Hailey Bieber's blunt bob was the must-have hairstyle of 2023. Photo / Getty Images
Hailey Bieber's blunt bob was the must-have hairstyle of 2023. Photo / Getty Images
Last year was unequivocally the year of the bob. From Hailey Bieber’s blunt brunette chin-length cut to Lily Allen’s bright-blonde jaw-skimming ‘do, there was plenty of inspiration to be had from Hollywood when it came to the chop.
It’s always the way with a new look: either you feel likeyou’ve found yourself or it’s the exact opposite, and you’re in for a year or two of dealing with growing your locks back into your comfort zone.
Whether it’s a chic bob, a cute pixie, a grungey wolf cut or a fringe, if you’re about to embark on your hair growth journey, these are the hairdresser-approved tips to keep in mind throughout the process.
While it would seem the best route would be to avoid the hairdresser for 12 months, you need your hair to be healthy and strong to get that length back, which means regular visits to the salon, just not as often.
“It’s an unpopular opinion among my fellow hairdressers, but I believe you need to let hair grow,” says Katie Hook, a stylist of 19 years, who owns Hookd hair salon in Auckland.
“This doesn’t mean you forgo seeing your hairdresser completely but I would be encouraging in-salon treatments and smaller trims around 12 to 16 weeks rather than every six to eight.”
It can be tempting to scrape your hair back into a tight style to get yourself through those awkward length phases, but Katie stresses that this Sophia Richie-Grange-endorsed trend is a big no-no.
“It absolutely helps to get your hair out of the way or disguise a stage that you’re not loving but the added pressure on the hair can cause breakage and it’s just not worth it.”
Switching from tight elastics to claw clips or silk bands can help prevent hair breakage. Photo / Colleen.
Katie recommends keeping up-dos soft and loose by using claw clips or silk bands to hold your hairstyle, rather than tight elastics.
Treatments to build resilience
To keep your hair in good condition as it grows, partake in weekly treatments to help build strength and resilience and prevent damage to the hair strands.
Katie suggests using Olaplex for your wash-out products such as shampoo and conditioner, as this is a range that encourages strength and repair in the bonds of the hair.
As for those leave-in treatments, she says K18 (a TikTok favourite) is showing incredible results. “The Molecular Repair Oil is a standout for me,” she says. “It’s so luxe and is also a heat protectant. You only need a precious few drops.”
Lastly, the Color Wow Dream Cocktail Kale-Infused spray is a repairing treatment formulated to prevent split ends and reduce breakage. If you’re someone who needs to heat-style their hair, you’ll reap all the benefits from this one as it’s heat-activated, so needs to be blow-dried into work.
Leave-in treatments help support and nourish hair while it's growing out. Photo / Rodney Wayne.
Encouraging hair growth
If you think of the scalp like the soil in your garden, it’s obvious that we need to keep this skin nourished and encourage circulation to see healthy hair growth.
Daily scalp massage is an easy addition to your routine that can help stimulate the scalp. This can be done with a brush or clean fingers.
Use a scalp massager regularly to stimulate blood circulation. Photo / The Warehouse.
“Any stimulation you can give the scalp is going to be beneficial,” says Katie. “Bringing blood to the scalp keeps the hair bulb happy, in turn giving hair the best shot at being a healthy strand.”
Supplements are a tricky area that comes down to the individual, she says.
“Many of my clients have had great results from taking collagen, which I have witnessed myself, but this doesn’t mean it will work for everyone.”
Biotin is a mineral proven to help with healthy hair and skin but, because it’s water-soluble, the body doesn’t store it. Katie says taking a supplement with this B vitamin helps hair growth so, when long hair is the aim, it’s worth adding this into your routine too.
