20 Tips to Get Your Hair Extra Long and Extra Healthy

6. Only use a wide-toothed comb on wet hair.

Yes, you’ve heard this one before – but I can’t stress enough! Wet hair is easily damaged hair – so treat it very, very gently.  Start combing your hair from the bottom and gently work your way up.  If your hair is particularly knotty, try using your hands to gently separate the hair – without pulling!  Afro combs are perfect!

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7. Invest in Satin or Silk Pillowcases.

They are less likely than cotton to ‘pull’ your hair when you are asleep. Satin pillowcases are nice to sleep on too! Less breakage means your hair looks healthier! Plus even Dermatologists recommend sleeping on silk because it also benefits your skin and can even prevent wrinkles as it lessens the friction between your face and the pillow surface.

The Goodnight Co. Silk Pillowcases are gentle on the hair during the tossing and turning of sleep.

8. Use a Shower Cap

If you have curly or frizzy hair, using a shower cap in the shower will significantly reduce that frizz because you are avoiding all those tiny water droplets that would have normally landed on your hair.  They are cheap as chips from the local supermarket – use them! Your curls will thank you!a

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9. If your hair is long enough, braid it at bedtime.

Most people toss and turn during the eight or so hours they are asleep, and your hair can get really tangled (you know if you wake up in the morning and your hair is standing on end!). To keep this from happening, gently braid your hair before bedtime – not tight enough that it pulls, but not so loose it falls out. This will keep your hair lovely and ‘contained’ overnight – and less tangles mean less split ends!  Plus it gives your hair a great look the next day!

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10. Give your hair an oil treatment once or twice per week.

But you don’t need to go to the hairdresser and buy anything expensive. Coconut Oil or Olive Oil are great choices! Massage a good handful of oil into your hair, focusing on the ends, then massage the oil into the scalp. Leave for a few hours (or even overnight) – and gently shampoo or use conditioner to ‘wash’ it out the next morning.

The thing with coconut oil though it takes about 18 hours for your hair to really absorb it – so set aside a time when you don’t have to leave the house or can wear a hat – and really let that oil soak into the hair follicles!

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11. Invest in a good hair oil if you have curly hair.

Girls with curly hair – once you discover a good oil for your hair, you will learn to embrace the curl. A good hair oil (I use a macadamia-based oil) run through the ends and mids is great for your hair, conditions it and tames curls.  Use a good amount on freshly washed wet hair!

Frizzy haired girls – oil is a MUST.  It really weighs down the frizz without making your hair oily.  Add it the oil only to the mids and ends.

We recommend: Wella SP Luxe Oil

Grab a bottle from RY.com.au

12. Invest in a good leave-in conditioner.

When growing your hair long, you need to ensure it is in the best condition possible. Ends get dry, so invest in a good leave-in conditioner and spray it into your hair whilst damp and work it in well.  This is particularly good if you have curly hair, as the curls will be more defined with leave-in conditioner.

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13. Avoid using hot irons, hot curlers or anything… hot.

Okay being realistic here, we are all addicted to our hair dryers and straighteners… But when you can avoid it, allow your hair to dry naturally. Heat will literally fry your ends – even if you use a protectant on your hair (which we recommend!). Another good way to avoid the damage straighteners do is to only do your fringe – and wear the rest of your hair up.  That way you are limiting the damage to just one area!

If you have the patience for it, drying your hair with a hair dryer on the cold setting gets a great result.  Yes it takes ages to dry, but is a heat free way to get your hair dry without damage.

14. Wear a hat out in the sun.

It isn’t just your skin that can get burnt out in the sun, your hair is susceptible to wind and direct sunlight. Wear a nice soft hat that will cover your hair, and your face (and wear sunscreen!). If you happen to go swimming out in the sun, rub a little sunscreen through your tresses, then wash out both the sunscreen and chlorine as soon as possible. Better still, invest in a swimming cap!

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15. Trim your hair ONLY when you get split ends.

As someone who has had long hair most of my life, trust me when I say that if you get your hair trimmed every six weeks, you will not ever get your hair long!  If you take the time and care to really look after your hair by using the above tips, your hair won’t require a trim. Of course, if you do have split ends, get them trimmed off, there is no saving hair once it has split. The key is to treat your hair like kid-gloves and be gentle! If you can stretch trims out to six or eight months, your hair will be long in no time!

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16. Only Colour the Roots of Your Hair

I don’t care what anyone says, colouring your hair is going to damage it.  If you colour the full length of your hair every single time you colour, your ends will go to mush and will need to be chopped off.  I highly recommend just colouring the roots of your hair.  If your hair is looking really really dull, colour the roots, then water down the remaining hair dye and then run it through the ends for five minutes maximum. Then wash out!

17. If You Can Find Them, Use Semi-Permanent Hair Colour

Semi-permanents are a lot gentler on hair than permanent colours.  And if you want long hair, everything needs to be gentle!  Treat your hair like glass, it is fragile!

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18. Don’t tie your hair up too tight.

If you look like you’ve had a face-lift every time you tie up your hair in a ponytail, it’s time to loosen the loops. Pulling your hair into any tight ‘do will break your hair or stretch it, so it weakens. Also use a gentle hair-tie, and at all costs, avoid using a rubber band on your hair! Scrunchies are great!

Plus years of pulling your hair up too tight will give you high widow’s peaks and can make you look bald.

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19. For shine, give your hair a beer or vinegar rinse.

When in the shower and after you have ‘conditioner’ washed your hair, rinse your hair with either a can of beer (cold) or some apple-cider vinegar. It makes your hair glow with shine, and shiny hair is healthy hair!

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20. Invest in a good hairbrush.

I never used to see the advantage of paying big bucks for a boar bristle brush. It seemed so extravagant until I used one. OMFG, these things are amazing! So gentle and can get your hair so smooth. If you can afford it, they are brilliant. If not, just go slow and never ‘rip’ through your hair.  Plus they make your hair really even and lovely when you wear your hair up – no bumps with a boar bristle!

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Do you have other tips to get your hair extra long and extra healthy?