Long hair, do care Fake length like a rock star
Hair grows up to 1.27cm max each month, so befriend Mother Nature – or fake length like a rock star.
1 Food for locks
Eating well is key to growing out your hair. The protein in fish, chicken, soybeans and nuts produces keratin, which can help hair grow strong, says dietician Wendy Bazilian. She also recommends eggs, for growth-boosting biotin. Or, look for it in supplements like Environ Hair, Skin & Nail Nutritional Supplement (R155).
2 Endgame
Your hair can’t grow long if it keeps breaking, so lay off heat styling, tight topknots, cornrows and ponytails. TRY L’oréal Absolut Repair Lipidium Instant Reconstructing Shampoo (R540) to keep strands hydrated and the ends healthy. Use a gentle brush, and get a trim to prevent split ends from proliferating. With fried and frayed ends gone, it will “look longer and more in proportion,” explains hairstylist Rita Hazan.
3 Add boosters
Even if you eat well, Wendy suggests hair-healthy supplements like omega-3 or omega-6 fatty acids, biotin and vitamins A, C and E. Take them consistently for four to six weeks to see results. “It’s not like taking aspirin once for a headache,” she says.
4 Fake news
“Place clip-in extensions in a V-shape as low as possible to the back of your neck,” says Clipinhair owner Jeanne Pienaar. Or opt for bonded extensions that last up to five months.