When it comes to our hair, we always want what we can’t have. Curly-haired girls tend to lean on tools for poker straight styles, while those of us with no definition in our stands covet coils. The same is true for length.
Whether you made the (now believed to be rash) decision to go for the chop or you’ve struggled to grow your hair longer than its split-end riddled, rat’s tail length, you’ll likely be envying luscious long locks. To achieve the styles of your hair dreams, you’ll need an arsenal of nutrient and protein-rich products that will encourage your tresses to grow healthy and strong - and that comes in the form of scalp care, shampoo, oils, supplements and serums.
The latter is favoured for its lightweight approach to packing your mane with nourishing goodness. Without weighing down your strands, these formulas work to strengthen, add shine, control frizz, impart moisture and protect from chemical, environmental and thermal damage.
Do hair growth serums really work? Can serums really make your hair grow faster?
“I always recommend my clients use serums in conjunction with other products that support hair growth” says Viviscal ambassador and Trichologist, Hannah Gaboardi. “Look after hair with an inside-out approach, digest the correct minerals, and ensure your hair is getting enough moisture and vitamins topically”.
How do you speed up hair growth?
Gaboardi explains “I wouldn’t necessarily say you can speed up hair growth, but you can promote and maintain healthy hair growth. Using a clinically researched supplement is a sure way of ensuring your hair is getting the right ingredients for hair growth” - which brings us to...
Which ingredients are good for hair growth?
“You need to ensure you are getting enough minerals in your diet for example eating spinach, fatty fish, nuts, sweet potato etc” recommends Gaboardi. “Zinc, biotin, iron and collagen are all very important for hair growth. With hair being the last organ to be fed, this makes ensuring your body is getting the correct nutrients that much more important”.
Shop the best serums for hair growth below.
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Scandinavian Biolabs Bio-Pilixin Activation Serum
Scandinavian Biolabs has gathered the experts in hair growth to dive deep into the science and created a serum to combat thinning and encourage longer, thicker locks. The supercharged formula is made up of all vegan ingredients like niacinamide, aloe vera and a trademarked capilia longa compound with plant growth factors sourced through stem cell technology that nature the hair follicles.
When applying this product - which you do directly to the roots - you are imparting nutrients that are kind to the scalp and stimulating blood flow. This is not a quick fix and instead, it will take 150 days according to the brand to see lasting change. In a clinically tested trial, 93 per cent saw a reduction in hair loss, while 73 per cent saw an increase in density.
Buy now £42.00, Scandinavian Biolabs
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 £58.00, Sephora
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
The Ordinary Multi-Peptide Serum for Hair Density 60ml
Recommended by hairdressers to be applied in tandem with daily supplements, the modest outlay garners big results in thickness and fullness of fine hair.
The Ordinary is known for its affordable products that don’t scrimp on efficacity from its skincare to the haircare offering. This serum has been labelled a ‘game-changer’ for a reason, using a trademarked concoction of complexes to remain lightweight yet potent and give hair a healthy boost.
For best results, apply onto the scalp before hair wash day and use a massager to encourage absorption. The more consistent you are, the better the results.
Buy now £20.80, lookfantastic
RANAVAT Mighty Majesty Fortifying Hair Serum
RANAVAT may not be a brand you are immediately familiar with but it comes with a long list of awards certifying its powers. The brand takes its inspiration from Ayurveda, from the ingredients to the practices that it will encourage.
The clue is in the name, the Mighty Majesty Fortifying Hair Serum comes complete with monarchal levels of nourishment from a cocktail of jasmine oil, amla extract and sunflower oil that are packed with healthy nutrients for the strands. The combination shields against breakage, encourages growth and prevents further damage where the quality of the components is ensured through a cold-pressed method of extraction. It absorbs quickly into the hair with its light texture and leaves a lovely jasmine scent in its wake.
Buy now £70.00, Sephora
Grow Gorgeous Hair Growth Serum Intense
Restore depleted manes with the intense formula from Grow Gorgeous. As it suggests, it’s concentrated, encouraging a thickness boost for each and every individual strand. If you’ve noticed thinning hair or have long had fine locks (genetics, eh?), you can treat your tresses to the vegan and gluten-free formula that includes the likes of organic pea sprout extract, red clover extract, caffeine and green tea that reinvigorate the roots and encourage better density and vitality. It will also leave it looking shiny and healthy.
Buy now £45.00, Boots
Augustinus Bader The Scalp Treatment 30ml
Its celebrity clientele has earned Augustinus Bader name recognition, given credit for some of the most youthful complexions in Hollywood but don’t sleep on its haircare collection. Give your locks the regalness that you deserve with its scalp treatment that brings its trademarked TFC8 Complex to your tresses.
Skincare but for your scalp, the ingredient encourages the body’s own renewal and so is designed to leave you with stronger, thicker locks by amping up your own processes. It has a soothing effect and clears blocked follicles, while also hydrating and preventing further breakage. You should see a difference in hair fall and density, particularly in famously hard-to-grow areas like around the hairline and at the nape of the neck.
Buy now £66.00, Augustinus Bader
MONPURE London Follicle Boost Hair Density Serum 50ml
With no harsh chemicals in sight, MONPURE encourages fullness in your hair texture with the power of natural ingredients that have been scientifically proven. There’s a special pumpkin seed extract as well as a gentle variant of retinol and lactic acid. The latter two buff away at the scalp to remove dead skin cells and make way for thicker locks to grow - all without irritation. It can be used by all hair types from the poker straight to ringlet curls. The texture of the product is thicker than some of the others on the list which means a little goes a long way.
Buy now £83.00, Cult Beauty
Viviscal Densifying Elixir for Fuller and Thicker Hair
This is the recommended product from Trichologist Hannah Gaboardi, she explains that it “is great at ensuring your hair is nourished, giving you thicker and fuller-looking hair without seeming product-filled”. Viviscal may be best known for its supplements but it brings the same hair-growing ingredients to a topical range that includes this body-building elixir.
The formula is naturally derived with pea sprouts and grapes as well as heroes like biotin, keratin and zinc on hand to impart their strengthening properties to your strands.
Buy now £15.98, Amazon
Kérastase Genesis Serum Anti Chute Fortifiant
Maci from Charles Worthington sings the praises of Kerastase’s hair treatment. “Enriched with a potent combination of aminexil, edelweiss native cells and ginger root, the serum improves hair resistance to minimise hair fall and maximise beautiful hair. It helps re-anchor hair follicles more solidly into the scalp while building the optimal environment for future growth.” *Adds to basket*
Buy now £41.22, lookfantastic
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.
Buy now £46.00, Cult Beauty
Act+Acre 3% Stem Cell Peptide H3-Grow+ Complex Scalp Treatment For Hair Thinning and Growth
Just one drop of this treatment from Act+Acre and you'll see why it's loved by curly and straight hair people alike. The brand specialises in potent, plant-based formulas that are created through a cold-processed method in order to maximise the quantity of nutrients.
This is certainly the case with the 3% Stem Cell Peptide H3-Grow+ Complex. The name may not roll off the tongue but it is made up of nine ingredients that have been clinically tested to stimulate the hair follicles and strengthen your strands. One such ingredient is ginseng, a component chosen for its ability to supercharge the scalp and reduce fall out.
Buy now £116.00, Cult Beauty
