My Hair Routine + How To Make Your Hair Grow Faster

A couple months after moving to Philadelphia, I got a really bad haircut. Like, watching the stylist try to make it better kind of bad. Pay for it anyway kind of bad. Cry in the car kind of bad. I took a photo to send to Chris, but it has since been deleted. That kind of bad. At the time, I was in a low place already, for one reason or another feeling self-conscious about the way that I looked, thinking that a fresh haircut would put me right and bring back some confidence. Well, joke's on you, Julie. There's a lesson to be learned in there somewhere. After years of hiding behind my hair, there were now significant chunks of it missing.

Normally, when a bad cut happens I would take my own advice and call the salon to have them fix it, but in my case, the only fix was to get bangs, and I really didn't want to go down that road again. So, after my tears dried, I attempted to grin (by laughing at myself in the mirror) and bear it, and started the slow and (sometimes) painful journey of growing out my hair. There were at least a couple of bright sides: It was hat season. And... well, it was hat season, that's pretty much it. After toying with my hair, I found that I could twist the front section back in a sort of boho-half-up situation... and then cover it with a hat. You get the picture. Now, I'm not necessarily trying to grow my hair to the mermaid lengths it was before, though who knows, but my goal is to get it to a place where I can eventually have my friend in Pittsburgh or New Hampshire shape it up. And as much as I loved having shorter hair, I realized something surprising: Shorter hair is way more high-maintenance than long. Who knew? Probably everyone else. But I've managed to streamline my routine to a bi-weekly wash with an easy refresh each morning and in the process I've gained a few inches of length. Today I'm sharing my hair routine, read on to learn my tips and tricks for low key style and how to grow out a bad haircut:

Shampoo & Condition: I wash my hair twice a week and air dry it overnight. There's no set day, just when it starts to feel greasy and the hat comes back out. I've been washing my hair infrequently for years, a habit I picked up when it was short-short in college. I've had a few people ask what I do when I work out, and well, I just tie it back. My scalp doesn't really sweat all that much and it doesn't bother me. 

One of the biggest challenges when it came with dealing with my shorter, in-between length hair was figuring out which products to use. After using salon products for years, I had reverted back to some organic shampoo from the drug store that I had picked up when we moved. I realize now that it was pretty terrible stuff... I didn't realize just how unmanageable it made my hair until I started using the potions above. Yes, potions. As in, Living Proof PHD is pure magic. I have very thick, very fine hair, which can get bushy when the right products aren't applied. The PHD line from Living Proof cleans my hair, but doesn't make it feel parched. But the biggest difference has been in the texture, I almost (almost) don't have to do anything with it when I wake up, it's not puffy, not frizzy, it's made an enormous difference, and it even dries faster.

Style: Save for the mousse, which I don't use as frequently, the products above are what I use from day to day to give my hair texture and hold.

Carol's Daughter Monoi Oil: I've used a few different oils on my hair, and I love that this one comes as a spray. I spray this on my air-dried hair from mid-shaft to end, and brush through before applying the PHD styling treatment.

TIGI Catwalk Session Series Hairspray: Ever since I worked in a salon years and years ago, I've had a love of TIGI products. This hairspray is weightless and leave may hair touchable and soft, while still providing plenty of hold.

After washing and air drying my hair, in the morning I spray on some Monoi oil before working a dime-sized dollop of PHD styling treatment through the ends. 

I apply the product mostly to my ends, and then when there is just a little left on my hands I brush them over the top of my head to tame fly-aways.

Now that my hair is a bit longer, I don't use the mousse as much, but if I'm using mousse for texture, I'll work some through the ends after the styling cream.

Once I've applied product, I break out the blow drier -- a CHI low EMF professional drier -- and dry it the rest of the way through by twisting back sections away from my face and briefly holding the drier against them.

I allow my hair to cool like this while I do my makeup.

For the final touch, and to ensure the choppy front section of my hair doesn't get too Friends-era Jennifer Aniston, I heat up my curling wand and, using a light touch, curl back the front section and add texture to the rest by wrapping sections of hair once or twice around the barrel. I then set everything with hairspray and comb through lightly with my fingers.

For the few days following, all I need to do in the morning is refresh the curls which takes about five minutes.

If you're thinking about growing out your hair, or are in the process, I commiserate. It sucks, but I've learned a few tips and tricks that can make the journey a little less bumpy:

- Resist the urge for major change. If you're someone who likes to change up your style, this can be difficult, especially if you're dealing with a cut you don't like. It's tempting to try and "fix" it or make things different, but if your goal is longer hair, or to grow out a bad cut... resist... resist! Getting bangs or bleaching it all just adds extra trouble... something I have to constantly remind myself.

- Step away from the heat. I still heat style my hair, but it's at a minimum. Exposing your hair to high heat can cause damage, like split ends and brittleness. Try air-drying it instead.

- Supplement. If you're vitamin B deficient, your hair and nails won't grow as fast. Supplement with a hair, skin, & nails vitamin that contains vitamin.

- Hydrate & eat healthy. Protein and iron play a key role in generating healthy hair and promoting growth. Eat whole foods, cut out as much sugar and processed foods as you can, and drink plenty of water.

- Style and reshape if you can. One of the worst parts of growing out your hair is the inevitable "awkward phase" that you will hit. Schedule a trim every few months to have your style reshaped. Trimming your hair won't actually make it grow faster, but trimming off the split ends will keep it looking healthy and lessent the amount you'd have to trim if you waited.

+ Do you have any tips for making your hair grow faster? Please share!

Thank you to Living Proof for kindly providing their products... I am now addicted. Opinions are my own.