Even though our erratic lifestyles, pollution and bad food habits do our hair enough damage, you still have a way out. If you want to know how to grow long hair, follow these simple and easy haircare practices religiously.
If there is one common question that most women share, then it is how to grow long hair that is shiny and healthy. We have all suffered from lacklustre, brittle, hay-like hair at some of the other points. But no more. We have curated the simplest tips that actually bring about results in helping you get long and healthy tresses.
Grow hair long and healthy - the basics
It is quite easy to damage hair from bad haircare routines to having split ends and frizz. But the answer to how to grow long hair is not that complicated. All you need to do is follow an effective routine and use products that work for you! Well, let’s take a look at them
1. Regularly trim your hair
Dead, damaged and split ends are your hair’s worst enemy, and the longer you keep them, the more damage they do to your hair. The split can travel up the shaft and break your hair in the middle which means saying goodbye to long and healthy hair. Trimming will ensure that your hair will not only grow faster but will also look a great deal shinier and smoother. Just trim your ends every 3 months and you’re good to go.
2. Cold water rinse
Rinsing your hair with cold water ensures that your cuticles that have opened up during the hair wash are closed. It is necessary to have open hair cuticles while shampooing and conditioning as you want them to thoroughly do their jobs, but once that is done, it is important to seal them shut with a cold water rinse. This ensures that your hair does not get damaged easily. It is also a great way to make sure your hair feels smooth and frizz-free for a longer period of time.
3. Avoid heat styling
Regularly subjecting your hair to heat styling causes a great deal of damage to your treasured locks. Heat fries your hair, making it brittle and weak. Constant heat reduces the moisture content of your hair, making it dry and prone to breakage. When overused, it can also burn your hair. Avoid heat styling your hair every day. If you need to, first apply a heat protection serum.
4. Eat your way to good health
It is rightly said that what you put inside, is what shows on the outside. Diet has an important role to play in the health of your hair and its growth. Since hair is made up of protein, it is necessary to include enough protein-rich food in your daily diet. You can eat foods such as fish, eggs and lean meat, as they are the best sources of dietary protein. Even if you are a vegetarian, you can go for dals, beans, dairy products, soya and green leafy vegetables. These foods promote healthy hair growth.
5. Drink enough water
Water is the cheapest and the best remedy for how to grow long hair. We are not kidding! It hydrates the body, strengthens follicles and stimulates hair growth. The lack of water levels in the hair roots and scalp can actually make your hair brittle and prone to damage thereby slowing down hair growth. Water makes up almost 25% of the weight of a single hair strand and having enough water is a mandate you dare not overlook. Drinking at least 2 litres of water every day.
6. Hot oil treatment
We put our hair through a lot, thanks to all the styling, colouring, heat, detangling and washing. This is why it is very important to repair the damage if you want long hair. It is about time you pay heed to all the advice your mom and grandma used to bombard you with about oiling your hair regularly. Hot oil massage is the easiest way to pamper your hair and get a spa-like treatment at home. It is a great way to stimulate blood circulation to your hair, promote hair growth, reduce dandruff, frizzy hair and dry scalp.
But if you don’t have the time or do not like the stickiness of getting a champi, we have your back. Simply go for the Tresemme ProPure Damage Recovery Hair Serum. Minus the oiliness, it gives you all the benefits of coconut oil and sunflower seed oil. It helps to strengthen dry and brittle hair while preventing frizz and split ends with the help of fermented rice water. This hero ingredient is also responsible for boosting hair proteins which amp up the speed of hair growth. Just take two or more pumps of the serum and apply mid-lengths to the end of damp hair.
7. Use a mild shampoo
The products you use to wash your hairare also responsible for the health and strength of your hair. Sulfate-free shampoos and conditioners like the Love Beauty & Planet Coconut Water & Mimosa Flower Shampoo and Conditioner have a low content of chemicals and are perfect for all hair types. They are gentle on the scalp and damaged hair. Instead, they make use of natural ingredients like organic coconut water and coconut oil to give you thick and voluminous hair. The mimosa flower on the other hand provides a citrusy scent, perfect for a satisfying hair wash.
8. Pamper your hair with masks
If you have hair that goes past your shoulders, it can be several years old. This is why the lengths of your hair need more TLC than what a normal conditioner would be able to offer. Hair masks are a great way of pampering your tresses and giving them the extra protection they need. To strengthen and help them grow, apply a mask once a week like the Tresemme ProPure Damage Recover Mask to your strands. It is free of harsh chemicals and instead uses fermented rice water too. It is also loaded with the all-powerful coconut oil and sunflower seed oil to reduce breakage and control frizz.
9. Aloe vera hair pack
If you want an intense DIY hair pack go for an aloe vera, coconut oil and egg combo. The aloe in it promotes hair growth while coconut oil and egg moisturise and strengthen your strands. Mix an egg, a tablespoon of aloe and coconut oil each and mix. Apply it to your scalp and keep it for 30 minutes before rinsing it off with a shampoo. But if you do not like a messy DIY routine, you can take it easy with the Sunsilk Coconut Water and Aloe Vera Volume Shampoo. Get thick and bouncy hair as it takes the two ingredients and nourishes your hair.
10. Avocado banana hair mask
Another DIY hair mask that is bound to give you the hair of your dreams is an avocado and banana mask. They are both super moisturising and are a great way to nourish your scalp. This hair mask is a great way to revive damaged hair and make them soft and shiny.
You will need:
1/2 avocado
1/2 banana
1 large egg
1 tablespoon olive oil
Blend all the ingredients together in a mixture to form a smooth paste without any lumps. Apply this mixture to your hair and let it sit for about 30 minutes. Wash off with a mild shampoo.
BB Pro Tip: To further enhance the effectiveness of this hair mask, you can mix 1/4th cup of apple cider vinegar with one cup of water and pour this mixture on your hair after shampooing. Let it sit for 1-2 minutes and then condition your hair as usual.
Well, all you have to do is integrate these beauty tips on how to grow long hair into your lifestyle, and very soon you’ll have luscious locks that can make even Rapunzel go green with envy.
Written by Lopa K on Oct 03, 2022