How to grow long, healthy hair

Let me take you on a journey through my hair recovery process. I will spill all my secrets on how I got my hair to the condition it is today. It was a long journey, but once you make your hair care routine a habit, it no longer becomes a chore.

  2011-2012 Freshman Year 

 As you can see my hair was short, kinda choppy. This was the time of every teens life when they wanted "Thin, Choppy, Scene" hair. At the time I loved my short hair. I didn't want to grow my hair out. All I wanted was to keep it healthy since styling my hair every day was a must!

Coconut oil helped me keep my hair healthy and free of dry ends! Keep in mind.. My hair is thick, curly, and sometimes unruly which is why I prefer my hair straight. We all know straightening your hair comes with a cost- damaged ends. In order for me to be able to straighten my hair and not have an excessive amount of damage I treated my hair to a coconut oil soak.

Freshman year was also year I made my biggest hair mistake. BLEACHING MY HAIR. I still look back and wonder- WHY! But, I am past that point and have not dyed my hair since.


2012-2013 Sophomore Year

 Yes, I cut off all my hair into a short bob. I did this because I wanted a fresh start. I needed to get rid of all my dead ends from the bleach, and any dead ends from years past.  At this time, I promised myself I would not dye my hair, or cut it all off again. I did, however, get regular trims to help with the process.

If you're thinking about growing your hair, one of my biggest tips is, if you can, stop dying your hair. Especially if you use heat tools. I was always told, "Don't use heat tools if you want to grow your hair." I disagree, however, it may be true for some, but I did not need to stop straightening my hair for it to grow. If you do straighten your hair like I do, your hair STILL CAN GROW!

Since I cut my hair all off.. I really wanted to know what it was like to have long hair. So, I bought extensions from Sally's Beauty Supply.  Having extensions was  fun. I could have long hair when I wanted, or short hair. Once again, I made another rookie mistake. I wore my extensions all day.. And night. I began to notice hair loss. That alarmed me, here I am trying to grow my hair and its falling off! I decided to toss the extensions and focus on my natural hair! I abused my extensions to the point where I had an actually spot where my clip-ins broke my hair completely off. My tip to you- don't over use your extensions. Yes, they're great when you want extra length or volume but don't make the same mistake I did!

     2013-2014 Junior year

Junior year was all about that coconut oil, again! I never skipped a treatment. In a small container, I would melt a few tablespoons of coconut oil, apply it to my scalp, flip my head upside down (weird, I know, but try it!), and massage my scalp for 5-10 minutes. Then I slept with the oil. Be sure to put a towel or wrap your head so you don't get oil all over your sheets! In the morning, wash your hair like you regularly do. I also added a tiny amount to my ends before blow drying and styling.

Another HUGE tip- don't wash your hair every day! Do not do it. When you was your hair every day your are stripping your hair of its natural oils. I wash my hair and deep condition with coconut oil about every other day or two. While I am shampooing my hair, I focus the shampoo only on the roots. When I condition, I do the opposite, I focus on the ends of my hair and leave the conditioner on for 3-5 minutes. If your hair tends to get oily fast, I would recommend Tresseme Dry Shampoo. Dry shampoo is great, especially if you're a little lazy like me! A few spritz on the roots and you're good to go! If your hair is dark like mine, this product doesn't build up and leave a white residue like other dry shampoos that I have tried.


2014-2015 Senior Year

 By the end of my senior year, my hair was the longest it's ever been! Throughout my senior year I was taking BIOTIN, HAIRFINITY, and still regularly using coconut oil. This is when I saw the most improvement in my hair. My hair was the best its ever been! Minimal split ends, strong strands- I love it. Not only does biotin help with your hair, it also helps your skin and nails! Its a 3-in-1 and a product I will always have on hand.

Top TIPS:

1.  Don't wash your hair daily.
2. Take a supplement- Biotin, Hairfinity, etc. 
3. Drink plenty of water.
4. Eat more protein- chicken, fish, nuts, etc. (Your hair is composed of proteins, therefore eating more protein will increase your hair growth.)
5.  USE A HEAT PROTECTOR. (Tresseme also makes a heat protector that I love!) 
6. Invest in a brush that doesn't break your hair. (The Wet Brush is a great option!)

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