One day you want long hair; the next day you want short hair. Committing to a hairstyle isn’t exactly easy, especially if you decide to grow your hair out just days after cutting it short.
Sure, extensions are the quickest and easiest way to add instant length to shorter-than-you-want strands. But they also come along with (usually) a hefty price tag and major upkeep. So, if you rather go the au natural route and grow your hair out, there are a few pearls of wisdom you need to know about.
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Get trims.
While it may seem counterintuitive to get your hair cut when you are trying to grow it out, celebrity stylist Nunzio Saviano says regular trims are important because they keep your ends intact. “You can stretch the time out between trims a little bit further, but not too long. Typically you should get a cut every six to seven weeks, so you can start stretching it to eight to 10 weeks.”
Ask for a “dusting.”
To make sure that you and your stylist are on the same page, make sure that you explain that you want the ends of your hair dusted (read: just the split ends are cut), which will help preserve the length.
Lay off anything with heat.
Curling irons, blowdryers and straightening tools are essential for a good hair day. But, they can also cause massive amounts of damage, too. “Don’t put too much stress on the hair and be conscious about using hot tools. Try to keep your hair natural as much as possible while you’re letting it grow,” says Saviano.
Load up on conditioning masks.
In order to keep your hair in tip-top condition so its less susceptible to breakage, use a deep conditioning mask regularly. Our pick: Harklinikken’s Hair Hydrating Mask ($56).
