Hello curly girls! Do you dream of having a head of luxurious, long curly hair? Have you found it difficult to grow your hair out? If so, then this blog post is for you. Long hair takes patience, time, and good nutrition to reach its full potential. Don’t give up…and soon you’ll have the hair of your dreams! In this post, I’ll share actionable tips for how to grow long curly hair.

Here are 9 tips for how to grow long curly hair.

1. Eat healthy.

To grow long, healthy locks, you need to nourish your strands. Include lots of healthy fat sources in your diet, such as olive oil, avocados, salmon, and walnuts. These foods will provide omega-3 fatty acids and other essential nutrients.  Also, eat high quality proteins from foods such as chickpeas, eggs, milk, poultry, and beans. Because your hair strands are composed of the protein keratin, you need to consume protein to grow longer hair.

Another important food for hair growth is dark green leafy vegetables, which contain vitamins A and C. These vitamins provide the building blocks of sebum, the oily substance produced by your hair follicles. If you’re looking for a healthy snack, munch on a handful of almonds. These nuts provide vitamin E and magnesium, which nourish your scalp.

Other foods which can increase blood circulation are citrus fruits, broccoli, ginger, turmeric, cayenne, and garlic. By increasing blood flow to the scalp, these foods will encourage hair growth.

Also, ensure that you are drinking plenty of water. This will help your scalp stay healthy and hydrated.

2. Deep condition.

To grow healthy, long locks, don’t skip your deep conditioning! Put a weekly session into your planner, and don’t let yourself skip it when life gets busy. Just apply the deep conditioner (this one from Amazon is my fave) and pull up your favorite podcast or Youtube channel. Before you know it, half an hour will fly by!

3. Avoid heat.

 To grow long hair, you’ll want to avoid damaging your hair with any means. Stay away from flat irons, curling wands, and blowouts. Heat styling can cause damage and breakage to your hair. Instead, try heatless hairstyles like braids, updos, and twists. Here are some resources to get you started:

4 Holiday Hairstyles for Curly Hair (perfect for dressy events)

Braided Hairstyles from Effortless Beauty

4. No big chop.

Unless your hair is severely damaged, I don’t recommend getting a big chop. Instead, get a trim every 2-3 months, and ask for the ends to be trimmed a quarter of an inch. That way, your curls get aerated and freshened, but you will lose very little length.

If you haven’t found a curl-friendly hairstylist in your area, you can also try a DIY trim. You can find instructions in Curly Girl: The Handbook or read this article from Naturally Curly.

5. Protect your curls at night.

To prevent unnecessary breakage and frizz, wear your hair up at night. Sleep on a silk pillowcase. You can put it into a pineapple or loose bun, or you could even wear a buff or silk bonnet. Here are more tips on how to care for your curly hair at night.

6. Wear your natural color.

If you want to grow longer hair, consider returning to your natural hair color. Coloring your hair can cause a lot of dryness, which slows down your hair growth. This is especially true if you are undergoing bleaching or multi-step color processing.

If you must color your hair, use an ammonia-free, semi-permanent dye, and provide lots of deep conditioning after dyeing it. Or, return to your natural hair color. You may also want to look into getting an Olaplex treatment done to repair any coloring damage.

7. Let down your hair.

I see you there, with your hair up in a tight ponytail. Take that out! If you want to grow long curls, you need to avoid putting unnecessary stress on your scalp and hair follicles. If you want to keep your curls out of your face, try a half-up style with a jaw clip. Or twist back the front curls and gently pin them to the sides.

If a hairstyle feels uncomfortable and tight, it’s probably not going to help you with hair growth. Choose loose, gentle styles instead. You’ll feel better and your hair will grow faster!

8. Limit your washes.

If you are following the Curly Girl Method, you know that washing every day is a no-no. This is particularly true if you want to grow out your curls. Shampooing your hair every day will strip it of its natural oils and slow down growth. Instead of daily washing, try washing it every 2-3 days, or when you notice oily roots and dry ends.

9. Try a scalp massage with essential oils.

One of the many benefits of scalp massage is stimulation for your hair follicles to grow hair faster! If you haven’t tried a scalp massage yet, you don’t know what you’re missing!

Choose oils that are especially helpful for hair growth, including black castor oil (read this article to learn why) and black seed oil.

Here are some recommendations:

Want to learn more?

Purchase a copy of my new ebook, Embrace Your Curls: A Manual for Curly Girls. It’s 120+ pages of information, techniques, and methods to help you have the hair of your dreams! Check it out here. (Get 30% off with code welcomecurly30.)

Let’s Chat:

Which of these tips on how to grow long curly hair are you going to try first? Eating a balanced diet with lots of healthy fats is a great place to start. Then, cut out heat styling, and avoid chemical or colour treatments. Deep condition every 1-2 weeks, and try adding a scalp massage to your regimen. Wear your hair down more often, and put it into a loose braid or pineapple at night. These simple tips will help your hair grow long and healthy!

Have more tips for hair growth? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comment section!

p.s. Some of the items in this post are affiliate links. I only post about products that I love + think you’ll probably love, too! As an Amazon Associate or affiliate for other programs, I earn from qualifying purchases. When you purchase through my link, I receive a small commission at no extra charge to you. Thank you SO much for your support!