THE LENGTHS WE GROW TO
Top tips for going an entire year without a haircut
I say ‘cut’, but what I mean is a teeny-tiny ‘invisible trim’, for I, Alice Manning, Red’s senior beauty editor, do not like scissors anywhere near my hair. Ask any of my girlfriends and they’ll say that long hair is my ‘thing’. I see them growing theirs, cutting it off into shoulder-skimming bobs and growing it all over again. It’s a pattern I can never understand. To me, long hair is feminine, required for trends such as this summer’s waist-length braids (thank you, Dior), the Seventies vibe at Celine and the derrière-draped lengths at Lanvin. My hair defines me, plus it’s a security blanket to hide behind when I need one. That’s why it now drapes down my back almost to the top of my jeans – where it should be. I’m
‘STRESS HAS AN EFFECT ON THE QUALITY OF YOUR HAIR’
not alone. Red’s editor, Sarah Tomczak, has a golden mane that reaches a good few inches beyond her bra strap. ‘I keep my hair long partly because it feels an integral part of my identity but also because it’s low maintenance,’ she says. ‘Occasionally, I get a side-swept fringe cut in, then it grows out a bit and I tuck it behind my ear, but mostly I just brush and go.’
It’s an approach that works only if your hair looks in luxe condition – which Sarah’s does. ‘My main commitment is colour, for which I’ve been fiercely loyal to my colourist, Zenda at Jo Hansford, for the past eight years. Every three months, I have my base colour lifted, a half head of highlights and a trim, which takes a laborious six hours. Every six weeks, I pop back in to get the roots lifted, which takes an hour.’ Sarah also invests in haircare specifically for coloured hair, current favourites being Jo Hansford Everyday Shampoo, £17, Living Proof Color Care Shampoo, £24, and Rita Hazan True Color Shampoo, £21, and their corresponding conditioners.
Sarah is known for her love of decoration. ‘I’m a sucker for a good accessory,’ she says. ‘I bulk-buy black grosgrain ribbons to tie around a loose ponytail, I love hairbands from Marzoline and Born in the Sun, and I’m slowly collecting Seoul Import’s pretty hair slides, which I order online from Found in Bath.’
If we’re trading secrets, here are mine. First, if I’m carrying a shoulder bag, I tuck my hair into my collar to stop it snagging on the bag strap (it’s a tip I picked up from hair stylist Luke Hersheson). My second is Viviscal Maximum Strength Tablets, £38.99. I found these when I started shedding hair postpartum four years ago and have taken two a day ever since. I swear the mix of biotin, zinc, iron and vitamin C makes a difference to length and volume, usually noticeable by month three of taking them.
As we bond over our devotion to our mermaid manes, Sarah ponders, ‘Can we really get to
70 and wear our hair down our backs? Possibly not, and when that day comes I’m sure I’ll feel utterly bereft. But for now, my mantra is that there’s no such thing as too long.’
So, if you want to grow your hair or maintain strong, luxurious lengths, here’s what I’ve learned…
Know how your hair grows
‘Hair growth happens in cycles, with each strand having its own cycle – it’s a real mix at any one time,’ explains Atoshi George, senior scientific adviser at L’oréal. The anagen (growth) phase begins in the follicle and lasts anything between two and seven years. It’s governed by genetics and a complex balance of hormones and general health factors. When that cycle comes to an end, there’s a short catagen (transition) phase, which lasts two to three weeks, during which the hair detaches itself from the blood supply at the base of the follicle, before entering the telogen (resting) phase. The resting hairs then shed over a period of a few months as new hairs grow through.
To encourage your hair to grow as healthily (and long!) as possible, do everything to be kind to it. That means, says George, conditioning after every wash without fail, using all heated tools on the lowest setting possible and adding detangling products so there’s less dragging and snagging when you comb or brush through the hair. As well as this, she advises getting good sleep, adopting a healthy diet and limiting stress. ‘Studies have shown that stress has an effect on the quality of your hair, as it messes with the hormone balances,’ she confirms. If you’ve noticed a significant increase in hair fall (more than the 100 or so hairs we shed quite normally each day), see a trichologist or your GP.
Put the scissors down (sometimes)
Stylists invariably recommend having regular trims when you’re trying to grow your hair, which seems counter-intuitive. And from the scientists’ point of view, it is a fallacy. Hair grows about half an inch every month; about six inches a year. ‘Once the hair has left the base of the follicle, it is dead and has no communication with the root,’ explains George. However, as stylist Charlotte Mensah points out, trimming does get rid of split, straggly ends and stops any damage going further up
the hair shaft – which, in turn, reduces the need to cut more off. Your hair’s texture will influence how frequently it needs a trim. Thicker, coarser strands are more robust and less prone to breakage than fine, coloured hair, for instance. How often you use heated styling tools will also play a part.
Eat well (and take a supplement)
‘A healthy diet with lots of protein and complex carbohydrates is vital to maintaining a good growth cycle,’ says trichologist Anabel Kingsley. ‘Think fish, eggs, lean meat, pulses, quinoa, brown rice and oats.’ Meeting nutritional requirements from your diet alone can sometimes be difficult, so you can top up with supplements, too. What to look for on the label? ‘Go for amino acids, the building blocks of proteins; biotin, which helps carry the nutrients to your scalp; vitamin A, vital for cell growth; and vitamin C, an excellent antioxidant for fighting off free radicals,’ says Kingsley. It’s also worth looking into whether you are deficient in either iron or zinc, as both are essential for hair. Recent research by nutritional consultancy firm Nutritional Insight found that 8.6% of the 3,328 adults surveyed were deficient in zinc and 25% were lacking iron, a particular issue for women. (FYI, the NHS recommends an intake of 14.8mg of iron and 7mg of zinc a day for women aged 19 to 50.)
Add protein to your routine
Hair is made of keratin, a type of protein. So as well as eating protein, applying it topically can help to strengthen and reinforce your lengths. I’m a fan of Bleach London Beer shampoo and conditioner, £7.50 each, recommended to me by Amy Fish, a colourist at Larry King. Afro hair really benefits from added protein, too. ‘It breaks easily, so I would always recommend a protein treatment to replenish the hair and rebuild broken bonds,’ says Charlotte Mensah, who advises massaging your scalp while you apply the treatment to stimulate your scalp’s microcirculation and encourage nutrients to reach the follicles.’ Try it with Monpure Strengthening Silk Protein Shampoo, £36, and Trepadora Quinoa Repair Deep Conditioner, £23.
Consider your colour
‘You need to find a compromise between your ideal colour and desired length, because hair that is coloured or chemically treated is more likely to break off,’ warns Shannon Gallacher, colourist at Nicola Clarke at John Frieda, who recently took me from buttery blonde to smokey brunette to improve my hair’s condition. Make sure your colourist is combining your colour with a bonding system like Olaplex or Redken ph-bonder to help protect the hair fibres and strengthen their structure. At home, Olaplex No. 7 Bonding Oil, £26, continues the good work. Alternatively, opt for a gloss at your next colour appointment. ‘They refresh and revive your colour and require less processing and bleach,’ notes Fish. Redken’s Shades EQ Toning Tweakments, from £50, give a glossy colour boost that lasts up to six weeks. At home, use Rita Hazan True Color Ultimate Shine Gloss, £21, or Kevin Murphy Crystal Angel, £23.
Take extra care with wet hair
When it’s wet, your hair is more vulnerable to breakage, so don’t scrub it when you shampoo, or rub it hard while towel-drying. Dragging tangles down the hair shaft causes damage, so be mindful when brushing it: start with the ends, then carefully work upwards towards the roots. I use a Tangle Teezer Compact Styler brush, from £14, or Manta brush (top right), £25. A multitasking conditioning spray, such as Color WOW Dream Cocktail Kale-infused, £23, provides some ‘slip’ and protection for styling.
Buy a silk pillowcase
Yes, they really do mean there’s less pulling and tugging of your tresses while you sleep, which can result in less breakage. I also love Silke London’s selection of Silk Hair Wraps, £50 each, which do a wonderful job of cradling your mane while you toss and turn.