How to Make Your Hair Grow Healthy – 6 Simple Tips to Boost Hair Growth
Growing healthy hair isn’t as hard as you think! There are tons of ads showing you which supplements or hair products you should use, and even YouTube videos with recipes for homemade hair masks that often contain fresh ginger and stimulate growth. All of the methods mentioned above sometimes work, and other times can be a little frustrating. That’s why I’ve put together six simple methods to help you grow healthy hair, no matter how long you want it to be!
Use a cotton t-shirt
Drying your hair with a towel can be bad for your hair, yes, trust me, it’s true! Especially when your hair is wet, the texture and grain of a towel can often be too harsh for the cuticle, causing frizz and hair breakage. Using an old, clean cotton t-shirt can absorb moisture from your hair without being too rough on it, resulting in smoother, softer curls. To use a t-shirt to dry your hair, you’ll need to do the following:
Wet hair that has just been washed. Tilt your head forward, pick up a cotton t-shirt, and wrap it around your hair like you would a towel.
Allow the t-shirt to absorb the moisture (don’t rub or shake it) and let your hair air dry.
When your hair is almost dry, remove it from the t-shirt and let it dry completely.
To speed up drying, take a small section of your hair, hold the t-shirt around this section of hair and gently squeeze.
By not rubbing or shaking your hair, you are smoothing out the follicles without making it frizzy!
Using a cotton t-shirt is a great way to blow dry your hair without heat, which means your strands are healthy and strong!
Don’t brush your hair when it’s wet
I was shocked when I heard this. But it turns out that brushing your hair when it’s still wet can cause more breakage because it’s more fragile when wet. After washing, try to let your hair air dry and avoid touching it too often. Once your hair is completely dry, use a wide-tooth brush to gently comb your hair, section by section. You’ll notice that you’ll have less hair loss and your hair will look and feel healthier.
Don’t wash your hair every day
Some people may find this a bit annoying, but hair doesn’t like to be washed every day, they don’t like to be washed 5 or even 4 times a week. If you can cut down your hair washing to 2 times a week, your hair will have a chance to rebalance. Washing too often strips your hair of its natural oils, leaving it dry, unruly, and frizzy. If you don’t know where to start with not washing your hair, we have another blog post here with more information on how to go 5 days without washing your hair.
Rinse with cold water
First, and there’s no sugar coating this, rinsing your hair with cold water feels like hell. When you bite the bullet and finally rinse your hair with cold water, the cuticles around your hair close up faster, keeping your hair shiny, frizz-free, and healthy for longer. It also keeps your scalp clean and reduces the risk of dandruff.
Use coconut oil
Yes, I know, it seems like coconut oil can be used for just about everything. The countless beauty benefits of using this oil are undeniable, and healthy hair growth is another one! No matter what type of hair you have, dry, oily, flat, or curly – they all respond well to coconut oil! It eliminates frizz by smoothing the cuticles and rebalancing the scalp’s natural oil levels.
For a hair restorative sleeping mask, you can do the following:
Take coconut oil and warm it in your hands
Apply the melted oil to dry hair and massage into the roots and ends
Brush it out to avoid tangles
Wrap your hair in an old t-shirt or microfiber towel to prevent oil stains on your pillowcase
Wash your hair as usual in the morning
Your hair will be super shiny and full of life. If your hair is particularly dry and unruly, use this mask once a week.
Book a regular haircut
The world is cruel: you want super long, healthy hair, but you can’t let it go past a certain length or it gets too long and starts to break! Regular haircuts are the answer to your problem. A fresh cut will tidy up your ends, eliminate split ends, and keep your hair looking healthier!
Yes, it may mean you lose an inch or two, but your hair will thank you and look great!
If you take care of your hair properly, it will stay in top shape and look great. I hope these easy-to-follow tips make things a little easier for you. Start achieving your hair goals now!
DQH Knowledge drop: In your 20s, your skin cell turnover decreases. (Cell turnover is a key component in keeping your skin youthful.) You know what else slows down? Your collagen production. Starting in your 20s, collagen decreases by about 1 percent per year. Should you want to prevent fine lines and wrinkles, start by eliminating behaviors that contribute to premature aging. “If it’s bad for you, it’s bad for your skin,” says dermatologist Michel Somenek.
“Cigarette smoking reduces blood flow to the skin and causes premature wrinkling and a dull skin texture. Making the repeated pursed motion to inhale can also cause smoker’s lines. Alcohol and recreational drugs are toxins for the skin that damage its cellular structure and DNA,” Somenek tells us. “The faster you eliminate vices while you are young, the better chance your skin and body have to recuperate.” Also, adopting an anti-aging routine in your 20s is key. After all, the best offense is a good defense. We spoke to Somenek and experts Joshua Ross and Audrey Kunin to find out more.
Keep reading for the best anti-aging products for your 20s, according to skincare professionals.
Sunscreen
“We all know that the sun is the number one cause of skin aging and starting the prevention in your 20s is very important,” Ross says. “The majority of your sun damage won’t start to appear until you’re in your 30s, so don’t wait until you see it surface or you’ll be behind the curve. Stay ahead of it with a good-quality zinc-based sunscreen worn daily.”
Farmacy Green Defense Daily Mineral Sunscreen
An invisible sunscreen with SPF 30, plus botanical extracts meant to protect skin with tons of antioxidants. Bonus: It’s clean and fine to use under makeup.
Bareminerals Complexion Rescue™ Tinted Moisturizer Broad Spectrum SPF 30
Although we recommend you use your SPF and moisturizer separately, we also understand moments when you don’t have time or energy for that extra step. For those times, this bareMinerals moisturizer is a great thing to have on hand.
Vitamin C Serum
“A great introduction to anti-aging is to start with a vitamin C serum in your morning skincare routine,” Ross says. “It’s a powerful antioxidant that will neutralize free radicals and brighten the skin.” He adds that it’s a great way to counteract the effects of the sun’s harmful rays, which, as previously mentioned, are among the biggest causes of premature aging.
Drunk Elephant C-Firma™ Vitamin C Day Serum
The Drunk Elephant C-Firma is a lightweight serum that promises to give skin a glow by combining the brightening powers of vitamin C with ferulic acid, l-ascorbic acid, and vitamin E. The included sodium hyaluronate is meant to replace hydration loss, so you shouldn’t have to deal with any irritation.
Sunday Riley C.E.O. Rapid Flash Brightening Serum
This potent serum is jam-packed with vitamin C (15 percent, to be exact), which means it’s a potential superstar at both brightening skin and dousing it in antioxidants.
Peptides
Using peptides on your skin has many benefits, says Somenek. “The skin barrier is what defends the body against pollution, UV rays, bacteria, and toxins. It can be damaged by several everyday factors. Using topical peptides aids in building a stronger barrier,” he says. “Peptides comprise elastic fibers, which are a type of protein. These fibers help to make skin appear taut and firm. Peptides can also help repair damaged skin, relieve inflammation, and even out skin tone. Some peptides can kill acne-causing bacteria that is common in 20-somethings.”
Kunin agrees, saying, “Peptides are an excellent entry point for supporting collagen.” She recommends looking for face and eye treatments that contain these collagen-boosting powerhouses.
Charlotte Tilbury Magic Eye Rescue Cream
This Charlotte Tilbury super-emollient eye cream has a base of coconut oil and shea butter (read: it’s incredibly hydrating). Botanicals plus peptides are meant to help reduce dark circles and boost collagen, respectively.
This creamy moisturizer serves up potent collagen-boosting peptides and pycnogenol, and antioxidant-rich vitamin C. “Instead of sitting on top of the skin, peptides penetrate the outer layer so they go deep. The ‘signals’ they send tell the cells to produce elastin and collagen, which are needed for youthful-looking skin,” explains Somenek.
At-Home Peel Pads
Remember that skin cell turnover fiasco we talked about earlier? One way to help support it is by exfoliating. “Exfoliation is important to help keep skin fresh and luminous,” Kunin says. She recommends using at-home peel pads as an easy and effective way to exfoliate.
“The goal in your 20s is to fight the slowing pace of cell turnover. It is wise to use products that gently exfoliate, yet still remove oil and other impurities. Products that have Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHA) or Beta Hydroxy Acids (BHA) are a good choice.”
According to Somenek, you should only exfoliate two to three times a week. “People of all ages are guilty of over-exfoliating and that can be too much of a good thing,” he says.
Dermadoctor Kakadu C Intensive Vitamin C Peel Pad
A few swipes of this Derma Doctor powerful peel pad promise to leave your skin glowing and smooth, thanks to the seven (yes, seven) types of chemical exfoliants, including AHA and BHA. It also contains vitamin C via Kakadu plum extract for added brightening and antioxidant protection.
KEY INGREDIENTS Kakadu plum extract is sourced from the Kakadu plum, a fruit grown in northern Australia. It contains vitamin C, which restores the skin’s natural barrier, increases collagen production, and soothes irritation.
Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Alpha Beta® Universal Daily Peel Pads
These are the gold standard of peel pads, with a cult following and over 900 five-star reviews on Sephora. They’re easy to use and contain a blend of anti-aging exfoliating acids.
Emollient Night Cream
“In your 20s, you need to start upping the hydration in your skincare routine. You may have been cautious of over-moisturizing because of acne in your teens, but as you enter your 20s, your skin transitions and becomes drier,” Ross says. “I recommend an emollient night cream added into your evening skincare regimen.”
“Twenty-somethings need to make sure that they are not using creams that will clog their pores and cause excess oil production,” says Somenek. Opt for non-comedogenic products.
Cerave Skin Renewing Night Cream
One great choice is the CeraVe Skin Renewing Night Cream, which is a non-comedogenic night cream that leaves skin soft and glowy. It combines the moisturizing powers of ceramides and hyaluronic acid.
RoC Retinol Correxion Max Hydration Creme
“The best night cream ingredients contain retinol, benzoyl peroxide, and/or salicylic acid or hyaluronic acid. The goal is to moisturize, yet remove excess oil,” says Somenek. This Roc Retinol Correxion cream fits the bill as it contains both hyaluronic acid and retinol so it promises to moisturize while also being non-comedogenic.
