My best tips for growing your dream hair; long, strong, & healthy.
(The basics of growing long, healthy hair (without losing your mind in the process)
So, you want long hair.
Maybe you got a haircut that was way shorter than you envisioned. Maybe you went a little too hard with the bleach. Maybe your hair keeps getting to the exact same length before snapping off. Or maybe you've experienced shedding or hair loss and you're just trying to feel like yourself again.
Whatever brought you here—welcome to Lemme Grow!
I've had my own complicated relationship with my hair over the years. I've dealt with dryness, breakage, shedding, questionable product decisions, and plenty of trial and error trying to figure out what actually makes a difference.
And if there's one thing I've learned, it's this:
Growing long hair isn't only about making your hair grow. It's about keeping the hair you grow.
Your scalp can be happily producing new hair while your ends are simultaneously snapping off. That's why it can feel like your hair has been “stuck” at the same length for years.
There isn't one miracle shampoo, supplement, oil, or viral TikTok hack that's going to suddenly give you waist-length hair. Healthy hair is much less exciting than that: consistency, nutrition, scalp care, less damage, and a whole lot of patience.
These are the basics I keep coming back to.
1. Protect the hair you already have
Before worrying about growing more hair, stop unnecessarily breaking the hair you've already grown.
This was one of the biggest mindset shifts for me.
Your ends are the oldest and most fragile part of your hair. If you're constantly dealing with breakage and split ends, you're going to keep losing length even while new hair is growing from your scalp.
A few simple swaps can make a difference:
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Sleep on a silk or satin pillowcase or use a bonnet.
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Try a loose braid at night to reduce tangling.
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Swap tight elastics for silk or satin scrunchies.
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Avoid wearing super-tight ponytails and buns every day.
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Be extra gentle when detangling wet hair.
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Don't aggressively towel-dry or rub your hair.
Basically: baby your ends. They've been through enough.
2. Stop cooking your hair
I love good hair as much as the next girl, but your strands can only take so much heat, bleach, tugging, brushing and styling before they start fighting back.
If your goal is length, reducing unnecessary damage is one of the simplest places to start.
That doesn't mean you can never touch a curling iron again. I certainly haven't. It means being strategic.
Use heat protectant. Turn the temperature down when possible. Give your hair heat-free days. Experiment with overnight curls and other no-heat styles. Space out chemical processing when you can.
And when you're detangling? Slow down.
I like a wide-tooth comb or a brush designed for gentle detangling, especially when my hair is vulnerable.
A note on boar-bristle brushes
I've also used a boar-bristle brush for years on dry hair. What I love about it is how it helps distribute the natural oils from my scalp through the lengths of my hair, which can make my hair look smoother and shinier.
It's not a magic hair-growth brush—and you definitely don't need to brush your scalp into oblivion—but for the right hair type, gentle brushing can be a nice part of a healthy hair routine.
Liv's tip: If your hair is curly, very textured, extremely fragile, or prone to breakage, traditional boar-bristle brushing may not be the best fit. Your hair type matters.
3. Stop being afraid of every ingredient you can't pronounce
Okay, I'm correcting old-me on this one.
I used to think natural = good and chemical = bad when it came to hair products.
It's not that simple.
Everything is made of chemicals—including water—and ingredients like silicones, sulfates and alcohols aren't automatically “toxic” or damaging. Some people love them. Some scalps and hair types don't.
What matters more is how your hair and scalp respond to the formula.
For example, a stronger cleansing shampoo might be helpful if you use lots of styling products or have buildup, while someone with a very dry or sensitive scalp may prefer something gentler. Some silicones can actually help reduce friction and protect damaged strands.
My rule now?
Pay attention to your hair instead of blindly following ingredient fear lists.
If something consistently leaves your scalp itchy, irritated or excessively dry—or your hair brittle and impossible to manage—try something else.
Your shampoo doesn't need a halo. It just needs to work for you.
4. Give your scalp some love
This is where my obsession began: hair oiling.
Hair oiling became one of my favorite rituals because it forced me to slow down, massage my scalp and actually take care of the hair closest to the root.
I usually oil about once or twice a week depending on what my scalp needs. If you're brand new to it, I'd start simple: apply a small amount, gently massage it in with your fingertips, leave it on for around 30–60 minutes, then shampoo thoroughly.
You do NOT need to marinate your scalp in oil for three business days.
More isn't always better.
Different oils also behave differently. Coconut oil, for example, has been studied for its ability to penetrate the hair shaft and reduce protein loss in hair, while lighter oils can be useful for lubrication, softness and reducing friction.
And scalp massage itself? There is some early research suggesting regular scalp massage may influence hair thickness, but the evidence isn't strong enough to call massage a proven hair-growth treatment.
I still love it because it feels incredible and turns hair care into a ritual instead of another chore.
Important: Hair oiling isn't for every scalp. If you're prone to scalp irritation, dandruff, seborrheic dermatitis or other scalp conditions, piling oils onto your scalp can sometimes make things worse. When in doubt, talk with a dermatologist.
5. Feed the hair factory
We spend SO much money putting things on our hair while forgetting that the actual hair follicle is inside our body.
Hair growth requires energy and nutrients.
Protein, iron, zinc, essential fatty acids and several vitamins and minerals are involved in normal hair growth and follicle function. That doesn't mean taking massive doses of every “hair vitamin” you see online. In fact, more is absolutely not always better.
Start with food.
Think adequate protein, colorful fruits and vegetables, healthy fats, whole-food carbohydrates and enough overall calories to actually support your body.
And drink your water. 💧
I think of it like growing a plant: you can't keep obsessing over the leaves while ignoring the soil.
→ Read next: Hair Food — What I Eat to Support Healthy Hair
6. Don't ignore stress, sleep & the rest of your body
Your hair does not exist in its own little universe.
It's connected to what's happening everywhere else.
Significant physical or emotional stress can contribute to a type of temporary shedding called telogen effluvium, where more hairs than usual shift into the resting/shedding phase. Illness, major weight changes, restrictive dieting, hormonal shifts and other stressors can also play a role.
This is why I look at hair health as part of whole-body health.
Sleep.
Eat enough.
Move your body.
Find ways to manage stress that you genuinely enjoy—not another “wellness” task you're forcing yourself to do.
Take a walk. Read. Do yoga. Get outside. Journal. Meditate. Call your friend and complain for twenty minutes. Whatever helps your nervous system come back down to earth.
Your hair may be the thing that gets your attention, but sometimes it's your body asking you to look deeper.
7. Know when it's more than a hair-care problem
This is something I wish more hair-growth content talked about.
If you're experiencing sudden, significant or unexplained hair loss, don't just buy another serum.
Hair loss can have many causes—including genetics, nutrient deficiencies, hormonal changes, thyroid problems, illness, medications, autoimmune conditions, scalp disorders and significant stress.
Things like bald patches, scalp pain or inflammation, rapidly worsening shedding, or hair loss accompanied by other unexplained symptoms deserve a conversation with a qualified healthcare professional or dermatologist.
Sometimes the best thing you can do for your hair isn't another product.
It's figuring out why it's happening in the first place.
The Long & Short of It 🍋
If you're trying to grow long, healthy hair, remember:
Protect what you have.
Be nice to your scalp.
Feed your body.
Reduce unnecessary damage.
Pay attention when something changes.
And give it time.
Hair grows slowly. That's the annoying part.
But your daily habits add up.
I spent years experimenting with my own hair, researching nutrition and hair health, trying different routines, making mistakes and figuring out what worked for me. And Lemme Grow is where I'm putting all of it—the hair I want to grow, the hair I don't want to grow, hormones, nutrition, scalp care, products, experiments and everything I've learned along the way.
Because apparently being a woman means spending half your life trying to grow hair in one place while desperately trying to stop it from growing somewhere else.
Love that for us.
Welcome to Lemme Grow. 🍋
This article is for educational purposes and shares general information and personal experience. It isn't intended to diagnose or treat hair loss or replace individualized medical advice.