MY HAIR CARE ROUTINE/ LONG HAIR TIPS

This is a something that I get asked a ton, some form of, "how do you get your hair to be so long!" While I'm not an expert and this is just what works for me, I thought I'd finally share a big post with all the details.

First, I just wanted to tell you what type of hair I have because what works for my hair type might not work for yours. I have thick, naturally straight hair. It naturally is a little coarse, so I usually have to keep some type of moisture in it. It isn't naturally silky smooth or anything like that. Onward...

MY HAIR CARE ROUTINE -


I only wash my hair twice a week (a third time if absolutely necessary, but not normally). Normally on Mondays and Fridays. For the past three years (the majority of the time I've been growing my hair) I've used THIS shampoo by TIGI, but it didn't keep my hair super clean and I had to wash three times a week. A few months ago I switched to THIS solid shampoo by LUSH and I absolutely LOVE it. My hair feels SO clean every time I use it. I only shampoo the surface of my scalp, making sure to lightly scrub all over my scalp.I never shampoo my ends. However, because it makes my hair feel so squeaky clean, while I'm still in the shower I take a small (probably quarter-sized) amount of THIS conditioner. I'd eventually like to find a natural conditioner, but I'm still using what I know works.

Next I turn the water off, apply that conditioner just to the very bottom of my hair, think what could become split or damaged in the future. While I'm working the conditioner into the ends, I start to detangle my hair and wring out all of the water in hair. I pull the strands of hair that have become loose from the wash during this time as well.

Now, it might sound weird, but I NEVER touch a towel to my hair, ever. To me, they can make your hair frizzy. I use that time that I'm detangling to get most of the water out and if there is still water in my hair I'll just wring it out over the tub or sink while I'm drying my body off. During the summer I shower in the morning and let my hair air dry all day, during the winter I shower before bed, about two hours before I go to sleep so that my hair has time to dry. I also don't put any heat of any kind on my hair, no blow dryer, no straightener, nothing.

I typically don't brush my hair again until it is dry, if it has big tangles still, I'll take a very small (dime size) amount of sweet almond oil and repeat the detangling process, (always steering clear of my scalp!). I don't like to force a brush through while it is wet because that can cause breakage.

Once a week I deep condition my hair with sweet almond oil.

To deep condition, I pour about half a cup of sweet almond oil in a glass bowl. I then heat it in five second intervals in the microwave until it is just warmed all the way through. (I try not to get it scalding hot but you do want it hot enough to open your hair follicle) I then dip the ends of my hair in the heated oil and let them set for a minute or two. I then pour the rest on my hair and brush the oil into my hair. I wrap my hair into a messy bun and let it set for at least an hour and then wash with shampoo to remove the excess oil.

This makes my hair silky and shiny. If you live in a climate that isn't desert like, you could probably do this once a month. When I lived elsewhere, that is how frequently I treated my hair with similar results.

For brushing/ styling:

I typically only brush my hair once a day, first thing in the morning. Usually I wear my hair down but I will occasionally braid it or put it in a ponytail. I don't really use styling products but I have been wanting to find a good hairspray for the days that I do braids.

I think that about covers my hair routine, so onto my tips for growing your hair long and strong.

TIP #1 - Stop using heat on your hair. - Heat can damage your hair and if your hair is damaged it will spread. That's why I regularly trim my hair (even I get split ends). If you're growing your hair I think there is a tendency to want to keep damaged hair because it adds length, but I promise, if you get rid of your damaged hair, your hair will look better and it will be able to grow better. Less heat equals less chance of damage. That's a fair trade to me.

TIP #2 - Replenish what your hair is missing. - After I moved to Utah I had some issues with my hair because I wasn't used to living somewhere without humidity. This caused my hair to dry out and get a little brittle. It also meant I was getting dead ends faster. If you are experiencing similar things maybe your hair just needs a little extra moisture. If you don't have the time for weekly hot oil treatments, there are deep conditioners and other products you can use. Alternatively, if your hair is greasy 24/7 maybe your shampoo isn't cleaning like it should or you have product build up and need to try a different shampoo. It might take trial and error, but once you find the winning recipe for your hair, it will grow like a weed.

TIP #3 - Have patience - There honestly isn't any miracle trick that will guarantee hair growth because every hair type is different. It takes time and you have to continue to maintain it. This is something I personally struggle with, hair care takes some effort, especially if your hair is high maintenance.  I stopped dying my hair to make it even easier to care for, but if you want to dye your hair, GO FOR IT! Just know your hair will need more TLC to keep it healthy.

That's all I have, again, I'm no expert. Most days I don't even feel like I have long hair. It is just there. I just started actually spending some time nourishing my hair (the almond oil!) and letting it get a little dirty (fewer washes), treating it a little nicer (no heat or dyes!) and it started getting long and strong. I hope you found something informative, I'm always here to answer questions if you have any!