101 Tips for Long Hair That You Need to Know About

Most of us have heard a lot of tips for long hair from people around us. We may stick to some of those healthy hair tips. Though we tend to forget most of them.

I have had my share of struggles in growing long hair. Over the years I have dabbled with many hair care products. Some worked, and some brought hair damage.

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After a lot of trials and errors, I stuck to a no-poo (no shampoo) hair regime.  I am glad that it worked. Apart from the occasional use of handmade shampoo bars while traveling. I do not use any commercial hair care products. 

If you are looking for some of the best tips for growing long hair. Then, do read further. 

101 Natural Tips for Long Hair That You Need to Know

1. Keratin forms the major portion of the hair strands. Thus, it makes sense to include eggs and sprouted legumes in the diet. Else, the lack of proteins will lead to breakage and prevent the hair from growing long. Drumstick leaves are a good option to include proteins. They have all the amino acids in them. That is a feat that even animal protein sources cannot boast of.
2. You can whip up proteins to make hair packs. Eggs and curds are the common home remedies for healthy hair. Such natural homemade hair packs improve the hair structure. Also, they are economical vis-a-vis the commercial ones. 
3. Even though handmade hair packs are good for hair. Most of us avoid making them from scratch. They are messy since they lack the dense structure like the commercial ones. You can use Xanthum gum to troubleshoot handmade hair packs. The addition of this gum makes the hair pack less watery and thus convenient to use.
4. A lot of hair breakage happens when we sleep. The friction between the pillow and the hair strands leads to hair breakage. Using a satin pillow can help to reduce that stress. Thus, the fabric helps the hair to grow long by reducing hair breakage. 
5. A scarf protects the hair from sun, dust, and wind. Hence, it is an important accessory that helps in achieving long hair. Keeping your hair covered is one of the best tips for long hair.

   

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6. One of the common reasons for hair fall is the blocked scalp cells. You can use the juice of onion, ginger, and garlic to apply on your scalp. This hack reduced my hair fall within 5-6 applications.  
7. Most of the commercial conditioners have fatty alcohols. Overuse of these conditioners leads to sticky hair due to product build-up. Your hair can stay healthy without these conditioners.
8. Instead of the commercial conditioners, you can create your handmade conditioners. Diluted apple cider vinegar in a 1:5 ratio with water is one of the best conditioners. This natural homemade conditioner adds shine and reduces the scalp itchiness.  
9. Use acidic rinses to tackle dandruff issues. Sour curd mixed with lemon juice works as a chelating agent.
10. If you are a newbie member of the no-poo movement. Then, make sure you know how to tackle the itchy scalp issues. You can deep dive into the subject from reliable sources to gain clarity.
11. Following the principles of no-poo. Do not wash your hair every day. Exposure to water and cleansing ingredients will expose them to wear and tear. Washing them once every 5 days is enough. Though an exception could be a lifestyle that makes your hair super dirty.
12. Use shea butter and coconut milk as a leave-in conditioner. Both the ingredients make the hair supple. Thus, they reduce hair fall by reducing the friction of hair strands.
13. If you suffer from scalp infections. Then, chances are that you will suffer from hair fall too. Massaging scalp with carrier oils containing a few drops of tea tree/ neem oil helps.
14. Do not share combs and other hair accessories to avoid infections. 
15. If you ever get lice in your hair. You can use tea tree essential oil to get rid of them.

    

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16. Plastic combs create static on hair strands. This can lead to hair breakage. You can avoid that stress from hair by using handmade combs. Handmade combs use natural ingredients like neem bark, boar hide or bull horn. These combs do not rip apart the individual hair strands. Rather they pass on the natural oils throughout the length of the hair. Thus, you get lustrous and managed hair.
17. No matter how good a comb is, it can break wet hair. Wet hair is fragile. Thus, it is receptive to wear and tear. You can use your fingers to detangle them instead of a comb.
18. Fine hair detangles more than normal hair. You can use shikakai to remove the pesky knots in fine hair. You can use Shikakai powder mixed with water/curd as a hair pack. Washing off this pack with water will give you detangled and clean hair.
19. Avoid using a hairdryer. The blowing jets of heat weaken the hair structure. Thus, preventing you from growing them long.
20. Be gentle to your hair while drying. Do not use a towel to dry them. Instead, use an old t-shirt to soak up water from your hair.
21. You can also stand outdoors for 10 minutes to speed up the drying process.
22. Letting your hair lose exposes them to pollution and dirt. That is why it makes sense to keep them tied as much as you can. Lesser the exposure, lesser the wear and tear.
23. Avoid resting your head on public seats. Cabs and chairs at airports are the popular places where the hair can pick up infections.
24. Avoid hair care products that have parabens, silicones, and artificial colors and fragrances. Such products do not give satisfactory results after continued use. Rather they do more harm than good.
25. You can use handmade hair care products instead of the ones that have a lot of complex chemicals. Handmade products contain household and organic ingredients. They may not give breakthrough results from the first use. But, they are less probable to cause hair problems in the long run.
26. Use shampoo bars instead of liquid shampoo. Most of the shampoo bars are handmade and they create minimal waste.
27. You can experiment to make your shampoo with Castile soaps. You can add a few essential and carrier oils as per your hair care needs.
28. Change your shampoo after regular use. The scalp and hair stop responding to a product after continued use. You can rotate between different products to know what works well for you.
29. Oiling is essential to get long hair. The topical application of oils nourishes the hair from the root. You will see a visible hair growth with weekly consistent application of oils. 
30. Lack of iron in the diet can lead to hair fall. You can include garden cress seeds in your diet to supplement iron. Though consult your doctor/ general practitioner before you do so.
31. Avoid chemical treatments like perms, relaxing, bonding and straightening. They can destroy the hair strands and lead to permanent hair loss.
32. A wig is a better substitute for permanent perm or straightening.
33. You can use gentler substitutes to curl your hair. They do not use strong heat and chemicals to mold the hair structure.
34. Do not use hair accessories that can lead to hair breakage. Elastic rubber bands and plastic scrunchies are the worst culprits.
35. You can use bun pins, fabric scrunchies, and fabric bands to secure your hair. They cause less damage.
36. Always massage your scalp while oiling. Massage triggers the hair follicles and induces better penetration of oil. Thus, it is one of the best ways to get long hair.
37. Do not massage a dirty scalp. That might lead to the spreading of dirt, dust, and probable infections all over your scalp. You should massage a clean scalp to derive benefits from the oil.
38. Avoid smoking and consumption of drugs. Both are unhealthy habits that cause oxidation in the body. That leads to hair loss as well.
39. Do not self-medicate. You might lose hair due to popping up drugs that your body might not need. Stick to the drugs prescribed by a doctor.
40. Stress is a deterrent to the body. It has a direct impact on hair as well. The more the stress, the more the hair fall. Learn to banish stress from your life. 
41. Poor sleeping patterns can have a detrimental effect on hair health. Therefore, get proper sleep. Sound sleep relaxes the mind and body. Thus, it eases stress and replenishes the human body.
42. Cutting hair may seem antagonist as a tip to have long hair. But until you trim the frayed ends. They will not have proper growth. Trimming the ends every 8 weeks is good.
43. Much like our body, the hair also has water. So, it makes sense to keep yourself hydrated. Dehydration can lead to hair breakage.
44. Keep your hair and scalp clean. Even washing with plain and clean water will do. Using a shampoo is not mandatory.
45. Although water is important for maintaining healthy hair. You should be careful about the quality of the water. The water should be clean and soft. Thus, borewell water is a complete NO.
46. The hard water has dissolved impurities that close the scalp cells. Also, the hair gets dirty since the hard water disrupts the efficacy of shampoo. Therefore, you should attach a water softener to your shower.
47. If you cannot upgrade your water sources. Then, you can use mini-filters, alum, and self-filtering bottles. I use all the three when I am traveling.
48. If you drink alcohol. Then, do so in moderate amounts and that too on limited occasions. Excessive alcohol consumption can mess up your hair and health.
49. If you do drink alcohol. Then, use the leftover beer and rum on your hair and scalp. Both of them have a conditioning effect on hair. 
50. Do not stick to one hairstyle all the time. For instance, tying a tight ponytail every day can to a receding hairline. Instead, you could braid your hair to cause less stress. 
51. Do not fret over damaged hair. Since hair is not a living body, it cannot repair on its own. Thus, cutting the split ends or the burnt hair strands is the best option.
52. Get to know the porosity of your hair strands. Knowing that will help you take the necessary care of your mane. You can test the porosity of your hair strands by running your fingers from the ends of your hair to the roots. If your fingers feel a bump on your hair strands. Then, that is a probable sign of porous hair.
53. High porosity hair has weak bonds between hair shafts. That is why they are susceptible to wear and tear. So, if you have such hair, offer them extra care and attention. 
54. High porosity hair will break a lot during humid environments. To save them from breakage, keep them covered. You can also use a beeswax enriched conditioner to protect them.
55. Wet your hair before jumping into any water body. Swimming pools, lakes, ponds, the sea can have chlorine and other dissolved impurities. These impurities penetrate less into damp hair than the dry hair. The best would be to cover your hair to reduce the water from messing up your hair.
56. Always wash your hair after swimming in pools, lakes, ponds, and the sea. Washing will remove the impurities sticking to the hair and the scalp.
57. If you live in a rainy place, then use beeswax/ jojoba as a leave-in conditioner. The waxes in these products help create a barrier that protects them from moisture.
58. Figure out ways to include hair-boosting food in your diet. I make a chutney from curry leaves, fenugreek, and coconut to eat every day.  Be creative to work out permutations and combinations of various nutritious foods. 
59. Include a lot of green leafy vegetables in your diet for wholesome nutrition. Eat exotic herbs like Brahmi, and purselane which are abundant in vital nutrients. You can include them in your salads to get wholesome nutrition.
60. If you are a vegan. Then, you can eat hummus to increase the protein content of your diet. It is one of the best superfoods for hair growth.
61. Much like the skin, the scalp also needs scrubbing.  Use clays and cinnamon powder to scrub the scalp. These ingredients clear up the impurities that clog the scalp cells.
62. If you are a heavy user of hair styling products. Then, you are bound to suffer from a chemical build-up.  You can use a small amount of baking soda to get rid of those product residues. Baking soda is an abrasive clarifying agent. Thus, do not use it more than once in a few months.
63. Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common reason for female pattern hair loss. Your doctor can help you with it. Though, I reduced my PCOS symptoms with spearmint tea.
64. If you are a male suffering from male pattern baldness. Then, you can use pumpkin seed oil as a DHT hormone blocker. Pumpkin oil is better than the side-effects causing minoxidil.
65. Massage your hair with oils that trigger the growth of new hair follicles. Castor and Argan oils are good for a weekly massage.
66. If you do not suffer from excessive hair fall. Then, you can use carrier oils that help in maintaining good hair health. Sesame and mustard are good options for the same.
67. B-complex vitamins are hair growth vitamins. If you do not get enough of this vitamin from your diet. Then, you can consume the supplements of these water-soluble vitamins. But you must take your doctor’s advise before consuming them. 
68. Vitamin C is an essential nutrient to maintain healthy hair. Thus, you should eat Indian gooseberries. 
69. Try to use cast iron utensils. They can add significant amounts of iron to your diet. I make my hair packs in cast iron to get the benefit.
70. You can also include hair specific multivitamins after consulting your doctor. Keratin and biotin are two such hair-boosting supplements.
71. Nuts and oilseeds are power sources of essential nutrients. They provide the vitamins and minerals that other foods may lack. Munching on a few walnuts, almonds, sesame and pumpkin seeds helps to achieve good hair. 
72. Some of the essential oils help with various hair issues. I trust rosemary for arresting hair fall. While peppermint helps in stimulating the growth of new hair follicles. 
73. The benefits of aloe vera for hair are common knowledge. That is the reason I use it fresh from my garden to apply as a hair mask. If you cannot get your hands on fresh aloe, then you can use a commercial one. You can massage your scalp with aloe vera gel to banish hair issues.
74. Try to avoid chemical hair colors as much as you can. Though their packaging would mention at are good for the hair. But if any product is capable of giving permanent hair color. Then, it is bound to create hair problems.
75. If you cannot do without coloring your hair. Then, you can switch to the ones that use natural pigments like indigo and henna.

    

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76. You can also try the temporary ones. Hair chalk is a good option.
77. Everyday use of vermillion can lead to hair fall. If you are a heavy user of it. Then, you can consider making a handmade version of vermillion. Heat some alkanet in clarified butter or shea butter. Once you get the desired color, take the butter from heat. You can use the colored butter when it cools.
78. Avoid heat treatments to change the structure of the hair. Open hair shafts are the signs of heat damaged hair. So, the use of ceramic plates to straighten, curl, and crimp is a strict NO. 
79. You can use natural ingredients to straighten hair. I use Bentonite clay and coconut milk hair mask to get sleek and straight hair.
80. Avoid the commercial dry shampoos. You will notice bald spots at places where you are regular with dry shampoos. If you got no time to shampoo. Then, you can wash the hair with plain water. Plain water will not wash off the oils. But it will wash off dust and dirt.
81. You can make your dry shampoo fix with food from your kitchen. Rice flour, arrowroot flour, cinnamon, and coffee work well to soak up some oil.
82. Honey is popular as a natural cleanser. But it might not work for all hair and scalp types. It might turn your hair grey. Then, you might cut them. So, you will not have long hair.
83. If you are plucking your gray hair. Then, you can use clary sage to delay the premature grey hair. I use a few drops of clary sage essential oil along with castor oil to massage my hair.
84. Do not do backcombing to make your hair appear thick. The volume gained through backcombing will be temporary. But it will cause permanent damage to the hair bonds. Backcombing breaks the hair, thus preventing them from growing long.
85. Include exercise in your daily routine. That will keep your entire body healthy, including your hair.
86. Maintain a healthy gut. That will flush out toxins that might cause damage to the hair.
87. Remember to tie your hair while wearing dresses that cause static electricity. You might not realize, but such dresses can lead to breakage of hair.
88. Stay away from negative people. They make you frown and stress. Such a company will affect your hair in the long run.
89. Meditate and do yoga to get healthy. Both activities have a positive effect on your hair. 
90. Nettle leaves found in the hilly regions are power foods. I have brewed its leaves to use as a leave-in conditioner. They help in reducing hair fall. 
91. Accept your hair the way they are. Do not go overboard in styling them to achieve a certain look. You might end up ruining them.
92. Avoid getting adventurous with trends. Dreadlocks may give you a boho appeal. But they spoil the shafts of hair leading to breakage.
93. The same goes for tight beading. Stretching and coiling the hair will spoil the elasticity of hair. Furthermore, to remove them you might have to chop the strands.
94. You can try hair wrap with ribbons and embroidery threads. It will not damage the hair when done with care. Thus, you will not have to chop off your damaged strands.
95. Use fermented rice water to wash hair. It has surprising benefits in increasing the elasticity of hair strands. Thus, the hair breaks less with improved elasticity. 
96. Long hair tends to lack shine. You can use black tea rinse to bring in instant luster to your hair. 
97. Do not get influenced by celebrity styles. Celebrities and influencers might be using hair extensions for paid promotions. You should take their advice on trying out brands with your discretion.
98. Limit the use of styling gels and creams. They contain petroleum-derived products in them. They can harm your hair. 
99. Instead, you can use aloe vera gel or make your own with flax seeds. Boil a handful of flax seeds in water. The resultant gel minus the seeds is a natural hair gel.
100. Avoid hair perfumes. Most of them would contain artificial fragrances. Instead, use some aromatic essential oils and dilute them with water. Then, use a spray bottle to squirt that aromatic water on your hair. Rose, cedarwood, and sandalwood are some of the fragrances that I love.
101. Avoid living in pollution filled cities. Keep your hair covered if you cannot avoid such places.

Conclusion

If you have tried getting an answer to the question – how to get long beautiful hair. Then, you would know that there are multiple answers to that question. You can never get long and healthy hair overnight with any hack. Instead, you achieve long and healthy natural hair by taking the utmost care of them. 

No Poo is one of the best methods to get beautiful hair. It works on the principle of less is more. Thus, it maintains hair with minimal products and efforts.

This article comprises of every no-poo hack that I have tried on my hair. I am sure they will help you too. Do share if you have any tried and tested tips for long hair. I will be glad to include them by giving you the credits.

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