Whether you're struggling to take your bob to a lob, or you just want XXL mermaid locks, the frustration of not being able to grow your hair past your shoulders is real. Between breakage, and just seemingly no growth at all, it's all too easy to become the person who says 'my hair just won't grow'. We feel you.
But fear not, because there are loads of easy tips and tricks you need to know to grow your hair faster and longer. Read on for all the info...
How To Grow Your Hair Faster
1. Address your diet
Diet is very important for hair growth; you need to be eating sufficient levels of iron, B vitamins, zinc and protein. For an easy-win, add the superfood spirulina to you smoothies, it's a complete protein rich in chlorophyl which helps our hair to grow.
'The way diet effects hair growth varies from person to person but issues can occur when someone suddenly changes diet or has drastic weight gain or loss as this can shock and destabilise growth', says Steve O'Brien from the London Centre of Trichology.
As well as greens like kale and iron, this blue-green algae is high in iron (a very important mineral given that the deficiency condition, anaemia, can be a major cause of hair loss).
The Best Hair, Skin And Nail Supplements And Vitamins Worth A Spot In Your Beauty Routine
Augustinus Bader is the crème de la crème when it comes to perfecting scientific skincare formulations, so we were pretty excited when we learnt they were launching their first supplement. Each sachet is packed full of prebiotics, probiotics, adaptogens, anti-oxidants, and a whole host of powerful vitamins, specifically formulated with a biodelivery system that ensures your body actually absorbs the nutrients as opposed to it going to waste. The results? A reduction in fine lines, a radiant complexion and increased firmness. We'll take 10, please.
VIDA GLOW Mango Natural Marine Collagen Supplement
Collagen might be getting a good rep thanks to the plumping, firming and all-round rejuvenating effect it has on our skin, but we can sometimes forget that collagen carries great benefits for the health of our nails and hair too. This Marine Collagen Powder from Vida Glow comes in five delicious flavours, all you need to do is stir a sachet into your drink and go.
It seems like a no-brainer to create supplements with a personalised approach, especially when we're so invested with the beauty products we chose. Nourished create 3D printed gummies that sideline the hard-to-swallow nature of normal supplements and are individual to each person. All you have to do is answer a quick quiz on your lifestyle choices and what you want to achieve, choose a flavour, and voila. Personalised (and rather tasty) supplements straight to your door.
There are a multitude of reasons that we start to lose volume in our hair, from lifestyle changes to fluctuating hormones, and the fix isn't always quick. We were however suitably impressed by The Nue Co's hair growth supplement, whose clinical studies not only showed increased thickness in existing hair and less shedding, but stronger growth in patches that were previously sparse.
Carrying on FaceGym's line of skincare innovations is their first supplement, Active Blast. Not what you might expect, these freeze-dried vegan collagen spheres are designed to be added to your water-based serum and applied to the skin topically for best absorption. We love that the quickly apparent results (glowy, smooth-textured skin for days) make them perfect to use in preparation for a special event.
Sometimes a heavy weekend can hit you with the kind of tiredness where even three back-to-back Pret coffees don't touch the sides. The good news is, Biocol Labs have put over 40 years of expertise into their plant-based ampoules, combining magnesium, ginseng, and a cocktail of vitamins to seriously improve your energy levels. Dilute into your morning beverage or stir into your breakfast (note, this works better with yoghurt than it does toast) and face the week ahead with a new lease of life.
Detoxing sounds like hard work doesn't it? Days (or a week) of juices, exercise and little else. Withdrawal symptoms. NO COFFEE. We like the sound of this instead: a daily pill powered by 13 detoxifying ingredients to cleanse the body, fill it with nutrients and defend with antioxidants. And a happy body means happy skin, hair and nails. Hold the juice diet, thanks.
The Beauty Chef Hydration Inner Beauty Boost 500ml
Drinking collagen isn't for everyone (especially since some of the early options were barely palatable) but this berry flavoured daily drink not only tastes nice, but has one of the best formulas. The vegan blend not only targets skin health (with fruit-based vitamins) but also harnessing bio-fermented ingredients to nourish the gut.
BOTANYCL Botanycl Clear Skin Supplement | SkinClear Elixir Vegan Vitamins for Women | Saw Palmetto, Coconut Oil, & Vitamins C & A as Beta-Carotene | 60 Plant-Based & Easy-Swallow Skin Care Complexion Capsules
If oily skin is your issue, this could be a solution. Formulated specifically to help keep skin clear and calm, the Saw Palmetto Berry Extract is the key ingredient to keep sebum and spots at bay. Even if oily skin isn't your main issue, this is a great option for anyone looking for a vegan skin supplement.
Describing this as a 'suckable supplement' might sound a bit weird, but that is kind of spot on... A hybrid of a supplement, mouthwash and breath mint, this refreshes your mouth and supports the good bacteria inside it with a blend of gum and tooth friendly vitamins.
If there's one person that knows about good skin it's facialist to the stars and the woman behind Meghan Markle's wedding skin, Sarah Chapman. Treat your skin from the inside out whilst you're sleeping with Chapman's overnight supplement duo. This two part system is formulated with 26 micro nutrients to help hydrate and nourish skin whilst also encouraging a relaxing eight hours rest. Did someone say beauty sleep?
Klorane are all about improving the quality of your hair by harnessing the power of nature and their keratin capsules do just that. Take one capsule with water each morning and let the blend of keratin, zinc, vitamins and selenium get to work on strengthening your hair and nails.
Votary Super Glow Skin Nutrition Food Supplement - £35
Votary is famous for harnessing the power of seed extracts to boost their skincare, and this is no different. Formulated to work alongside your skincare, but from within, the blend of vitamins (such as vitamin A to help cells repair and C as an antioxidant) and seeds is like a natural, glow-boosting cocktail for your skin.
Tasty, vegan and more affordable that many hair supplements, these gummies contain zinc, biotin and selenium to strengthen not only your hair, but your nails and skin too. A whole host of other vitamins means it works even harder as your daily multivitamin too.
Harnessing the UK-based brand's hero ingredient, MSM (a naturally-occurring form of sulphur that boost skin cells) this daily supplement helps to improve skin structure, as well as strengthening hair and nails.
You can use all the right shampoos and products, but sometimes a little help from within is required to boost healthy hair growth. These (actually quite tasty) gummies aim to stimulate the molecules in the follicles to give hair growth a hefty push. Their clinical study data is pretty impressive as well: 86% of users noticed a significant improvement in their hair.
Repairing your skin barrier is important in maintaining a bouncy, healthy complexion, and these supplements are made to do just that. A blend of collagen, aloe vera, hyaluronic acid and ceramides will work to supercharge the hydration in your skin, meaning things will look and feel smoother, firmer, better.
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Heaven by Deborah Mitchell Inner Age Defiance - £37
We all know about hyaluronic acid by now right? RIGHT? Well that moisturising, hydration-boosting skincare ingredient can also work from the inside. Naturally occurring in the body, it decreases as we age, so a little boost via these supplements will help to restore hydration levels and improve overall condition of the skin.
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Beauty Pie Perfect Daily supplements - £50 or £12.17 to Beauty Pie members
This multivitamin contains a mix of 22 nutrients, meaning not only will you be boosting overall health, but your skin, hair and nails will reap the benefits too. The inclusion of biotin, copper, zinc and iodine specifically mean great news for a healthier complexion and hair growth. A wonderful, all-in-one option.
If it's good enough for Elle Macpherson, it's good enough for us. The original and the best powder beauty supplement The Super Elixir combines vitamins, Chinese herbs, enzymes, super-greens, and pre- and probiotics for an all over health boost.
Think of this as a dose of caffeine for your skin. The powder includes vitamin C and E to turn up the skin glow wattage whilst the antioxidant properties help minimise the effects of environmental damage on skin. Hey, if it works for Gwyneth, it works for us.
Ideal to try if you’re looking for Julia Roberts in the 90’s volume. There’s a mixture of amino acids and vitamin C which Kalinik explains as ‘amino acids (the building blocks of protein) crucially provide the key component to encourage hair growth. Vitamin C provides antioxidant benefits, supporting collagen production and iron absorption, crucial for healthy hair’.
Never seem to be able to drink enough water to satisfy your skin? It’s time to turn to supplements to bring in the big guns. These capsules feature a powerful duo of hyaluronic acid and ceramides, to act like a magnet for hydration. Long term results plumped pillow-like skin and a reduction in fine lines and wrinkles.
With one set to take at night and one to take in the morning, these supplements work to keep the body and mind ticking throughout all hours of the day. The morning vitamin cocktail mix includes magnesium and Vitamin C to keep energy levels high, whilst the night capsules use minerals zinc, magnesium and iodine to help skin rest and renew overnight.
Recommended by endless beauty experts including facialist Nichola Joss, Symprove is a daily drink designed to deliver beneficial bacteria to your gut. Better gut health equals better digestion, better skin and all round better you.
Hairstylists all over the UK recommend Philip Kingsley's soya-based supplement for hair worthy of a shampoo-ad. Rather cleverly, the nutrients and amino acids are absorbed by the hair follicle during the growth stage where they work hard to construct keratin, the protein that makes hair stronger and shinier. The results aren't instantaneous but they are pretty much unquestionable.
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2. Stop clogging your follicles
Dirt, oils and product build-up can clog your follicles, hindering healthy hair growth. To avoid this, try to give your hair a rest from overloading the root area with styling products – dry shampoo and volumising powders are common culprits.
3. Exfoliate your scalp
If your scalp is the gateway to healthy hair, it makes sense that exfoliating it helps promote growth. Use a detoxifying shampoo like Aveda Invati Exfoliating Shampoo, or a scalp scrub once a week to thoroughly cleanse and remove excess sebum from follicles – as well as the product build-up mentioned above.
Created with a blend of AHAs and BHAs (acids to help clear away build up on the skin's surface) this delicious smelling scrub works for all hair types, and even those with a more sensitive scalp due to the balancing marula and passionfruit oils.
Designed for in salon use but just as good at-home (well, as good as it gets without that salon head massage), this super fine scrub comes in a lightweight gel texture which feels super soothing on the scalp. Great for those with a flaky scalp, as this will help to 'reset' it and keep it happier going forward.
Not only can this be used on your body too (we love a multi-use product) but the formula also lathers up on your hair, so you don't have to use a shampoo or can just mix a bit of your favourite cleanser in with it. Leaves you feeling super soft, literally from head to toe.
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Christophe Robin Cleansing Purifying Scrub with Sea Salt - £40 for 250ml
Enriched with sea salt to naturally exfoliate and detoxify, this is particularly good for oily or sensitive scalps. It's also great to use after you've had your hair coloured, to help remove chemicals left over, without worry of stripping the colour.
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4. Get a caffeine hit
Caffeine has been found to stimulate the hair shaft by blocking the effects of DHT, a chemical known to damage hair follicles. According to German scientists at the University of Lübeck, it can speed up hair growth by 25 per cent. Unfortunately drinking it might not be the best way to aid hair growth.
Massage stimulates blood circulation, supporting the tiny blood vessels that feed the hair follicles. Gentle pulling of the hair (so you feel tension, NOT pain) and doing a rhythmic tapping technique are two massage methods to try yourself. Alternatively book in for a professional Indian head massage – hey, stress-relief can help your hair grow too!
Getty Images
6. Do less
Washing, styling and chemical colouring, that is. Daily shampooing can compromise the scalp's natural essential oils that stimulate growth, while backcombing, brushing and chemically processing the hair can leave it brittle, appearing to shorten the length from the bottom-up when it breaks. We all want to tong and straighten our hair to smooth and bouncy lushness but treat your ends to a day off once a week and they'll thank you.
'My main tip for healthy hair growth would be switching your shampoo to something mild, like a natural or organic shampoo as chemicals, like colour damage, can cause stunted hair growth', advises O'Brien.
Try... Bramley Shampoo with Lemon, Mandarin & Rosemary - £14 SHOP NOW
Jon Bradley Photo
7. Loosen tight hairbands
Another common cause of hair breakage is the humble hairband. Tight elastics, worn repetitively in the same place cause wear and tear on the hair which is not what you want when you're growing it. The wrong band can snag and damage strands, so pick the right type and keep them loose. Hair authority Mark Hill recommends bands without metal fasteners as these are the worst offenders, or you could try the Invisibobble which puts less pressure on your hair because of its telephone cord shape.
Try... Invisibobble Original Hair Tie (3 Pack) - £4.99 SHOP NOW
LAUNCHMETRICS SPOTLIGHT
8. Have regular trims
Not because cutting your hair makes it grow faster – sadly that's a myth, BUT when hair is freshly snipped the ends will appear coarser without their damaged, tapered points. Plus by trimming it regularly and managing damage you'll have to cut off less hair in the long run, so indirectly you're speeding things up!