Hair Growth Hacks
Whether we realize it or not, hair is an important part of most people’s identities. Hair can influence our self-esteem, boost our confidence, or conversely, leave us feeling insecure. As a natural brunette, I spent most of my teen years dying my hair different shades of brown and black because I thought it was “cool.” In my late 20’s, I thought I needed to reinvent myself and subsequently decided to become a blonde. While I loved how it made me look and feel, bleaching my hair for years resulted in the destruction of my once luscious locks.
About 2 years ago, while enrolled at the Institute of Integrative Nutrition getting my Health Coaching certificate, I took a course on brain health. I found myself questioning why I was 1) choosing to spend hours inside hair salons filled with toxic fumes that made me feel sick 2) spend hundreds of dollars a year to dye my hair a different shade 3) put a highly toxic chemical on my scalp (very close to my brain) and 4) destroy the health of my hair in the process. As you can imagine, it took me about 30 seconds to make the decision to stop dying my hair and embrace my inner brunette. And so the journey to restore the health of my hair began. It’s taken about two years of research and using myself as a guinea pig, but my hair is finally starting to grow back, stronger and healthier than ever. Below, I share three things that have worked for me, ranging from my favorite supplement to cheaper, holistic remedies you can make right at home. Although I am a fan of all three methods independently, combining them has proven to be an unstoppable formula for me. My hope is that it will be for you, too.
A Note on Hair Loss
Before I share my tips, I think it’s important to realize that people lose hair for a variety of reasons. Whether it’s a result of dying and damaging your hair, growing older, or something far more significant such as dealing with a medical condition, autoimmune disease, or receiving treatments such as those for cancer, losing your hair can have a significant psychological impact. I would just like to note that I am in no way equating the natural loss of hair to hair loss caused by a medical condition – I am simply highlighting that it is essential for us to recognize and understand the power our hair holds vs feel guilt or shame about the way you look. Wherever you are in your journey, your feelings are valid. Period.
Finally, if you are dealing with a medical condition, please consult your doctor before you take any supplements that may interfere with your medication. I am not a healthcare provider and would like to emphasize that people’s bodies react to things differently. Please take the time to do your own research and decide what feels right for YOU.
WellBel
As I’m sure many of you know, it’s an absolute jungle out there when it comes to supplements. I’m always wary of a company’s marketing claims, and usually spend hours researching any product before making the decision to try it. I first stumbled upon Wellbel about a year ago when I saw influencer Danielle Bernstein – founder of WeWoreWhat – speaking about her hair transformation online. What I love about this company is that their formula uses minimal, clean ingredients – two things that are very important to me. The formula is gluten-free, vegan, and non-GMO.
The founder of the company, Dr. Dan, is triple board certified in Internal Medicine, Cardiovascular Disease, as well as Age-Management & Integrative Medicine. Dr. Dan's sister, Dalia, experienced hair loss, skin concerns, and weak nails after giving birth to her twin boys. His sister, Diana, suffered from stress-related alopecia areata and made lifestyle changes to help with her stresses but had little to no success. Neither of them could find a supplement that worked – most products were saturated with an excessive amount of biotin, causing skin issues. I love this product because it’s a clean, effective alternative to other products on the market and because it was created to help women struggling with hair loss.
It took about 3-4 months until I started seeing results, and it took about a year before my hair started to grow rapidly. I know that this may be an unaffordable option for many people, which is why I give you some less expensive, holistic alternatives below. However, if you’d like to try Wellbel, you can use this link for $10 off your first order! I can personally say that it has done wonders for me, and I absolutely love everything this brand stands for.
Nettle and Raspberry Leaf Tea Infusion
I wish I could claim that I came up with this concoction, but this tea is the beautiful brainchild of Lacey Phillips, founder of To Be Magnetic. It is a very simple and effective drink that has worked wonders for my hair. If I’m being honest, I was expecting it to taste gross for lack of a better word, but it tastes just like ice tea. I drink mine at room temperature with a splash of lemon in the afternoon, but you can have it any time of day you prefer. I will say I saw an almost immediate result once I started drinking this formula, and I cannot recommend it enough.
According to Lacey, this particular infusion is great for skin, nails, and hair and is made from goji berries, red raspberry loose leaf tea, and nettle loose leaf tea. Goji berries are rich in vitamin A, C, beta-carotene, and zinc, which encourages hair growth and controls excessive hair fall. Goji berries are even used in traditional Chinese medicine to reverse gray hairs. Nettle leaves are rich in silica, sulphur, and minerals such as phosphorus, sodium, calcium, potassium, and magnesium, which help fight thinning hair by promoting new growth while also making your hair shinier and healthier. Nettles are one of the oldest recorded remedies used for treating and preventing hair loss. Finally, red raspberry leaf tea is a rich source of iron, manganese, niacin, calcium, magnesium, selenium, and Vitamins A & C, which help promote soft hair, prevent moisture loss, and increase elasticity. Combined, this fusion will leave your skin glowing, your hair thicker, and your nails stronger.
I suggest going to your local tea shop to support small business, but if you prefer to order online, here is a link to an organic nettle leaf tea, a red raspberry leaf tea, and organic goji berries. Make sure to get loose leaf tea and not tea bags. Although purchasing these three things is an upfront cost, it is the same price as one month of supplements and will last you much longer.
Instructions
All you do is add 4 tablespoons of nettle leaf, 4 tablespoons of red raspberry leaf, and 1-2 tablespoons of goji berries to an 8 ounce jar. The original recipe also says that you can add 1 tablespoon of seaweed if you’d like, but I have never done so. Bring water to a boil, add it to the jar, and let everything steep for at least four hours. You can let it sit for a little longer, but I’d suggest removing the herbs after 24 hours (I once kept them in for two days and the tea went rancid). I usually have a cup of tea a day, so the jar lasts me between 4-5 days, but you can have more or less depending on your preference!
Rosemary Infused Water
I have to admit, the amount of helpful videos and tips I have found on TikTok is somewhat embarrassing. I first stumbled across this hair hack on the platform and am so happy that I did. Rosemary water contains antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties that help increase hair growth and thickness, promote silky, shiny hair, and decrease inflammation to soothe your scalp by stimulating blood supply to your hair follicles. Plus, it’s easy to make at home and extremely cost effective. You can use your rosemary water one of two ways – either as a hair rinse or as a hair spray.
If using as a hair rinse, it will be the last step in your normal washing routine. Once you have washed your hair using shampoo and conditioner, simply pour the rosemary water all over your head and scalp, soaking the length of your hair. Don’t rinse it out as this will wash away its benefits. Use 2-3 times per week, maximum.
If using as a hair spray, I’d recommend buying a water spray bottle, such as this one. To use, simply spray the rosemary water all over your hair, starting at your scalp and working your way down. It’s best used between washes 2-3 times per week. Start with dry hair to make sure you soak up as much liquid as possible and then gently comb through your hair, allowing it to dry naturally. Another hack is that if your hair is frizzy or dry, you can use rosemary spray to wet it down.
When I first starting using this concoction, I went a little crazy and used it every single day, which left my hair feeling dry and brittle. Don’t be like me – you only want to use this 2-3 times per week. However, if your hair is still feeing dry, you’ll likely need to experiment with diluting the recipe for a gentler rinse. Weaker rosemary water is the color of iced tea, while a stronger infusion is a darker, amber color. Every body is different and as always, I encourage you to do your own research and experiment with what works the best with your hair type. You likely won’t see results overnight so keep going – consistency is key.
Finally and most importantly, if you are already using a medication for hair loss, please consult your physician before using rosemary water.
Instructions
To make rosemary water, add 4-5 cups of filtered water to a large pot. Turn to medium high heat and wait for the water to boil. Once it’s boiling, add 5 sprigs of rosemary to the water and turn it to medium heat for about 15 minutes. As you get more comfortable making this, you can add more or less rosemary depending on what your scalp can tolerate. In the pictures above, I use an entire container of rosemary from Whole Foods, which is why it’s a deep amber color. But, I’d recommend starting with less and working your way up. Next, turn your stove off, remove the pot from the heat, and let the rosemary water sit for another 30 minutes or so. Strain the liquid and pour it into a bottle or a spray bottle (or both) and store in the fridge for 1-2 weeks for best results.