How to Grow Out Your Hair
Photos: Getty Images
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1/9Start With Healthy Hair
"Make sure it feels healthy before you start the grow-out process, because if it starts to break off, you're going nowhere," says hairstylist Mara Roszak. Use a deep conditioner regularly and consider taking a supplement. "Certain supplements really do promote hair growth, and the B vitamin biotin is one of my favorites," says dermatologist Fredric Brandt. You would have to take 5,000 micrograms (some pills contain that amount) a day for about three to six months before you'd notice a difference, but "studies have shown that biotin elongates the hair follicle, which makes hair grow faster. It also stimulates the cells that cause your hair to grow."
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2/9Pixie
Keep the Back Short
If you let your hair grow at a uniform speed, the back will get long before the front can catch up, and your Miley-Cyrus-circa-2013 look will turn into a Billy-Ray-Cyrus-circa-1993 look. But there's a simple way to avoid that dreaded effect: "Have your stylist cut the back short and let the top grow," says hairstylist Rodney Cutler, who helped Emma Watson through what's probably the most successful public grow out of a pixie ever. "Getting more length on top will take you into the Michelle Williams–type look."
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3/9Pixie
Work Your Way Into a Bob
That short, shaggy bob that's everywhere right now (Emma Stone, Kate Mara) is also the style that's going to help you transition out of pixie land. "Once you have length on top, let the rest of your hair grow and then blend it together with layers," says Cutler. And keep your hair type in mind: "If your texture is really thick, you'll need some of the bulk taken out," says Roszak, who works with Mara and Stone. "If your hair is fine, you may need to go every two months and have your ends trimmed so they don't look wispy."
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4/9Bob
Avoid a Mushroom Cut
As your bob continues to get longer, it can also start to get wider. "Depending on your hair texture, you could end up with a mushroom-y effect," says hairstylist Riawna Capri, who works with Julianne Hough and Jennifer Lawrence, both currently going through their own grow-out phases. "I like to cut into it and thin it out at the ends to make them look piecey and not heavy," she says. Ask your stylist to use a razor to "thin out the ends and take the bulk out," says Cutler.
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5/9Bob
Add Texture
Once you're in lob (long bob) territory, focus on your styling technique. "Don't let your hair sit on your shoulders, which creates a big flip," says Capri. "Adding tousled waves will keep it looking modern, instead of like a Stepford wife." Mist a texturizing spray (we like Kevin Murphy Hair Resort Spray) through hair to build waves, then wrap your hair randomly around a one-inch curling iron. "The best texture isn't contrived or deliberate. Leave [your hair] a little straighter at the ends, which makes it understated and cool," says Cutler.
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6/9Bangs
Work Your Way to a Center Part
If you're growing out thick, heavy bangs (what up, Zooey Deschanel?), let them grow to your brows before pushing them to one side. "Once they get to eye length, let them separate in the middle and do that beautiful Gisele bang," says Roszak. (Alexa Chung is a noted master of this look, too.) "Have your hairstylist take the weight out of them so the ends aren't superthick and heavy," she adds.
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7/9Bangs
Hide Awkward-Length Bangs Strategically
Necessity is the mother of all invention, and growing out bangs is without a doubt the reason the hairline braid came to be. Capri recommends doing a French braid against the head (like a cornrow) to keep shorter hairs out of your face. "Find some cute clips and just pin the bangs aside" says Roszak. "I use nail polish to paint bobby pins different colors."
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8/9Bangs
Try a Dramatic Slick
Once you can tuck your bangs away, play around with different styling techniques." Create a deep side part and then slick the other side behind your ear," says Capri. Use a bobby pin to secure it behind your ear so everything stays in place for a clean, sleek effect.
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Beauty Product ReviewsThe June Allure Beauty Box is a Moisture-Drenched Summer Routine
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9/9Bangs
Turn Your Grown-Out Bangs Into Layers
"Once you can really tuck your bangs behind your ear, you might want to incorporate some layers around your face," says Roszak, who recommends not going shorter than chin length. "Then start to incorporate more layers around the head, and make sure they're blended really well. That way the shorter pieces will look like layers, rather than just grown-out bangs."
