When it comes to looking glamorous and picture-perfect at all time, the Hollywood A-list know a thing or two. From the old guard of Elizabeth Taylor and Audrey Hepburn to modern icons such as Kim Kardashian and Beyonce, there are some celebrities we all enjoy because they very rarely have a hair out of place.
Some of these celebs wear their hair short and some wear it long, but what they all have in common is that they make the effort to look after their hair. Oscar winner Joan Crawford once said that “I think that the most important thing a woman can have – next to talent, of course – is her hairdresser.” And who wouldn’t want their own personal hairdresser on call?
Looking to grow your hair as long and strong as possible? Here are some tried and tested hair growth tips from celebrities that you can follow today:
Understand Your Hair
Everyone’s hair is different, and it is important that you learn to understand your hair and what it needs to look at its best. What you use on your hair might not necessarily be what would be best suited to the hair of your best friend, for example.
No one knows this better than Beyonce, who has spent years experimenting with different hair care techniques until she has found the one that helps her get the most from her locks.
“I make a hot-oil concoction with natural oils and vitamin E for Beyoncé to put on under a heating cap,” says Beyoncé’s hairstylist, Kim Kimble. “She asks for sulfate-free shampoos, which are gentler. She knows so much that I always tease her and say she’s a frustrated hairstylist!”
If your current hair care routine isn’t working for you, then why not try something different? Experimentation is often viewed with distrust but it isn’t necessarily a negative thing when it comes to hair care.
Use Vitamins to Promote Hair Growth
Kim Kardashian is very vocal about her use of hair growth pills, which she has used to strengthen her hair and help it grow after causing extensive damage to her hair by wearing long and heavy extensions for many years.
If you check out the stars Instagram feed you will see an array of images of her beautifully long, glossy and perfectly groomed hair which she attributes to the incredible array of vitamins that she takes each day. In fact, all of the Kardashian sisters are big fans of hair growth vitamins, and each has hair more beautiful than the next!
Vitamins for hair growth help to nourish the hair follicle, prevent it from drying out, and usually contain collagen-building vitamin C to promote hair growth. Whilst it is unlikely you will see results if you only take these vitamins for a week or two, Kim Kardashian ably demonstrates that after around six months of daily use, your hair will look and feel stronger and healthier than ever before.
Have Regular Haircuts
A woman’s hair has power. It stands out, it makes a statement, and it makes you feel good about who you are. No one knows this better than Hillary Clinton, who once said that “If I want to knock a story off the front page, I just change my hairstyle.”
Changing your hair is a great way to refresh your look and attract attention, but it is also a great way to promote hair growth and strength.
You should aim to trim your hair every six to eight week, as this will prevent your hair cuticles from splitting. When split ends go up the hair shaft, they become so thin that they break. This will leave you with hair that looks frizzy and prone to breakage when you brush or style it.
Once you split your hair it is very hard and sometimes impossible to repair. In fact, the only way to remove a split end is to cut it out, which could mean having to have a dramatically short haircut if the damage has spread extensively up the shaft.
Having regular haircuts, then, is essential for both hair strength and continued hair growth.
Avoid Excessive Use of Bleach
In an interview with People Magazine, Lady Gaga confessed that she often has to “get a chemical haircut because [her] blonde hair is falling out.”
The natural brunette lightens and chemically damages her hair so excessively that it actually falls out in chunks; and if that’s not a sign that it’s time to stop bleaching your hair then I don’t know what is!
Excessive hair lightening can be incredibly damaging to the hair cuticle, causing the hair to dry out and even damaging it all the way the root. Hair that has been bleached is more prone to breakages and split ends, leaving you with hair that looks dry and unhealthy.
That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t colour your hair: subtle highlights and colour changes can actually make your hair look thicker and healthier. But if you have naturally dark hair then you should really consider the lightest shades of blonde very carefully: lightening your hair by more than a shade or two is likely to cause damage that could take years to reverse.
Don’t Heat Style Your Hair
Heat styling can damage your hair, causing split ends and stunting hair growth. One top celebrity tip, then (and another tip from Kim Kardashian) is to avoid washing your hair everyday so that you don’t have to heat style it every day.
In 2014 Kim told Glamour magazine that “I don’t wash my hair every day. I really try and stick with – y’know, if I’m getting it done, I’ll get a blow-out on the first day, and on the second day I’ll add waves and curls to it, and on the third day I’ll keep that messy, and on the fourth day stick it up, and then wash it that night.”
We often talk about the perils of heat damage, but rarely explain how it works. Heating your hair quickly cases a flash drying effect. This removes both the surface moisture of the hair (helping it dry so you can get to work faster) but it also removes the natural water that is contained within the hair. This causes the hair to dehydrate, and the cuticle of the hair will become dry, brittle, and irreversibly damaged. The less often you use heat to dry or style your hair, the better.
