6 Tips for Growing Long, Healthy Hair

A few weeks after Jack was born, I chopped all my hair off, just above my shoulders, and had it colored. It’d been nearly a year since I’d done anything to it and was dying for a change. I love my hair short, but after a few months, I was craving the ease of long hair, so I decided I’d grow it out again.

I’d say that my hair grows pretty fast, but with the postpartum hair loss—I swear it was worse with my second—I decided to be more proactive about getting my hair to grow longer, stronger and faster. Here are my top tips for growing long healthy hair.

6 Tips for Growing Long, Healthy Hair

Stop Coloring Your Hair

It’s been almost a year since I colored my hair! As much as I love the blonde balayage I’d been doing for years, I just felt like my hair needed a break. The ends had gotten so dry and fried looking, so I figured I’d take a break. My new hair growth is so soft and smooth and I’m loving the darker color that I was born with.

Wash Less Often

Maybe it’s being a mom, but I’ve mastered this skill. I wash my hair only a few times a week. It takes some time to train your hair to washing it less, but it makes a HUGE difference. Plus, life is easier when you wash it less. My biggest recommendation here? Find a good dry shampoo you love. This one is my all-time favorite, but I shared 2 other clean favorites in this post.

Make sure you’re using a safer, high-quality shampoo too, that’s made a big difference for me. I started using Prose—they tailor-make shampoo and conditioner for you after you take a quiz—a little over a year ago and haven’t looked back!

RELATED: 3 Best Non-Toxic Dry Shampoos for Gorgeous Hair

Less Heat

I have naturally wavy hair and love how it looks air-dried, but I still love it blow-dried straight too. If you’re someone who has to dry their hair, the good news is that if you’re washing your hair less often, you’ll automatically be using less heat. Less heat helps your hair stay healthy and strong. Less breakage means faster growth!

RELATED: My Honest Dyson Supersonic Hairdryer Review

Use Hair Masks & Oils

This is something I’ve been testing out this past year. I find that more than anything, they’re amazing for scalp health and if your scalp is healthy, your hair is going to grow well. I aim to use this mask once a week on the ends of my hair and this DIY hair oil on the roots—all the oils in here are designed to stimulate new growth. It’s been especially helpful after my postpartum hair loss.

Take Liquid Collagen

I started taking this liquid collagen in April and it’s made a massive difference in those pesky baby hairs you get after the dreaded postpartum hair loss. It’s sparked new growth around the crown of my head, and also made my poofy side growth grow much faster!

One thing to note here, is that it takes about 2-3 months to see growth. I was actually about to cancel my order because I didn’t think much was happening. I decided to take a picture to see the growth after 2.5 months and was blown away! Needless to say, I’ve been better about taking 2 Tbsp daily! Get 10% off your first order with this link!

Eat a Balanced Diet

Last, but not least, eating a healthy, balanced diet will do wonders for your hair. In general, a healthy lifestyle that includes eating well, getting adequate sleep and exercising regularly will help your whole body feel amazing. Skin and hair will follow suit as your take care of yourself. A few amazing foods for growing long healthy hair are avocados, eggs, berries, spinach and fatty fish!

Hair is a tricky thing and patience is always essential! Do you have any hair growth tips you’d like to share, I want to hear!

BTW, how to develop a better relationship with food, and 5 easy ways to get moving this summer.