[All products linked in this article are non-sponsored and are purely the tried and preferred products of the author with no affiliation to the brands]
It seemed like long hair was everywhere in 2024, with influencers pushing rosemary oil, scalp massagers and serums, promising us that this is the best way to grow long, thick heads of hair. But is there any merit in purchasing a plethora of products to achieve your hair growth goals? We decided to investigate and see which products are worth splashing out for, and which are better left on the TikTok shop shelf.
Possibly the biggest hair growth revelation in recent years has been rosemary oil, with influencers such as Victoria Underwood swearing by the stuff for rapid hair growth.
And evidently, she’s right to! Studies suggest that the topical application of rosemary oil to the scalp does in fact increase hair count in the same way that minoxidil, an alopecia treatment does, except with the benefit of causing less scalp itching as well as being typically more affordable and accessible.
Popular brands of rosemary oil include Hair Syrup’s ‘Growsmary’ oil (from £16.99), Nature Spell (£7.99) and Mielle (£10.99).
You have likely come across these compact silicone brushes online if you don’t already have one. With broad, flexible spikes, they have been touted as the best tool to use when shampooing your scalp, though some commenters insist that using these brushes on wet hair is a recipe for hair loss and breakage due to the hair becoming much weaker when saturated in water.
Other uses for these brushes include massaging hair oil into the scalp to increase the efficacy of the oil, however, there is no scientific evidence that massaging your scalp with a brush can stimulate hair growth.
Of course, if you like how it feels to massage your scalp, go ahead and purchase a scalp brush! But if streamlining your hair care routine is your goal, maybe give this item a skip.
While the previous two hair growth tools focused on stimulating hair growth, it is also important to incorporate products into your routine to retain that growth!
Hair masks are the perfect way to do just that, though it’s crucial that you choose the right type for your specific hair needs.
If your hair has undergone chemical processing like lightening or relaxing, it is likely you will need a hair mask that adds protein back into the hair shaft, to avoid any breakage.
There are plenty of protein-based hair masks on the market to suit every budget, from Redken’s Extreme Mask Strength Builder (£29.07), to DIY options such as egg and olive oil hair masks. Just be sure to rinse any hair masks containing egg out of your hair with cool water so you don’t end up accidentally making scrambled eggs IN YOUR HAIR. I may or may not be speaking from experience…
Be careful with protein-based hair masks, as overloading your hair with protein can cause your strands to become brittle and prone to breakage. In this case, you may be better off with a hydrating hair mask, such as the viral Garnier Hair Food range (£8.99), or my personal favourite, the Ouai Hair Treatment Mask (£34).
For a DIY alternative, try mixing greek yoghurt and olive oil together then applying to damp hair.
(Just as an FYI, maybe let the yoghurt come to room temp before you apply it. Nothing interrupts the zen of an everything shower quite like a head covered in COLD DAIRY).
To wash or not to wash! This seems to be a recurring question when discussing how to grow long, healthy hair. Some people believe that for healthy hair, you ought to leave as long as possible between wash days, allowing the natural oil to coat and protect your strands from drying out and breaking, while others are adamant that you should wash your hair everyday to clear your scalp of oil and dirt that could otherwise block your hair follicles. So what’s the best approach?
Truthfully, it seems that it’s actually quite difficult to overwash your hair, with Punyani et al finding that participants who washed their hair between 5-6 times per week experienced no detrimental effects in their scalp or hair health.
This suggests that really, you can wash your hair as often as you feel comfortable, whether that be every day or every week, as there is no impact on your hair growth. If you have dryer hair, you may benefit from allowing longer between washes, however if you have hair that tends to get oily within a day or two, there is absolutely no need to force yourself to live with greasy hair in the name of achieving your hair growth goals.
Having grown and retained 8 inches of hair in 2024, I feel qualified to share what actually helped my hair to grow! So here are my top tips for nurturing hair hair growth:
- Switch to a satin or silk pillowcase for less frizz and breakage
- Use some form of leave-in after every wash. If you have fine hair, a serum works best, like this one from Wella (£8.95), however if you have coarser hair, a thicker product like Lush’s Super Milk (£15) will be amazing at keeping your hair hydrated and smooth.
- Wash your hair when you need to, you know your hair better than any TikTok influencer does
- Oil your scalp before washing. Rosemary oil is proven to aid in promoting hair growth.
- Use protective styles to keep your hair from getting tangled and subsequently breaking
- Eat a diet rich in protein, vitamins and minerals in order to support healthy hair growth. A malnourished body does not grow hair, it just loses it!
- Use hair masks and minimise exposure to heat styling in order to retain length
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