How to grow your hair

So many of us dream of longer, thicker, healthier hair. While we're all at the mercy of our hair's natural growth cycle, here are some tips to maximize your mane:

• Get it trimmed. Split ends continue to split up the hair shaft if not removed.

• Stop ripping through tangles! Invest in a good detangler and a wet brush and slow down!!

• No more putting your hair up when it’s wet. Did you know your hair is longer when it’s wet? Hair shrinks as it dries and if it’s in an elastic it has no wiggle room and then snap! Say hello to hairline breakage!

• Move that ponytail around. Wearing your hair up in the same spot everyday causes not only stress on the hair leading to breakage, but also stress on the hair follicle which over time can lead to traction alopecia.

• Cranking those hot tools all the way up. Turn them down y’all! The only time my flat iron is ever set above 360 (and that’s for coarse healthy hair) is if a professional treatment requires it. Invest in a good heat protectant, your hair will thank you!

• Kevin Murphy Heated Defense protects up to 450 degrees.

• Drink lots of water and eat your healthy fats! Healthy hair starts below the surface. Vitamins and supplements can be a big help but make sure to check w/ your doctor before starting a regimen. General rule of thumb; if it's good for you heart, it's good for your hair.

• Use a professional salon brand tailored to your hair type. If your hair is begging for moisture and you’re giving it protein, surprise, now it’s brittle! Ask your stylist what you should be using and trust them. We work with these products every day and know them inside and out. We’re happy to give our opinion on other lines but I tell my clients all the time, I don’t use it so I don’t know.

• Try a product regimen designed to lengthen you hairs natural growth cycle. We LOVE Kevin Murphy's plumping set!

• For chemically damaged hair use a peptide repairing product such as K18 or Kevin Murphy Everlasting Colour Treatment.

• Buy those products directly from your stylist!! Diversion is a real thing and counterfeit products are everywhere (I’m looking at you Target, Amazon and Kroger). You don’t want a product that could give you a bacterial infection or has unknown fillers mixed in. Not to mention when you buy your products from your stylist you are supporting their income as well as shopping at a small business.

• Stay away from coconut oil! It’s heavy, leaves build up and clogs up your cuticle!

• Don’t wash your hair everyday! I know training your hair is hard. Dry shampoo at the root and a reviving mist on your ends and you're good to go. Let your hair soak up those natural oils, get a couple more days out of those curls too! Give your hair a break from the daily hot tools.

If all else fails hair extensions are an amazing option. They can be customized to match your hair perfectly while adding density and/or length.