The journey to a long, strong mermaid-esque mane is often a gruelling one – sometimes it seems as if the only thing longer than the hair on your inspiration board is the time it’s taking for yours to grow.
But while patience is definitely key, and it takes time for healthy hair to come through, there are certainly some strategies you can employ on your end to give your strands their best shot.
Here, celebrity hairstylist Justine Marjan (whose clientele includes Ashley Graham, Lily Aldridge and Kerry Washington, all of whom happen to have extremely glossy heads of hair) shares her top tips for enhancing hair growth…
1. Up your care, limit your cuts
While frequent cuts are often recommended, Marjan maintains that it’s about keeping the ends healthy following your first cut, rather than chopping them off after each bout of damage. “[Growth is] not something that will happen overnight, so you definitely need to withstand cutting your hair through the awkward stages,” she explains.
“During the first year I was growing my hair out, I cut my hair once, and only twice during the second year, but the reason I was able to go so long between haircuts is because I was taking really good care of my hair at home.”
2. Switch to a demi-permanent colour
“I would suggest switching to a demi-permanent colour if you’re able to,” she advises, speaking from personal experience. “I was constantly bleaching and highlighting my hair, which just destroys it and you have to [then] keep trimming it to keep it healthy. I stopped highlighting my hair and went to dark, and only used demi-permanent to colour my greys.”
“Demi-permanent colour is amazing because it deposits only, so it doesn’t over-oxidise your hair. [However], you can only do this if you’re going darker or keeping your hair at the same level, [so if growth is your goal, you may have to sacrifice your lightening sessions for the time being].”
Christophe Robin Temporary Colour Gel in Dark Chestnut, $51 at sephora.com.au
3. Swap in gentle materials
“Think of your hair like fabric,” says Marjan. “It’s very delicate and can easily stretch, snap or break depending on which fabrics you’re making it interact with. I suggest sleeping on a silk pillowcase and using a microfiber towel or turban out of the shower.”
“Hair is super fragile when it’s wet, so using a regular cotton towel can be too harsh for your delicate strands, causing breakage or split ends. [Try] gently squeezing out moisture with your hands and then wrapping it up with microfiber – it’s much more gentle and won’t cause any damage.”
Slip Queen Size Pillowcase, $95 at sephora.com.au
Aquis Rapid Dry Turban, $48 at mecca.com.au
4. Brush with caution
“[It’s also important] to never run a brush through wet hair, unless you’re using a brush designed for wet strands,” she shares. “[As mentioned], your hair is so fragile when it’s wet, so I suggest using the Wet Brush Detangler – it easily slides through the hair because the flexible bristles don’t pull, snag or cause breakage.”
The Wet Brush Original Detangler, $16.95 at adorebeauty.com.au
Where you begin brushing matters as much as the type of brush you use, too. “Whether your hair is wet or dry, always start brushing on the ends to detangle, and then slowly work your way up so that you aren’t causing damage or pulling on the hair,” Marjan explains.
5. Select hot tools wisely
“[Obviously it’s important to] try and avoid heat styling, or [if you’re unable to], try using tools [that only heat up to a lower level, as this allows you to continue] heat styling your hair without causing [as much] damage,” she says.
Dyson Corrale™ Straightener, $699 at adorebeauty.com.au
6. Work to manage stress
“My next tip would be to avoid stress,” Marjan adds. “Often times hair fallout or short growth cycle in your hair can be caused by stress or trauma in the body and sometimes that takes up to six months to show up. My best advice is to make sure you’re getting enough sleep, take vitamins and minerals, and learn to manage stress [through avenues such as] meditation and yoga.”
7. Supplement growth with vitamins
“There’s only so much you can do to support healthy hair growth on the outside if you’re not getting the vitamins and minerals you need from the inside,” she explains.
“I recommend taking Olly Undeniable Beauty Gummy Vitamins [or a similar style of supplement] everyday to support healthy hair growth. They taste amazing, they’re easy to take, and it [only] takes about 30 days to start seeing results.”
Olly Undeniable Beauty Vitamins, $64 at fruugoaustralia.com
8. Keep the scalp stimulated
“Keep your scalp healthy by massaging it regularly so you can increase circulation,” Marjan advises. “[Doing so] helps to relieve tension and that stress you may be holding in your head. You can also use a brush to help stimulate the hair follicles on the scalp – [try to find one with an] omni-flex brush head that contours to the shape of your head so it feels really nice and tingly as you brush through.”
The Wet Brush Flex Dry Brush, $19.95 at adorebeauty.com.au
9. Utilise pre-shampoo oil treatments
“My next tip would be to do a pre-shampoo oil treatment – this is a very easy add-on that you can [work into] your normal wash cycle,” she says. “I like to sleep with castor oil on my scalp before wash days and then wash my hair in the morning. Castor oil contains fatty acids that help prevent your hair from falling out [so it’s a particularly great option], but you can also use any other oil.”
“[Alternatively], if you don’t have time [to wait overnight] or don’t want to sleep with an oil in your hair, just apply it throughout your entire head [of hair], work it through, let it sit for at least 30 minutes and then shampoo and condition as normal.”
Briogeo B. Well Organic + Cold-Pressed 100% Castor Oil, $40 at sephora.com.au
10. Mask regularly
“My final tip for growing out your hair would be to do a hair mask regularly,” Marjan explains. “I love keratin hair masks but I usually keep about five in my shower and alternate each time I mask so I’m getting different vitamins and nutrients each time.”
Wella SP Luxe Oil Keratin Restore Mask, $38.95 at adorebeauty.com.au
