• Lifestyle
    • Faith
    • Minimalism
    • Zero Waste
    • Home
    • Motherhood & Family
    • Health & Wellness
    • Travel
  • Food
    • Raw Food
    • Vegetarian
    • Smoothies
    • Desserts
    • Clean Eating
    • What I Eat In A Day
  • DIY
    • Facial Cleanser
    • Facial Moisturizer
    • Facial Mask
    • Eye Cream/Serum
    • Lip Balm
    • Hair Cleanser
    • Hair Rinse
    • Hair Leave-In/Styler
    • Beauty Oil/Butter
    • Beauty Mist/Toner
    • Natural Fragrance
    • Deodorant
    • Nail Care
  • Beauty
    • Hair
    • Curly Hair Regimen
    • Healthy Hair Tips
    • Chemical-Free Series/Hair
    • Skin
    • Acne
    • Principles
    • Chemical-Free Series/Skin
  • Style
    • Modesty
    • Wardrobe Simplified
    • My Capsule Wardrobe
  • SHOP
  • About
    • Beauty Regimen
    • My Personal Testimony
    • My Minimalist Home
    • Testimonials

Minimalist Beauty

living simply with grace, discretion and faith

Minimalist Beauty

5 Tips For Curly Hair Growth & Length Retention

December 2, 2016 by Dawn Michelle

Although I have grown my hair out from 1/4 of an inch to bra strap length and beyond, I have made so many mistakes caring for my hair over the past six years or so.  For starters the hair shears and I have had a very unhealthy codependent relationship.  I have cut my hair so many times over the past few years.  My other mistake was experimenting so much with my natural hair care routine that I have seldomly stuck to a specific hair regimen.  My desire to eliminate wasteful plastic bottles as well as not experience irritating chemical sensitivity from commercial hair care led me on this chemical-free path to begin with.  I was literally trying to save myself and the planet one curl at a time.

I’ve learned A LOT about my hair and healthy hair care in general over the years.  Even though I completely swore off growing my hair out after last year’s mini/major chop I’m back at it again.  Here are five healthy hair growth and length retention tips that I’ve observed with my own hair as well as what I’ve noticed with others.

1. Simple heat-free styling is your best friend.

One major thing in common that I have noticed with women of all textures who have extremely long healthy hair is that they do very simple styling and updos.  I believe that there is a huge difference in their mentality on how they care for their hair because keeping up with hair trends and styling does not seem to be the priority.  Many of these women wear their hair in a single braid, classic bun, chignon, or topknot and avoid heat styling.  Wearing my hair up a majority of the time is a new goal of mine.

2. Keep the scissors at bay!

Consistently cutting, trimming, and reshaping my curls has definitely prevented me from retaining the length that I wanted over the years.  I would not have been able to grow out last year’s drastic hair cut with consistent reshapings if I hadn’t decided to stop cutting my hair all together last October 2015.  I did at least 3-4 major reshapings last year between the spring and fall.  You can see photos of various hair styles that I have worn along with last year’s drastic hair cut here.

Now a little over a year after that initial mini chop, my hair has almost fully grown back.  I’m now only cutting single strand knots.  If you have damaged hair, it is important to either slowly trim out the damage while keeping your hair protected, or cut the damage off in one go.  If your ends are healthy though, put those scissors down!

3. Commercial hair color, especially bleaching, weakens the hair and can cause breakage.

Luckily I have never loved commercial hair dye.  Of the few times I dyed my hair, my hair was extremely dehydrated and brittle.  Slowly cutting the dye out of my hair was usually the solution.  Maintaining healthy chemically treated hair never worked for me unless I planned to keep my hair the exact same length.

If 1/2 inch of hair growth monthly is the norm, retaining that length each month is more challenging if you color it.  I have seen so many beauties online with gorgeous hair experience serious hair breakage from hair color.  Ladies with extremely long hair (waist length and beyond) usually avoid chemically coloring their hair, at least not with bleach.  Henna is a much healthier alternative to chemical hair color.

4. Big curly hair is insanely beautiful, yet wearing your hair loose 24/7 can cause tangles, single strand knots, and split ends.

This concept is where I’ve been the most hard headed!  I am 100% hands down a wash and go girl, and I love my natural curl pattern more than anything.  I wonder if I had at least been consistent with my favorite messy top knot bun, or stuck with my original braid out updos, if I would have seen even more progress in hair length retention over the years.

Embracing my curls fully has been amazing, yet I chose to wear my hair loose rather than protect it.  In the process I forgot my goals for growing it out, and created a personal identity around having big hair.  Now I’m looking at this process of hair growth and length retention very differently.

5. Maintain a consistent hair care regimen with gentle detangling.

Once you have found a hair regimen that works for you, it is really important to stick with it.  When you change your hair care regimen constantly, it is very hard to really know what is working for you and what is not.  This not only pertains to the products that you use, but also how you handle your hair, and how you style it.

A good consistent hair care regimen will allow you to detangle your hair gently and easily which helps to retain length.  A lot of length can be lost through the detangling process.  Finger detangling is extremely helpful even if you do decide to follow up with a detangling brush or wide tooth comb afterwards.  I have noticed less tangles and knots overall as well as easier detangling sessions after wearing updos of all kinds, and also setting my curls with braids after washing my hair.

Final Thoughts

As much fun as it is to experiment with different products and styles, I am realizing that those simple styles of single braids, classic buns, chignons, and topknots are the best way to go for me especially in the winter.  Along with these simple styles, I prefer simple products such as a gentle hair cleanser, conditioner/strengthener, and an oil/butter.  By wearing my hair up a majority of the time, I am hoping it will help me to reach my hair length goals without even noticing it happening at all.

What has helped you maintain maximum hair growth and length retention if you are growing your hair out?

(Image by my hubby)

Stay Connected with Minimalist Beauty & Subscribe with bloglovin’.  Also Join the Community on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram.  For more about Dawn Michelle go here!

Share

Facebook Google+ Twitter Pinterest Email

You might also like...

Leave a Reply to Lina Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

  1. Lisa says

    December 4, 2016 at 7:59 am

    I’ve been natural for just two years but one thing that has helped me grow my hair is keeping my scalp clean and not using a ton of random products. Simple is best. Loved the honesty in this post. Love love love all your blogs!

    Reply
    • Dawn Michelle says

      December 4, 2016 at 10:32 pm

      Hi Lisa,

      Yes keeping your scalp and hair clean and free of product build up definitely helps with hair growth! Thanks so much for the love and you know I’m all about simplicity. 😉 Have a great day!

      Reply
  2. Gina says

    December 4, 2016 at 12:05 pm

    I happen to have really great hair with natural beach style waves that are really easy to maintain. Genetics help (both my mom and I have a lot of strong, wavy hair that grows at a really high speed… people is always blown away by this) but since I never blow dry or style it (well, if I’m out of the shower and it’s freezing cold and I have to leave the house, I may blow dry a bit), it is in excellent condition and I believe this to be the best thing for having long, healthy hair. In the past I used conditioners and hair masks but I don’t use it now (I detangle before and after washing it with a wide tooth comb… gonna try with fingers) and the truth is there is no difference at all. At home, I usually wear it in a messy bun (because it interferes with a lot of activities lol), but I like to wear it down the most. My only issue is the lack of volume due to its weight, but I can live with it, specially since I’m not willing to blow dry, use product or spend more than two minutes in my hair. I have a friend who, for years, believed I was lying when I said I did nothing to my hair. Then, we went on vacation together and she was a testimony of my extreme laziness (applicable to any other beauty routines). She’s still mad at me. I don’t even go to the hairdresser anymore (I was going 2-3 times a year) and I blunt-snip my ends myself when I remember… which doesn’t happen very often. So, beside having good genetics, I think a low-maintenance routine is the best thing for maximum hair growth and length retention. Also, my skin (very problematic in the past, with lots of hormonal breakouts, I don’t have good genetics on this) cleared up after adopting a caveman regime and using only high linoleic oils (I will forever be grateful to you for such an enlightening post regarding this) so I’m 100% on board with simplicity now. I save money, I save my hair and skin, I save my health, I save the planet and I embrace and love myself.

    Thanks for your blog, you inspired me so much and continue to inspire every day in my minimalist and zero waste journey (yours was the first blog ever I read on this, and the one that made me make the switch!)

    Reply
    • Dawn Michelle says

      December 4, 2016 at 10:53 pm

      Hi Gina,

      Having extreme volume isn’t as easy without layers just because of the weight of long hair like you said. I personally don’t mind the look and feel it is still very very beautiful. It is also so great that you have learned to trim your own ends. Sounds like your low maintenance heat-free regimen is definitely working wonders for you.

      Thanks for taking the time to comment and also for your kind words. I’m thrilled the info on high linoleic oils has been so helpful to you and that my articles have been inspiring. That really means a lot. Wishing you the best!

      Reply
  3. La Neal says

    December 5, 2016 at 9:38 am

    I agree with most of these except I have found blowing my hair out once a week a life saver. I have fine 4a hair and trying to wear natural curly styles does not work for my hair type and lifestyle. Now I do Bantu knot outs, twist outs and braid outs on blow dried hair and I have barely any knots or dryness.

    Reply
    • Dawn Michelle says

      December 5, 2016 at 4:52 pm

      Hi La Neal,

      I am definitely aware that some women’s hair thrive being blowdried. I have noticed bubbles and mid shaft splits in my hair stands from using heat so I avoid it. It really is all about finding what works for you though in the long run. Thanks so much for sharing this and taking the time to comment!

      Reply
  4. Himawari says

    December 8, 2016 at 10:32 am

    Hi, Dawn Michelle. I love how honest you are about the process you go through as well as changing your mind about and improving what doesn’t work. Here’s my hair care routine in case it’s useful to anyone.

    Every day I comb my hair with a hair comb that has only 4 very loosely spaced teeth in order to detangle it. At night or in the morning, I detangle and brush the natural oils through with a fine-tooth Japanese traditional comb. This spreads the sebum and makes my hair strong. I wear my hair up in a claw clip during the day when I’m in the house and only wear it down when I go out. At night I make a loose bun on top of my head with soft elastics.

    I don’t wash my hair often. When I do, I do water only washing. I have almost waist-length hair. It’s very wavy and puffy but not frizzy. I’ve stopped using any products in it at all, except a little honey on my ends once in a while when they feel dry. I just mix a little honey with water in my hands and squeeze it into my hair ends after I’ve just washed it.

    Love your blog as always!

    Reply
    • Dawn Michelle says

      December 9, 2016 at 11:46 am

      Hi Himawari,

      I love how simple your hair regimen is! As much as I wanted to stick with solely water only hair washing, I wasn’t able to find the best way to have consistent results. It could be because I was all about wearing my hair out at the time, but I also didn’t do well with combing through dry hair with my tight curls. I opted for daily rinses instead.

      It may be something I will revisit in the future. But I honestly do need to stick with my current regimen with updos for a good amount time for now because it really has been successful so far. Thanks so much for sharing this and for the compliment!

      Reply
      • Himawari says

        December 10, 2016 at 3:03 pm

        Your hair regimen is awesome. Everyone has to do what works for them, and we all have different hair. Plus, things change seasonally or lifestyles change. What I love about your approach the most is how you really try different things and you keep searching for what works the best and you don’t rest on “good enough”, you really want to delve into everything and understand. It inspires me to try different things too and not settle. All my best!

        Reply
        • Dawn Michelle says

          December 11, 2016 at 5:16 pm

          Awww thank you Himawari! Wishing you the best as well!

          Reply
  5. Lina says

    December 18, 2016 at 6:56 pm

    Hello Dawn, what a great blog. What do you think about using liquid black soap & adding aloe vera to it to balance the ph. Won’t that make it less like shampoo bars, (less alkaline)?
    I also wanted to ask, do you ever do protein treatments & if not, how do you maintain protein/moisture balance? Thank you for sharing your knowledge & experiences.

    Reply
    • Dawn Michelle says

      December 19, 2016 at 8:57 pm

      Hi Lina,

      Thanks for the compliment! Adding aloe vera to black soap would theoretically lower the alkaline pH, yet it is still important to actually test the pH with pH strips to achieve an accurate ratio of both ingredients if that is your goal. Otherwise following up with an acidic rinse would be important to balance your hair’s pH.

      Also I don’t specifically use protein treatments, but I do use henna to strengthen my hair. Maintaining a protein/moisture balance usually is in regards to chemically treated hair, not healthy virgin hair in my opinion. I’ve been currently using a henna tea around once a week for strengthening. I used to do full henna treatments monthly or bimonthly but using a henna tea as needed really helps with keeping my strands strong and is much easier to do. I hope this is helpful to you!

      Reply
  6. TomoniqueUnique says

    December 28, 2016 at 7:42 pm

    I have been natural for three years now but recently this month started to wear my real hair out, over the three years I struggled with retaining my max length until the last few months. I have low prosperity hair, my hair also thrives on water. What I did and noticed retained at least 2-3 inches was wetting my hair, putting an oil, sealing my ends then jelling my hair back into two ponytails. I would wear my hair like this under neath my wigs because I was too lazy to braid my hair lol, now that I am wearing my hair I notice that it has retained way more length just by caring for my ends any apply a jell. I feel that the jell added extra protection to save my ends.

    Reply
    • Dawn Michelle says

      January 2, 2017 at 9:14 pm

      Hi TomoniqueUnique,
      Thanks so much for sharing these tips and happy new year!

      Reply
  7. lina says

    December 28, 2016 at 9:06 pm

    Hello Dawn, I’m really enjoying the trials and experiences you share. I wanted to get your thoughts on mixing black soap with aloe vera to make it less alkaline as a shampoo. Also I want to ask if you ever do protein treatments & if not how do you maintain protein moisture balance and what do you recommend for those who are protein-sensitive? Thanks for all you do.

    Reply
    • Dawn Michelle says

      January 2, 2017 at 9:16 pm

      Hi Lina,
      In theory mixing aloe with a soap would make it less alkaline yet you would need to use pH strips to ensure you have a good pH balance to know how much of each to use. I prefer to follow up with an acidic rinse after using any natural soap on my hair. Also I don’t use protein treatments but instead full henna treatments or a henna tea to strengthen my hair. I hope this helps!

      Reply
  8. Nirojini says

    August 29, 2017 at 12:35 pm

    I found using henna and dying my hair with natural henna only really is good for my hair and has helped my hair to grow longer and it is useful to get a trim every 3 months if you notice split ends, as it will get rid of the damaged hair. Also try not to use heat products on your hair all the time also helps to keep the hair healthy.

    Reply
    • Dawn Michelle says

      September 2, 2017 at 10:20 pm

      Hi Nirojini,
      Henna really is amazing for hair! Not using heat really helps too.

      Reply
Previous
Next
  • Bloglovin
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter

living simply with grace, discretion and faith

I met a woman the other day who openly shared some I met a woman the other day who openly shared some of her challenges with motherhood.  Motherhood is intensely challenging, beyond humbling, and at times you just want the day to be over then realizing that you’ll be back at it the next day.  It never ends and there isn’t much reprive.  It’s been on my heart to share some encouragement to any mother who will read this.  I pray this will bless you in some way.  The link is in my profile!
🌻 #motherhood #encouragement #humility #minimalistbeauty
Fenugreek seeds, also called methi seeds, have a m Fenugreek seeds, also called methi seeds, have a multitude of medicinal properties along with being a prominent spice in many cultural dishes.  For starters, fenugreek seeds are packed with protein for strengthening strands, mucilage for moisturizing and soothing the scalp while detangling the hair, and most importantly nicotinic acid which may minimize hair shedding while soothing scalp issues.  Fenugreek seeds are also anti-inflammatory and anti-fungal which is beneficial for soothing a dry irritated scalp as well as high in iron. 🍂

These little seeds are a win win for natural hair care and can be used in various ways.  I’ve used fenugreek seeds in my beauty regimen on and off for years.  Today I wanted to share four easy ways you can incorporate fenugreek in your hair regimen to promote healthy hair growth.  The link is in the profile. 🍂

#diyhaircare #naturalhair #minimalistbeauty #sponsored @mountainroseherbs
God is so good! We move on FRIDAY. This picture God is so good!  We move on FRIDAY.  This picture was taken before they removed the bricking which was VERY NOISY to say the least.  We haven’t been completely able to avoid the beginning of the construction process, but I honestly think it’s a good thing.  This way we can remain GRATEFUL throughout the entire process.  GRATITUDE during LIFE’S IMPERFECTION develops CONTENTMENT.  That is one thing I work on daily.  If you missed our “We’re Moving Again” testimony it’s on the blog. 🌿🍁🍃

 #testimony #sharewhatisgood #godisgood #godisfaithful #godmakesaway #minimalistbeauty #simpleliving
Friday mornings are my busiest mornings of the wee Friday mornings are my busiest mornings of the week.  I make muffins for Saturday’s breakfast (either corn bread, pumpkin, or banana bread muffins) to have with fruit, a big crockpot dinner for the weekend (beans & rice bowls, lentils and sweet potato stews, or a big veggie and red potato stew) to serve with bread, tortillas, grains, and/or salad depending on the dish, and I’m usually putting orders together to go out for @iamazuha today too.  All the while I’m also making other food for the day. 🍂🥧🍁

Friday’s are crazy because of the usual responsibilities, but mainly because I really want to relax a bit over the weekend.  Over this past year I’ve worked really hard to create systems to make working from home and being a homemaker easier.  Homemaking really is like running a small boutique bed and breakfast hotel.  It takes planning ahead, having a solid system, financial planning, commitment, and a lot of love.  I’ve been learning to really enjoy this process.  Just like everybody else I’ve been baking more this year than ever.  Very rewarding. 🍂🥧🍁

Wishing all of you a beautiful and blessed weekend! 
💞Dawn Michelle
We’re MOVING again! With everything going on wi We’re MOVING again!  With everything going on with the world wide pandemic, I’m seeing the importance of sharing anything good that the Lord is doing in your life with others.  We need HOPE.  We need to share the JOY of walking with God.  The testimonies of glorifying God would just add encouragement that I know I need.  I LOVE hearing of God making ways out of no way, giving us more hope and FAITH. 🌿🍂🍃

I was initially praying to God for ways to endure what we were about to go through while somehow someway making it nice for my family during the process.  But God was already orchestrating a new way for us to not even have to endure it at all.  Read my testimony on Minimalist Beauty... (link in profile) 🌿🍂🍃

If God has done ANYTHING in your life no matter how small PLEASE share it in the comments below.  We all need to hear what’s good!  The news shares otherwise, but we can create a space here of good testimonies.  Please share below and I pray you are having a blessed day. 🌿🍂🍃

Much love!
#testimony #sharewhatsgood #godisgood #godisfaithful #godmakesaway #minimalistbeauty #simpleliving
We could all use an IMMUNE BOOST right now.  Here’s a simple juice recipe that I make for just that.  I call it SPICY APPLE JUICE and my three (almost four) year old drinks it up no problem! 🍎 

I simply juice 2 WHOLE medium/large APPLES (3 small apples pictured) + 3 CLOVES of GARLIC in a slow masticating juicer for one immune boosting serving.  Yes I do include the core as it has many health benefits. 🍎 

After having my 1st official winter back on the east coast last year, RAW GARLIC was how I made it through without getting sick at all while caring for sick family members. 🍎 

Since then I juice garlic in many of my juice recipes or mince up multiple cloves as dinner toppings for chickpea pasta, beans and rice bowls, and stews.  What I LOVE most of all is hearing my son say, “More Juice?” Proud Mama!!!! 🍎

#immuneboost #juicing #juicerecipe #simplenutrition #healthyliving #minimalistbeauty #minimalistbeautyeats
I started wearing linen clothing because it’s ex I started wearing linen clothing because it’s extremely practical.  Linen is one of the most environmentally friendly fabrics on the market.  Linen is also considered the world’s strongest natural fabric.  After tiring of purchasing new clothing every season for my heavily worn small capsule wardrobe, it just made sense to look for mid and heavy weight linen garments that could be worn year round and layered that actually lasted. 
🍃

Linen clothing can last up to 2-3 decades if properly cared for.  I’ve made some mistakes along the way, but have finally found a simple method for caring for my linen garments. (Link in profile.)
🍃
#linenlover #minimalistbeauty #sponsored @mountainroseherbs
I stopped using henna, I tossed my comb and brush, I stopped using henna, I tossed my comb and brush, I wear hair buns 95% of the time, and my hair care routine only got simpler with only two “products”. All the details plus why I really cut my hair last spring on the blog.  Much love!  #minimalistbeauty #curlyhairroutine #naturalhaircare
This error message is only visible to WordPress admins
Error: Access Token is not valid or has expired. Feed will not update.

Copyright 2021 Minimalist Beauty | Site design handcrafted by Station Seven