Since 2020, I’ve been on a journey to grow and repair my hair which was badly damaged by over processing and let’s be honest, probably some stress from the events of the year. I ended up having to cut off a lot of damage which left me with a pretty unfortunate shaggy haircut that was thin and unhealthy. My self confidence at the time was at an all time low, and I’ve been on a journey ever since to get the long healthy hair back that I had in 2019.
First of all, if your hair is not naturally super blonde, be kind and gentle to it and don’t over process! I attribute most of my hair damage from the last several years to going too blonde for my hair type and natural coloring (like in that July 2020 photo). I don’t even think the color looked good on me, and then it ended up causing so much damage that has taken years to undo. Luckily, my hair is ALMOST back to that length and even better, I think it’s HEALTHIER now than it used to be in 2019 and I am beyond happy about it.
I confess, typically, I am one of those girls that gets the urge to chop her hair as soon as the Fall temps start to dip and a modern bob starts to call my name, and last year, that’s exactly what I did. I think I was feeling sick of being in that shag grow-out stage and decided to just go blunt and enjoy feeling like I had a cute haircut (I felt like I was stuck in a very un-cute hair stage for a long time after 2020).
I loved my short little bob but this year, I’m seeing so much growth and the results of my hair care efforts are paying off in such a way that I actually don’t even have the slightest desire to chop. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE a blunt bob and may go back to that someday but right now, I’m prioritizing my own healthy, long hair and getting my hair to that great place it was in 2019 again.
So what’s the big hair growth hack??
Well honestly, first of all…. patience. I know nobody wants to be told that they need to be patient, but truly hair grows at its own rate. My sister’s hair, for instance, grows like an absolute weed all on its own. Bless her. Mine, on the other hand, kind of grows like molasses. That being the case, though, I have found a really great combination of products that I feel help speed up my own natural growth pace and promotes not only longer hair, but thicker and stronger hair as well.
I started taking these after reading something online several years ago and honestly, I thought I was a little crazy at first… Saw Palmetto is recommended for men to maintain proper prostate function. So what does that have to do with hair growth, and why am I as a woman taking this product? Well as many supplements do, they found that this particular supplement had a side effect of, guess what, HAIR GROWTH. Now it is commonly marketed as a product for women to grow hair, nails and improve skin texture. I have taken both the capsules and the gummies, and I prefer the gummies because I once had a doctor tell me that gummies have a good absorption rate because you chew them so thoroughly versus capsules which can be harder to break down. Plus they’re like a little treat before bed. 😉
I’ve been taking this exactly liquid collagen for 3 years and I don’t miss a day. No really, even on vacation, I take these pre-portioned individual packets. Similar to the gummy theory above, consuming liquid collagen versus powdered collagen has a higher absorption rate for your body. I don’t want to pay money for a product that’s just going to go right through me without experiencing the benefits! If you haven’t tried this one yet, give it a shot ($10 off with this link for first time customers and use code 6247876). I put mine on autoship and get 2 bottles a month (which equals the recommended serving of 2tbsp per day). Photo 1 was when I decided I needed to start taking liquid collagen and I haven’t quit since.
This is a product I used in 2019 and then for some reason (probably because I got to a point with my hair that I was happy with) I stopped using it. I wish I had never stopped using it! It’s really one of those products that while you’re using it, you can see and experience a real difference. I feel like my hair has been growing more in the months since using it, even in conjunction with my other growth strategies. Plus the shampoo and conditioner smell nice and it’s a clean beauty company so I can trust what I’m putting on my body which feels good. I use the serum at night before bed and apply it directly to my scalp and massage it in.
This tool is REMARKABLE, and if it weren’t for the fact that I love ALL of these products so much, I think if I had to tell you to only order one thing, it would be this tool because it does so much. It was first shared with me by my aesthetician in Indiana who used it during a facial (for an extra fee) but was so kind to recommend I just order my own on Amazon. The high frequency current that runs through the glass tube promotes cell turnover, which means in the case of hair, if you’re encouraging those cells to regenerate quicker, you’re basically super charging your hair follicles. In the case of skin care, this is an amazing tool for expediting the healing of breakouts, combating the signs of aging like fine lines, and soothing the overall appearance of textured skin. I absolutely love it and try to use it multiple times a week. Comes with all the attachments to perform different functions.
That’s it! Four different steps that come at hair growth from every angle; topical, oral, internal, external, cleansing, stimulating and nourishing.
I’m no stranger to trying new things when they claim to help with hair growth, and I have definitely tried some doozies that felt like they were just costing me money and not providing measurable results. As far as measurable results go, I think the proof is in the photos and these products make the cut. And if it seems to you like a lot of products to do something as involuntary as growing out your hair, then choose what (if any) seem like a good for your growth goals. As for me, I’m going to keep using all four of these steps because I think the health and strength of my hair today speaks for itself when compared with the damage I had experienced in 2020.
If you’re on a mission to grow out your hair too, I cannot recommend adding these steps into your routine for hair care. Let me know if you try any! Oh, and stop bleaching your hair if you’re a brunette 😅