For most of my life, I have kept my hair very long. I like the old fashioned vibes and it helps me feel elegant. I’m definitely not perfect in my hair care routine, but I wanted to share with you the things that have helped me to grow and care for long hair. Disclaimer: I have naturally straight hair and know that other hair textures require different kinds of care than mine does. I just wanted to share a few things that have helped me personally, and I hope they can help you too.
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Use a good and gentle shampoo and conditioner
Many shampoos contain harsh ingredients that are hard on your hair, like sulfates. I recommend choosing a gentle shampoo with mostly natural ingredients. I use Hask Coconut Shampoo and Conditioner. It makes my hair so soft while still feeling clean, not to mention it smells amazing! Make sure to use a kind that works well for your hair type. My husband who has curly hair and often grows it long uses Maui Moisture Curl Quench. He also likes smelling nice and having soft hair.
Word of caution: I would highly recommend avoiding soap based shampoos. A few years ago, I tried a couple different kinds of soap based shampoos with very poor results. I was trying to find a “fully natural” shampoo where I knew what every single ingredient was. But all of the ones I tried were SO drying and really damaged my hair. After doing some reading I found out this is largely because the ph balance of the shampoos were very off. It took me about 3 years to fully recover my hair after using soap based shampoos less than 6 months, not a fun experience.
Don’t shampoo every day
This one is a big one if you want to grow and care for long hair. I personally only wash my hair once every 5-7 days and have found that my hair not only has adapted to not get as oily, but has also been way softer than it was when I washed my hair more frequently.
I understand people not wanting to jump right in to only washing their hair once a week, but hair definitely doesn’t need to be washed every day. So if you want to grow your hair longer and softer, try stretching how long you go before washing it. Start with every 2 days, then maybe push it back to 3 or 4. That being said, if you don’t wash your hair enough, the oil buildup can be hard on your scalp, so don’t go crazy. Just find what length between washes works best for your hair.
Limit heat styling
I know the picture has my hair curled in it… but it was for a special occasion. Typically I only use heat styling on my hair once a month or so. But if you currently heat style your hair every day, even cutting back to once a week can really help you see improvements. And washing your hair less will help you to preserve heat styling for multiple days. One of my favorite ways to cut down on heat styling is to try out no heat curling methods. I have tried quite a few and my favorites are hair curlers like this and bath robe tie curls which I will be publishing a post on soon.
Use hair masks and oils
I try to do a hair mask or oiling session a couple times a month. One of my favorites is warming up a couple tablespoons of coconut oil and mixing in some of your favorite essential oils. Rosemary and lavender essential oils can help support hair growth as well. Make sure the oil isn’t too hot and then apply it to your scalp, massage in, and comb throughout the length of your hair. I recommend leaving it on 20-60 minutes then washing it out. I have heard mixed reviews about whether is it good or bad to leave on overnight so I generally don’t. Other ingredients to put in diy hair masks include honey and mayo and I’ve had good success with both. If you prefer store bought masks this one by Shea Moisture is a great option.
Wear your hair in protective styles
This is one I learned from the curly hair community and it is fantastic advice for all hair types. Hairstyles like braids and buns can help to keep your hair from drying out, getting tangled, or getting caught on things. This is super important before going to sleep. I generally spray my hair down with this and then braid it back before going to sleep so that it will be nice and soft in the morning. Btw the spray smells even better than the shampoo.
Comb your hair gently and slowly
Use a wide tooth comb to gently go through your hair instead of frantically brushing it. When you brush and pull hard you can yank out so many of the beautiful hairs that you have been working to grow. This will set back your progress substantially when trying to grow and care for long hair. So just take some time to slow down as you comb your hair. This can be a great practice in mindful self care. The spray that I mentioned above can be really helpful for resolving tangles as well, making this an easier job.
Get a trim when you need it
I don’t personally trim my hair as much as is typically recommended. But every 6 months or so I do cut off a couple of inches to keep the ends in good health. And it always feels nice too. As your hair stops getting as much damage on a regular basis, it won’t need to be trimmed as much as it used to. But it does take time and patience to get there.
Those are my top tips for how to grow and care for long hair. I hope these tips help you to grow longer, stronger, and healthier hair!
