Healthy hair growth is the ultimate test of patience.
For those of us who struggle with growing past a certain length, it’s a constant battle to avoid the sunshine, use hair-friendly products, figure out the best ratio of washing and still, inevitably, struggle to reach new lengths. Should we trim every eight weeks or wait a few months for that extra inch to appear? It’s a constant internal debate.
The best way to encourage hair growth is to create an all-encompassing routine that boosts healthy hair at every step of the growth cycle. That starts at the scalp or, if you’re looking a little deeper, continues further into the world of hormones and biology. Once you’ve got those tackled, it’s crucial to keep hair - a dead protein - from splitting or breaking. A good combination of nourishing products is key to success.
Gail Waterman of leading hair-growth brand Watermans, says: “No hair growth remedy can claim to work overnight. However, with regular use, a targeted hair care routine and balanced diet can contribute to a healthy scalp and help to stimulate hair growth.”
She shares some of the hair-loving ingredients that are thought to help stimulate hair growth below:
- Biotin: Also known as vitamin B7, biotin helps to encourage the rate of hair follicle growth. It stimulates the production of keratin and is thought to be particularly beneficial for those with thinning hair.
- Caffeine: When included in your hair care routine, caffeine helps to increase blood circulation to the scalp, improving the health of your hair follicles. This can help to stimulate the scalp, creating a great environment for natural hair growth.
- Argan oil: This is a fantastic ingredient for scalp care. It’s rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatories that are good for the skin, and can help keep the scalp moisturised and healthy.
- Allantoin: This natural ingredient is renowned for its skin and hair care benefits. Its keratolytic action helps to treat and/or prevent a dry, itchy scalp, working to nourish and condition. By caring for the scalp, it creates an optimum environment for hair growth.
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Scandinavian Biolabs Hair Growth Routine
"Scandinavian Biolabs" sounds pretty fancy before you've even delved into what this brand does. Designed as a one-stop-shop for hair growth, the brand's Hair Growth Routine was specifically developed to effectively reduce hair thinning, grow new strands and maintain healthy, strong and vibrant hair all at the same time.
It does this from multiple angles but mostly by incorporating high-performing active ingredients that are all entirely vegan, naturally derived and non-toxic. Capilia Longa, niacinamide and aloe vera improve hair density, boost keratin levels and improve skin hydration respectively.
It's also one of the best brands out there for cynics, featuring plenty of photos of hair growth transformations on its site with scientific research to back it all up.
Buy now £66.00, Scandinavian Biolabs
Champo Pitta growth serum
Healthy hair need not be a pipe dream thanks to this small but mighty hair growth serum from Champo. The viral product has a volumising effect on the locks that should get to work immediately bringing an XXL effect to lifeless strands. When it comes to the increase in density though, it will take around six to 12 weeks to see the impact of the advanced naturally-derived formulation. There’s caffeine, creatine and the powers of ayurvedic haritaki extract to promote hair growth with a texture that feels non-greasy and lightweight.
Buy now £34.00, Harrods
Viviscal Densifying Shampoo And Conditioner
Viviscal's formula was specifically designed for hair growth alone. Viviscal is the brand to know if you're serious about fast growth and its Gorgeous Growth line doesn't lie. Start out with the Densifying Shampoo and Conditioner or, if you're looking to go all out, combine with the brand's (clinically proven) Maximum Strength Hair Growth Supplement.
Biotin, keratin, zinc, pea sprouts and grape seeds are just some of the hair-loving ingredients here. Bonus points? It’s nourishing and lightweight and makes your hair feel more volumised at the same time.
Buy now £22.62, Amazon
Vegamour GRO Hair Serum
Vegamour is a cult brand over in the US and recently arrived on UK soil with the launch of Sephora UK. The label is known and loved specifically for this hair serum, which has an extensive fan base to back up its density-increasing claims. Clinically proven to happen in 90 days, it’s designed for straight, wavy, curly and coily hair types and all textures to prevent thinning and hair loss.
The hair serum has a vegan formulation that harnesses the power of turmeric to cleanse the dermal hair cells, thickening N. benthamiana and red clover/ mung bean to fortify the strands in place. Just one pipette is needed to coat your scalp when hair is damp or dry. Best of all, it has a light bergamot essential oil aroma.
Buy now £51.20, Sephora
CurrentBody Skin LED Hair Regrowth Device
The most helmet-looking hair growth device on the market, this CurrentBody creation looks straight out of Star Wars with its Stormtrooper-esque design. Much like the soldiers in a galaxy far, far away, this too shoots lasers, but these specialised wave lengths work on a cellular level and are designed to encourage regrowth of the hair follicles and counteract pattern balding, thinning and receding in men and women alike.
Before you even get started, the instructions encourage you to take a ‘before’ photo. This set expectations high as we looked forward to viewing the ‘after’ four months down the line. You are advised to use the device every single day across a 16-week period, which may not sound like the easiest to do but seeing as you only need to wear for 10 minutes, it was remarkably more seamless to slip into a routine (provided you have no extended holidays on the cards). What’s more, there’s headphones inside the helmet that can connect to your phone via Bluetooth so you can pop on a playlist or a podcast while mid-treatment.
Applied to a clean dry head, it boasts support and rejuvenation for the scalp too. There are 120 red LED bulbs to provide full coverage and it can be applied on all hair types. To breathe new life into your locks, it works through three varying wavelengths (630nm, 650nm, 655nm) that are medical-grade and activate the follicles.
Buy now £650.00, CurrentBody
Vida Glow Natural Marine Collagen Sachets
Best for: anti-ageing while encouraging baby hair growth
Vida Glow’s game-changing supplement is derived from sustainably sourced fish skin that is activated for potency and stimulates the body’s natural production of collagen. It has been clinically proven to answer anti-ageing concerns like fine lines and wrinkles as well as has firming, plumping and elasticity-boosting properties.
The powdered texture (and hydrolysation process) encourages a better absorption and the blueberry, peach, pineapple or mango flavouring enhances the taste of your morning porridge or hot beverage - and counteracts the often unpleasant taste that these supplements can have. On top of the skin benefits, it also strengthens nails and thickens hair with impressive regrowth abilities. Take one to three sachets a day depending on your age (just one for 25-35, two for 36-45 and three for 45+).
Buy now £39.00, Vida Glow
Olaplex No9 Bond Protector Nourishing Hair Serum
Ask anyone about hair growth and you’ll almost certainly get a few recommendations for Olaplex. A much-loved brand by professionals thanks to its one-of-a-kind patented formula, Olaplex needs no formal introduction. The only problem you may have is knowing where to start, other than maybe closing your eyes and randomly pointing at a number.
While some Olaplex formulas are designed to be used in-salon alone rather than at home, others are formulated to be used alongside the rest of your normal haircare routine. The No.9 is the brand’s very first leave-in serum and is supercharged with the same bond-repairing technology featured throughout the rest of the lineup. Its protective covering makes this one of the best hair growth tools especially if you live in a city with high pollution levels.
Buy now £28.00, Cult Beauty
The Nue Co. Supa_Thick Hair Treatment
In The Nue Co.'s product line-up, nature and science go hand in hand to give you a best-of-both-worlds approach to your skin and hair care. The SUPA_THICK is designed as a targeted treatment for those with stressed stands.
The serum texture should be massaged directly onto the scalp to energise and revive the follicles, thereby promoting hair growth. The ingredient list includes peppermint and rosemary oil that feel tingling on application as well as the brand's patented probiotic technology that combats dandruff. Apply to hair, leave for 20 minutes then wash.
Buy now £40.00, Cult Beauty
Patricks The Thickening Set
The Patricks’ product line may officially be designed for men but it's a hidden gem in the haircare world that women can just as easily reap the benefits from. Both the SH1 Daily Thickening Shampoo and its matching conditioner come stuffed to the brim with hair-loving ingredients, specifically designed to ease any effects of hair loss while simultaneously stimulating hair growth.
The long list of (natural) ingredients tackles hair from all angles, including Coffea Arabica Caffeine, which extends the anagen hair-growth phase, Ginkgoacea Ginko Bilboa, which protects the scalp from environmental stressors and promotes blood flow and Rosmarinus Officinalis Rosemary, which increases blood circulation.
Buy now £58.00, Patricks
3 More Inches LifeSaver Ultra Intense Pre-wash Treatment
Search the internet long enough for hair growth ideas and you'll find the "conditioner before shampoo" argument. Whether you’ve tried it yourself or prefer to stick firmly to a traditional route, you'll want something nourishing and calming pre-shampoo if you're focusing on hair growth.
3 More Inches does exactly what its name suggests with its LifeSaver Ultra Intense Pre-wash Treatment: essentially gearing your hair up to be washed by coating it with a subtle, soft formula that keeps every strand in prime condition. This professional, silicone-free treatment is rich in cashmere proteins that repair and recondition hair with less shrinkage, less breakage and less splitting. Soak for 45 minutes pre-washing for impossibly soft - yet strong - hair.
Buy now £34.50, Amazon
Watermans Grow Me Hair Growth Shampoo
The Watermans Grow Me Hair Growth Shampoo is one of the most versatile hair growth formulas out there, designed for all hair types including European, African, Asian, Latin and Middle Eastern hair. Proof that good things come in small packages, you'll only need to apply a small amount of the brand’s shampoo each time you use it, thanks to its easy-to-apply formula and jam-packed nutrients list.
This luxury shampoo smells as good as it feels and features a mix of natural ingredients and clinically proven ingredients to encourage healthy hair growth. It's designed to be used between four and five times a week but, if you wash your hair less regularly, pair with the Grow More Elixir for all of the benefits with less blow-drying time involved.
Buy now £13.95, Boots
Kérastase Elixir Ultime L'Original Hair Oil
If the fast results from Kérastase's Elixir Ultime L'Original Hair Oil don't win you over, its salon-fresh smell will. Designed to cheer up locks that may have already faced a little damage, this thick, nourishing hair oil wastes no time digging deep under the surface to tackle splitting from within.
You'll only need a single pump per usage (unless you have incredibly long, thick hair - in which case, this guide probably isn't for you anyway) and, once you've incorporated it into your weekly routine, you'll never finish styling your hair without it again. Best of all, it moisturises hair without leaving any kind of greasy effect: long, glossy locks are coming your way.
Buy now £58.00, lookfantastic
VENN Synbiotic Polyamine Shampoo
Use VENN's Synbiotic Polyamine Shampoo and you'll feel a little more put-together in the morning before you've even reaped the benefits of its hair growth results. A little goes a long way with this nourishing shampoo so, while its 400ml bottle may not look like a lot for £49, you'll only use a tiny amount per hair wash.
The strong minty scent is just as delicious as it sounds, providing cool, clean and fresh-feeling locks no matter how long you've been avoiding hair-wash day. This low-pH shampoo from South Korean skincare experts VENN is also antioxidant-filled, vegan and cruelty-free. It makes good use of local Korean ingredients too like Yukmijihwang, a traditional Korean herbal formula, which soothes the scalp as well as pre and probiotics derived from bamboo.
Buy now £50.01, Face The Future
Grow Gorgeous Intense Collection
As well as encouraging hair growth, Grow Gorgeous' shampoo and conditioner are top of the pile when it comes to leaving hair soft, shiny and easy to style. You could simply buy the shampoo or conditioner to incorporate into your normal haircare routine but, if you're serious about hair growth, the Intense Collection covers all bases without having to search elsewhere for a matching mask or serum.
Caffeine and biotin are two of the most prominent ingredients listed in this vegan formula, alongside keratin, amino acids and rice protein. The rest of the collection is just as nourishment-stuffed, including ingredients like biomimetic peptide, Chinese skullcap, organic pea sprout and red clover. You'll love it initially for its delicious smell and then for its impressive results.
Buy now £60.78, lookfantastic
