Tip Time: Growing Out Longer Locks

Good afternoon beatynistas, hope you all are having a fabulous day!  Now that it is summer time the long beachy locks are more desirable than ever.  I wanted to share a few tips with you on helping to grow your hair out, whether your desired length is a few inches longer or 6 inches longer.  Now contrary to what you all may think, I am not a miracle worker (though I do not mind being called one..repeatedly, on a daily basis), so your hair is not going to grow over night after trying these few simple tips.  But if you start now and incorporate these steps in to your beauty routine,  I promise you, by next summer your hair will not only have grown, but will also appear more healthy and strong.

First off, the ends of your hair have been styled and colored so many times that they get dry and frizzy quickly. So my first tip is one that I am sure you have heard many times before but still choose to ignore.   TRIMS, frequent trims are a must.  If you are like me and die at the horrid thought of any of your ends being snipped and hitting the floor, then ask your stylist to trim less than a half inch every other month.  I promise you, and when I say this to you believe me I have to remind myself of the same thing, you will not miss them.  The fact is, your hair grows faster than a half inch every other month anyway so you are literally not losing any length.  If you wait too much longer between cuts, split ends could resplit, and resplit again, which means you'll have to trim away more later on.  Be pro-active, snip the slightest amount frequently and avoid more damage and breakage later.

Next thing I want to share with you is scalp treatments.  Now I know when your stylist asks you if you want one, you may just think she is trying to offer you an add on service to up the bill and her own tip, but it is still a good idea.  It  may sound clinical, technical (and a little gross), but massaging a serum or even a shampoo that contains essential oils, such as avocado and coconut into your roots a few times a week will nourish the scalp.  Now, you will not be at the salon a few times a week so I would recommend having your stylist do one each visit, and you buying an easy at home treatment to DIY in your own time.  Moisturizing, treating and nourishing the scalp creates the right foundation for healthier, stronger hair starting from the root down and ensures less breakage.  A good foundation is a great building point for anything, and your hair is no different.  Oh and don't let them skimp on the massage part—aim for a scalp rub that lasts about a minute or two.  This stimulates circulation and promotes better scalp health over all.  When at home, have a spa party with your girlfriends, give each other scalp treatments and massages while painting your nails, giggling about boys, and fawning over a cheesy lifetime movie and a glass bottle of wine....too far??

Last but not least, something you can work in to your routine on more of a regular basis is the use of dry shampoos and conditioners.  Now, I know what you are thinking, you just got used to the crazy idea of dry shampoo when I throw the even crazier idea of dry conditioner at you.  Well yes, dry conditioner is a thing—and you'll be happy that you know about it on day three of a blowout. Your ends start to look dry right around the same time that your roots start to look oily.  And if you know me at all, you know I am firmly against daily hair washing.  So as a substitute, spritz a dry conditioner, over your length (avoiding the root) and focus mostly on the ends to make them shiny and soft. As for dry shampoo, it's a lot easier on hair than cleaning the old-school way.  What most people don't understand is that when you shampoo, it strips the natural oils and moisture out of your hair along with all the dirt and residue, which is severely drying to your hair.  I mean why do you think conditioner was invented in the first place??  Ding ding ding, to put the same moisture that was just stripped back in to the hair.  Mist a dry shampoo on your roots and massage it into your hair with a brush.  Try not to use your fingertips to massage it in as your finger tips have oils on them. The dry shampoo will absorb the dirt in your hair leaving it with a cleaner looking finish.