Whether you’re looking to thicken your lashes and brows or lengthen your locks, giving your hair a little extra TLC can be fun and relaxing. Plus, if you’re wondering how to grow hair faster, these tips can help!
Unfortunately, there is no magic pill or product that will give you a Rapunzel ‘do overnight. Everyone’s hair grows at a different pace and varies in thickness, so results will vary as well.
While we can’t always maximize quantity, we can control quality. The key is creating your healthiest hair possible, starting with your haircare routine and products.
Once you have a healthy hair routine, there are a ton of go-to practices you can add in for natural hair growth, from topical treatments to what you’re putting on your plate.
Here are 7 best tips for natural hair growth to boost brows, lashes, and locks!
Analyze Your Current Hair Care Routine
If you’re coloring, straightening, blow drying, and placing a lot of products in your hair, you’re most likely causing damage to your strands and could even be blocking hair growth at the scalp.
The best practice to maximize your hair growth, before adding in masks and oils, is to evaluate your haircare routine and make sure your hair is as healthy as possible.
That means limiting exposure to high heat and harsh chemical dyes, and understanding the best types of products to support your unique hair type (curly, straight, thick, thin, dry, oily, etc.).
RELATED: 10 Best Shampoos for Oily Hair
How to Grow Your Hair Faster
Castor Oil
The easiest way to add length and thicken lashes and brows is with castor oil. Not only is castor oil inexpensive and easy to find, but you only need a drop before bedtime to get your #browgamestrong.
For healthy scalp and strands, heat up castor oil in the microwave for 5-10 seconds at a time. Castor oil is very thick so warming up the oil makes it easier to massage into your hair. Make sure it’s not too hot before you apply it to your scalp and locks!
You can leave this in for 15-30 minutes, even overnight, before washing like normal. Some people also cover their hair with a shower cap and blow dry their strands as a hot oil treatment, since warming up the oil further helps it to penetrate your hair and scalp.
For thick brows and lashes, use a spoolie brush or clean pinky finger and take a quick swipe of castor oil. Brush through brows and massage through lashes for healthy hair growth.
There are lash serums available to buy from a store, but they can come with potentially severe side effects, plus the results fade once you stop using the product.
Castor oil is a natural ingredient that fosters a healthy environment for hair so it can grow thicker and quicker without harmful chemicals or stimulants.
Most people experience thicker hair growth with castor oil, but it’s important to keep in mind that you’ll need to be consistent, and it’ll take more than a night to see Snuffleupagus-length lashes. Give yourself 3-6 months of consistent use to see results!
Hair Growth Masks
A fun treat for your locks is a DIY hair mask using ingredients in your cupboard or fruit bowl. Favorite hair growth ingredients include coconut oil, olive oil, pure essential oils, apple cider vinegar, baking soda, aloe vera, avocado, and egg yolks.
The type of mask you use will depend on the condition of your scalp and locks:
Clarifying Mask for Product Buildup
If you have a lot of product buildup, opt for a clarifying mask using baking soda and egg yolks. Baking soda dissolves buildup and egg yolks provide protein and vitamins for a healthy shine.
Combine ½ cup of baking soda with two eggs, diluting with water for a less crumbly consistency. You won’t need to scrub the baking soda into your hair since this can damage strands. Gently massage the mixture into your hair, leave in for 15-10 minutes, and then wash like usual.
Moisturizing Mask for Dry Scalp
If you have a dry scalp and lots of flaking, you’ll need moisture. Massage in a quarter size of coconut oil or mash up an avocado.
Massage into hair and scalp, leave for 30 minutes (or overnight for coconut oil), wash like usual.
Balancing Mask for Oily Hair
If you have oily hair, you’ll want to avoid heavy oils like coconut oil. Try a balancing mask using a 1:2 ratio of apple cider vinegar and water.
Apple cider vinegar, or ACV, balances the pH of your scalp, which helps to avoid overly oily scalp. Optional: add 3 drops of peppermint or eucalyptus essential oil for a cooling effect or a tablespoon of olive oil to condition.
Leave this in for a max of 10 minutes and rinse thoroughly with water. ACV works as a shampoo replacement so no need to shampoo again, just rinse.
Repairing Mask for Damaged Hair
If you have a lot of split ends and damaged strands, whisk two eggs together with 3 tablespoons of honey and apply to hair and scalp. Eggs work wonders for hair because they are full of vitamins and minerals, which help to repair damaged hair.
Honey is antibacterial and moisturizing, making it a great way to fight dandruff and smooth frizz. It’s good to know that honey naturally lightens hair, so you can expect some lighter locks. Leave in for 15 to 30 minutes and then wash like usual.
DIY Leave-In Sprays
Combining water and pure essential oils as a leave-in spray is a great way to treat your hair without taking a lot of time out of your day. Comb the solution through wet hair after a shower or use the spray to dampen hair for styling, all while reaping the benefits of essential oils.
Always check the label for safe use, spot test the first time you use a new essential oil, and check with your doctor for any health concerns!
- Lavender essential oil- fights hair loss and aids in hair growth.
- Tea tree essential oil- antimicrobial and antifungal properties keep the scalp and follicles healthy. (possible link to tea tree article sample)
- Peppermint essential oil- adds a cooling sensation to the scalp and stimulates circulation.
- Rosemary essential oil- stimulates blood flow and hair follicles for hair growth.
All you’ll need to grab is a spray bottle and combine your ingredients. It’s best to store your solution in the fridge after use.
- 5 drops of peppermint essential oil, ½ teaspoon of argan oil, and 4 ounces of aloe vera juice
- 10 drops of rosemary essential oil, ½ teaspoon of olive oil, and 4 ounces of distilled water. Optional: a sprig of fresh rosemary to sit in the solution.
- 10 drops of lavender essential oil, ½ teaspoon of almond oil, and 4 ounces of rosewater.
- 3 drops of tea tree essential oil, ½ teaspoon of jojoba oil, and 4 ounces of distilled water.
Scalp Massage
Boosting hair growth means boosting circulation and blood flow to your scalp. This can be as simple as taking an extra moment to massage in your shampoo or hair mask.
A shampoo brush makes this easier and more effective, plus they’re super affordable.
Food + Water for Hair Growth
Beauty starts from within and so does healthy, happy hair growth. Make sure you’re eating a balanced diet that includes dark leafy greens and healthy fats.
It’s better to get your vitamins and minerals from the source instead of supplementing but you’ll need to know what foods support healthy hair growth. For example, look for omegas in fatty fish, Vitamin E in olive oil, and biotin in egg yolks and sweet potatoes.
On a similar note, drinking plenty of water each day (64 ounces or more) can help attribute to long, healthy, and strong hair.
Supplements
While getting vitamins and minerals from foods benefits your hair the most, if it’s not possible to get everything from food you can always look for supplements.
Always check with your doctor for any concerns before starting a supplement and read all instructions carefully for use.
Common supplements to boost hair growth include:
- Biotin
- Collagen powder
- Vitamins D and E
- Iron
- Omega 3
Keep a Clean Scalp
The scalp is the source of all hair growth. If your hair follicles are always clogged with product buildup, the nutrients from oils, masks, etc. will not be properly absorbed.
However, this does not mean you should be washing your hair every day, either! The last thing you want is for your hair to constantly be dry and brittle from over-shampooing.
Find a happy medium by washing your hair with a clarifying shampoo like these tea tree oil shampoos once every 1–2 weeks.
Caffeine-Infused Products
Using hair products that are infused with caffeine is a great way to stimulate blood flow in your scalp. Caffeinated hair products are also known to block DHT, which is a hormone that causes hair loss.
Check out the top caffeine shampoos on Amazon!
If you drink coffee at home, you can also create a cheap DIY hair mask or scalp scrub using coffee grounds. Combine 3 tbsp fresh coffee grounds with 1 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp brown sugar, then scrub away!
Regularly Trim Your Hair
Yeah, we know. Cutting your hair sounds counter-intuitive when looking for ways to grow it longer. However, any hair stylist will tell you that trims are the key to length-retention!
If you go too long without a trim, you are potentially allowing your split-ends to travel further up the hair shaft. When you get a trim, you stop them in their tracks and avoid having to get a bigger chop in the future.
Getting a bunch of smaller cuts allows your hair to grow healthily. The sacrifice is definitely worth it!
Rice Water for Natural Hair Growth
Using rice water for hair growth has become one of the latest trends. There are two ways in which you can use rice water: buying rice water-infused products, or making your own to use.
To make your own rice water: combine equal parts white rice and water into a jar. Let the jar sit overnight, then strain the liquid. Transfer the rice water into an application bottle or spray bottle and voila! It’s ready to use.
Tip: Add a few drops of your favorite essential oil to the rice water to get rid of the weird smell.
You can spray the water onto your hair and scalp as a leave-in treatment, or you can apply it before shampooing as a conditioning treatment.
Bottom Line
Everyone’s hair grows at a different pace and thickness, but it all starts with a healthy scalp that can support new follicles and maintain current ones. You can do this by boosting circulation and blood flow and supporting skin and hair with proper nutrition.
Once you have a healthy hair routine, adding in some extra TLC with these hair growth tips will set you up for success.
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