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From blunt bob to thick long locks, here’s how I transformed my hair without extensions or drastic measures while keeping my sanity in check.

In the age of social media and content-overload, I know it can be confusing to navigate through the overwhelming amount of posts swearing to solve all of your problems while somehow making you Instafamous and rich in the process.

With articles promising to grow your hair 12 inches by next month alongside tips ranging from emptying a jar of mayonnaise into your roots to not using heat on it for 3 months straight, it’s difficult to know what advice to take.

In the wise words of Randy Jackson, “that’s gonna be a no from me, dog”. I will gladly leave the mayo to my fries (yes, I’m that girl) and keep my curling iron on standby so I can get dolled up for date night.

While there is certainly no shortage of “hacks” online bordering on extreme, I’m here to tell you that no matter how badly you want long, Pinterest-worthy hair, your life doesn’t have to revolve around growing it out.

Now that we’re on the same page, let’s go on a hair journey.

From my Julianne Hough-style chop two Summers ago (a major mistake on my part) and it falling out in clumps during my thyroid crisis to now, I am blown away by how much my hair has grown.

Although I frequently switched up my hair color in years past - from dark red to black to orange (admittedly, this one was an accident) - I virtually never got my hair cut throughout high school and college. So, after my wedding I decided that I wanted to finally take the leap.

Now, since getting that out of my system, I’m happy to report that my long, dirty blonde hair is here to stay for the foreseeable future.

I know that I could have easily gotten hair extensions post-chop to speed up the process, however I’ve avoided them over the years because of the horror stories I’ve heard about extensions damaging your hair. Instead, I decided to play the long game and invest in my health and high-quality haircare to get the lasting results I wanted.

With the help of Olaplex (a longtime favorite) to conditioner that makes my hair feel like silk, a collagen supplement that I drink every day, and a few healthy hair hacks along the way, I am shocked by how quickly I have been able to get my signature hairstyle back.

Today, I am dedicating this post to my 6 BEST tips for growing out your hair (without losing your sanity). These are the products and tricks I’ve used and swear by to help your hair grow long, thick, and healthy.

the shortest hair cut I’ve ever had, Sept 2019

Tip #1: Collagen

I will shout it from the rooftops until I die: collagen, collagen, collagen. I call BS on people who say that adding collagen into their diet does nothing. I think that in order to give it a real chance, you need to use collagen DAILY for at least 6 months to see significant change. Consistency is absolutely key.

You can introduce collagen into your diet in several different ways, but my favorite include: a mug of bone broth (Kettle & Fire is my favorite) every morning and a heaping scoop of Dose & Co collagen (either peptides into my smoothie or creamer into my coffee) every afternoon.

“Biotin and collagen are often recommended by dermatologists and hair experts because each supplement is believed to promote benefits for the hair, skin, and nails. However, they work differently from each other and collagen is thought to be better for hair growth.
As a vitamin, biotin primarily supports hair health by breaking down macronutrients in the body for cell renewal and growth. On the other hand, collagen directly promotes hair follicle growth through amino acids and proteins. Collagen also strengthens the scalp’s dermis and helps antioxidants fight free radicals which damage the hair.
Notably, collagen is an anti-aging protein and can even prevent age-related hair loss. Having more collagen in your skin’s tissues replenishes its cells and keeps the skin firm but elastic, which ensures your hair follicles will grow on a healthy scalp.”

Tip #2: Wash your hair 2-3 times a week max

Just the thought of showering and washing my hair everyday feels exhausting to me. Ever since I can remember, washing my hair 2-3 times per week has been the norm. I am far too lazy to go through the whole song and dance on the daily.

Lucky for me, this results in less shampooing AND less heat on my hair (without going to extremes). I blow-dry my hair after shampoos and use a straightener or curling iron on it 2 times a week max.

In between washes, I use a little bit of dry shampoo if necessary (this one is my favorite because it adds volume), or just throw my hair up in a loose bun. The less you do with your hair while trying to grow it out, the better because you’re reducing damage.

If you’re worried about your hair getting greasy in between shampoos, try “training” it! Here’s an article breaking that process down: How to Train Your Hair to Be Less Greasy

Tip #3: Get your hormones and thyroid in check

Consider this my yearly reminder to request a full lab panel from your doctor or OBGYN. Before I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism, iodine poisoning, and Hashimoto’s Disease, my hair was literally falling out in clumps. For the first time in my life, my hair was thin, my nails were constantly breaking, and my skin looked - in a word - lifeless.

I had no idea what was going on until my fertility journey lead me to get a full panel of blood work done and BOOM - I was told that if I continued on like this, it wouldn’t be long until I was hospitalized.

In case you missed my story, head to this blog post to read about it. Otherwise, if you are feeling weak, exhausted, depressed, severely cold, or your hair is falling out for no apparent reason, it is worth asking your doctor for blood work to get things checked out.

Thankfully, I discovered this prior to going through postpartum and I haven’t experienced any hair loss thus far (I am now 6 months out) which I attribute to having my thyroid continuously checked and balanced.

Tip #4: Go Longer in Between Colors and Cuts

If you can stretch out the time in between getting your hair dyed or highlighted, do it! The health of your hair and your wallet will thank you.

I take pride in my stylish hat collection, and it’s not just because I love a cute accessory. Whenever my roots are looking a bit rough, I opt for a baseball cap, wide-brimmed hat, or beret to cover the dark hairs while adding a little extra style to my outfit.

This may be controversial because I know that people say that in order to have your hair grow faster, you should be getting constant trims. However, from personal experience, I don’t agree with this. When I want my hair to grow out super long after a short cut, I only get it trimmed (JUST the split-ends and some layers) every 6 months.

Unless your ends are extremely damaged, I would say give your hair a chance to grow and skip the trims.

Shop my favorite hats:

Tip #5: Introduce healthy fats into your diet

Not only will this tip help your hair grow faster and thicker, but it’s great for overall wellness. The healthy fats that are a constant in my diet include: olive oil, almond butter, avocados, salmon, chia seeds, and dark chocolate.

I have olive oil daily in place of butter while cooking at home, add almond butter and chia seeds into my smoothies, make dinner recipes with salmon and avocados at least twice a week, and eat a couple pieces of dark chocolate for dessert nearly every night. I also add fresh spinach and frozen berries into my smoothies daily which are great hair boosting foods and make up a delicious, healthy lunch.

Next time you run to the grocery store, make sure to grab some of these ingredients high in antioxidants and Omega-3 fatty acids to promote healthy hair growth.

Tip #6: Invest in High-Quality Shampoo and Conditioner

My hair stylist back in MD introduced me to Olaplex long before it became a well-known brand because she knew how much I loved my long hair and how often I wanted to add highlights. For context: I am naturally dirty blonde veering on brunette, but was platinum blonde for years and years.

Every time I visited her at the salon, she would add Olaplex No 3 (Repairing treatment) to my hair for a mask treatment in order to keep it healthy and growing. Since then, I have been using Olaplex No 4 (Shampoo) every time I shower and No 5 (Conditioner) at least once a week in the shower.

Even for long hair like mine, you only need a dime sized amount of the Olaplex Shampoo, so while the bottle is expensive, it lasts a long time if you’re only using it 2-3 times per week.

I am also a MAJOR fan of the Kenra Platinum Luxe Shine Conditioner, so when I’m not using the Olaplex Conditioner my go-to is this one because it makes my hair softer and shinier than anything I’ve ever used (no exaggeration). I love this conditioner so much that I actually gifted it to my Mom and both of my sisters for Christmas last year and they are STILL raving about it.

My Holy-Grail Haircare Products:

Olaplex No 4 Bond Maintenance Shampoo

Amazon $28

Olaplex No 5 Bond Maintenance Conditioner

Amazon $28

Kenra Platinum Luxe Shine Conditioner

Amazon $19

Dose & Co Dairy-Free Vanilla Collagen Creamer

Amazon $24.99

Dose & Co Unflavored Collagen Peptides