates split ends.
This bamboo silk night cap works great for me and my short hair!
Regardless of my hair’s length, if I’m going to work out, like a dance class or even a simple walk where I know it will be windy, I always tie my hair back. It doesn’t have to be a tight ponytail.
Just a quick braid, or even clipping it back with one of those giant claw-clips works great for me.
Another way to protect your hair is changing out the kind of scrunchies you have! If you use the kind of hair bands that are fastened by a piece of metal, throw these out immediately! The metal will snag on your ends and create breakage.
There are plenty of hair bands that don’t have the metal fastener, like these ones here that are also biodegradable! I use these almost every day and my hair feels so much better!
Or better yet, you can opt for a fabric scrunchy that won’t crease your hair, since they’re all the rage right now. You want anything that’s soft and won’t snag your ends to keep your hair in place.
Preserve Your Growth with Regular Oil Treatments
Now this may seem like one of those “do a coconut oil hair mask once a week” hacks that I’m sure you’ve seen everywhere, but that is not the best way to do it. I like to take it to the next level!
I look at oil treatments differently than most people, and you should too. Instead of slathering your hair with oil once a week or month, try spacing it out more frequently.
What I mean is, lightly coat your hair with a mixture of oils a few hours before every shower. That way your hair will feel like it just had an oil treatment all the time! This will greatly prolong the life of your hair before it needs a trim, and your scalp will be very happy.
Of course, you can still do a hair oil masks once a week, but less is definitely more! It all just depends on your lifestyle and what you feel is best for you.
You can read all about it and learn how to make your own nourishing hair oil.
I also don’t recommend using coconut oil as a hair mask, especially if you have thinner hair like me. It can be a little too heavy for finer hair types.
Otherwise, there’s nothing wrong with coconut oil for normal to thick hair types. There’s just better options out there for thin hair girls! I love using jojoba oil and sweet almond oil because they’re lightweight and my hair absorbs it better than coconut oil.
And the code Essential10 gets you 10% off if you order any oils through my links! 😉
Hair oil can certainly help with your scalp, but I only recommend putting it regularly on your ends. You don’t want to saturate your scalp with oils every other day or so. But don’t worry! There are plenty of things you can do for a healthy scalp.
Massage Your Scalp
One of the best hair care tips out there is that you need to think about your scalp.
You want to nurture the source of your hair’s growth, so treat it with some occasional TLC! Massaging your scalp creates more blood flow to your hair follicles, which stimulates hair growth. Plus, it feels amazing!
Just press down with your fingertips on your scalp in circular motions, working your way backwards from your hair line to the base of your skull. Make sure you get every inch! I like to do this when I’m bored at my desk (Ah, the perks of working from home!).
Here’s a tutorial video that explains it much better than me:
A word of caution, though, is that follicle stimulation also promotes sebum production. If you’re trying to keep your hair super clean, I recommend doing this before a shower when it is more on the dirty side.
You can also stimulate your scalp by trying an herbal hair rinse. I just tried this rosemary hair rinse, and my scalp is singing! (In a good way) Not to mention my hair feels like a dream.
If you’re thinking “I don’t have time for that!” then don’t worry! Another way to get in a scalp massage is with the right hairbrush. And no, it’s not a typical brush that can get the job done.
Ditch the Plastic Hair Brush Right Now!
You might be thinking, “What does my brush have to do with hair growth?!” A lot, actually.
A typical plastic or metal hairbrush snags on the ends of your hair, making them split dramatically faster. If you use a regular hairbrush, throw it out immediately!
Luckily, there are amazing alternatives! Instead, opt for a wooden wide-toothed comb. The wood material is much easier on hair, and the wide teeth will detangle hair without sending it through a whirlwind of friction.
When I first used a wooden comb, I could feel a massive difference in my hair’s health. It felt softer and healthier, and the split ends were nearly cut in half!
As for the scalp massage, use a boar bristle brush to evenly distribute your hair’s oils from your scalp to your ends. I love the feeling of a boar bristle brush gliding along my scalp!
It also helps to seal hair cuticles, keeping your hair healthy and strong from root to tip.
If you just have to have a traditional brush, another alternative I’ve been using for the past couple years is a wood bristle brush. You still get a great scalp massage, and the wood will keep your ends from breaking!
Silk Pillow Cases Are Actually a Game-Changer!
Along the same vein of reducing friction on your hair, silk pillowcases like these here are supposed to be amazing for your hair’s health!
One of my favorite hacks can actually be done while you sleep! Cotton or any other kind of fabric will cause your hair to snag and split when you toss and turn. Silk is different because it’s made from a different kind of fiber that won’t snag on your ends.
I’ve actually just started implementing this hack and so far, I’m in love! This article outlines all the great benefits. It even helps your skin stay healthy as well!
Another unexpected perk is it cools me down much better than traditional fabric! I sleep so much better now, especially in the summertime.
I’m one of those people that has to have all of their bedding match, so if I replace one thing, it will drive me nuts. If you’re like me, I recommend finding a simple white silk pillowcase that you can easily hide behind your main pillows.
Before You Go!
I didn’t highlight this other hair growth hack as much as I should have, because it’s seriously the biggest game-changer!
My DIY rosemary hair rinse has been proven to be just as effective as Rogaine, in not better! Plus, it doesn’t have anything toxic in the ingredients. Click here to check it out!