Our hair is the crowning glory of our looks, both literally and figuratively. Long, gorgeous, and healthy tresses are every girl’s dream, but most of us end up hating our dull and lifeless hair. Owing to our hectic, modern lifestyle, which includes everyday stress and pollution, long hair can be difficult to achieve.
Maintaining long and lustrous hair is not a one day task. It requires a proper and dedicated hair care regimen that is easy to follow. If you’re dreaming of long locks like Rapunzel’s, here are a few tips you must follow.
Proper nutrition is as essential for your hair as it is for any other part of your body. Oiling the roots provides nutrition and strength to help your hair grow long and strong. It also helps rejuvenate dead hair shafts.
Massaging is one of the simplest and most soothing hair care tips. It improves blood circulation and stimulates blood flow to the entire body. You can use coconut oil or almond oil to massage your scalp. Applying lavender oil also promotes hair growth.
We can never deny the importance of a good hot oil head massage, which is one of the best-known home remedies for long hair. A good ‘champi’ is the best thing for our hair. Get it done at the parlor, by your mom/sister, or do it yourself.
Shampooing your hair twice or thrice a week allows the natural oils to penetrate your hair, thereby allowing it to hydrate and repair itself. The purpose of shampoo is to wash away dirt and product build-up. But, applying it daily can make your hair dry, frizzy, and brittle, and lead to breakage. Shampoos contain sulfates, and the excessive usage of sulfates can cause damage to your hair.
You must be gentle while shampooing. Just lather up at the scalp and simply let the suds slide down the strands. Your hair becomes soft while it is wet, and rubbing the shampoo harshly on soft hair can lead to breakage.
Conditioning is a key factor to maintain good hair. It locks the moisture in the shaft, prevents dryness, and provides protection from dirt and pollution and, to a certain extent, from the sun as well. It also helps replace the lipids and proteins inside the hair shaft and seals the cuticles to prevent further damage.
A super steamy shower can be rough on your hair and can leave it rough and dry. Rinsing with cold water, on the other hand, helps to seal the cuticles and strengthen your shafts, thus helping your hair grow longer and maintain its health.
Drying your hair roughly using a towel increases the chances of breakage. Choose a gentle towel or an old t-shirt, pat your hair dry using it, and then let it air dry for some time.
Wet hair tends to stretch more and break easily as compared to dry hair. So avoid brushing while your hair is still wet. If you wish to detangle it, use your fingers, and gently work through the tangles.
It is always advised to use a wide-toothed comb for your hair. Once your hair is dry, start combing your hair from the bottom, and then work up gradually. This will prevent unnecessary hair fall. Pulling the hair constantly and carelessly will lead to physical harm to your hair. Boar bristle brushes are also good for distributing the scalp’s natural oils down the hair.
Brush your hair twice a day. Remember to brush before bedtime. This will ensure that the blood circulation to the scalp is good when you are sleeping (we all know that our hair grows the most while we are sleeping).
Snipping your hair more often helps in faster hair growth and removes split ends. Regular styling and pollution make your hair prone to split ends and damaged cuticles. Trimming the lower portion of your hair every six to eight weeks is always advisable as it ensures that the damage is minimum, and this promotes the growth of healthy hair.
Ditching cotton pillowcases and opting for satin fabrics will keep your hair healthy and hydrated. Since satin and silk fabrics have a softer surface, they cause less friction as compared to cotton fabrics, and thus, you wake up with fewer or no tangles at all.
The biggest culprits behind damaged hair are hot tools. Stop over-styling your hair. Instead, adopt a few natural methods to curl and straighten your hair.
Ponytails and similar hairdos look awesome, but tight hairstyles cause stress on the roots, and the friction leads to breakage. Try different and loose hairstyles.
Vitamin E is extremely good for hair and has been an essential ingredient in body lotions, shampoos, and conditioners. Use it individually or mix it with coconut oil and apply it to your scalp.
Chemically loaded shampoos, conditioners, and styling products can have adverse effects on our hair in the long run. Their build-up and prolonged exposure are bad for your hair and overall health. Use mild shampoos and conditioners.
Herbal remedies and treatments are very effective in promoting hair growth. We spend a lot on costly products that may or may not give the desired results. You can use ingredients like egg, honey, aloe vera, coconut milk, amla juice, vinegar, etc. for hair care. These ingredients keep your hair healthy, strong, and chemical-free. You can make your own hair rinses at home and apply them regularly.
Here are a few effective home remedies for healthy long hair.
This is a simple home remedy to grow your hair.
What You Need
What You Have To Do
Along with the above-mentioned mask, try adding an egg with 1 tablespoon honey and 1 tablespoon virgin coconut oil. You can also use olive oil instead of the coconut oil. Make this into a paste and apply the mixture to the scalp and hair. Leave this on for 45-60 minutes and wash it off after that.
After Treatment
Why This Works
Protein masks are excellent for obtaining healthy hair. This is a very good hair mask that promotes hair growth. The components also render shine and smoothness to hair.
You Will Need
What You Have To Do
Why This Works
The egg and the banana give nourishment to the hair. The honey moisturizes it, and beer is known to give volume and thickness to the hair.
You Will Need
What You Have To Do
Why This Works
Onion is very helpful for hair growth. Honey deeply moisturizes the hair and the onion juice stimulates the hair follicles. For best results, do this massage every day for a month.
Image: Shutterstock
Last, but not the least, stress can have adverse effects on our body. Stress can lead to hair loss as well as reduce hair growth rate and make hair unhealthy.
A proper seven to eight-hour sleep is important for hair growth and to keep our body healthy and stress-free.
Gelatin encourages hair growth. You can intake gelatin supplements in the form of capsules. Also, using dry gelatin in your daily sauces or drinks will do the trick. Don’t worry, it will not ruin your favorite dishes as it is odorless and tasteless.
Now that you know how to get long hair naturally, what are you waiting for? Apart from the above methods, it is also important to protect your hair from external damaging factors such as pollution, dust, excessive heat/ cold, direct sunlight, etc. When stepping out of the home, ensure you use a scarf/ dupatta to cover your head (and hair).
Following the tips mentioned in the article will ensure you have problem-free, long, and healthy hair. Any more questions related to home remedies for growing long hair? Leave a comment below.