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10 simple ways to make your hair grow faster
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Want gorgeous mermaid hair? You've got to try these tips! - photo by Amberlee Lovell
Full disclaimer, ladies: there is nothing you can do that will make your hair magically grow a foot overnight. Hair only grows about 6 inches a year, according to Live Science. This varies depending on a lot of different factors including, fascinatingly, your race. (Asian hair grows the fastest!)

But there are several ways you could be damaging your hair without even knowing it. Here are nine simple ways to help your hair grow into the luscious mermaid hair you want.

Say no to cotton pillowcases

How much time do you spend lying on your pillow? Chances are your hair has more contact with your pillowcase than it does with anything else.

The rough texture of cotton (what most pillowcases are made out of) creates friction, which then creates breakage. Cotton also saps moisture out of your hair as well, making it become drier, according to Hair Care Manual. The key to long hair is keeping your hair-ends healthy. If they're breaking off, youre making negative progress with growing your hair out.

Try using a satin pillowcase instead. You can find them as cheap as $10.00 on Amazon.

Stop shampooing it

Shampoo strips your hair of natural oils. Obviously, this is why youre using it in the first place: to make your hair less oily. But its uncommon to have extremely oily hair all the way to the hair-ends. Try skipping a shampooing once a week, or shampoo only the scalp. Dont ever skip conditioning it.

Consider biotin

Taking biotin has become a popular practice for women trying to grow out their hair. Its a supplement that provides the vitamins your body needs to have healthy hair and nails. However, taking biotin may or may not do your hair much good. According to WebMD, most people get enough biotin naturally through the foods they eat. Its rare to be deficient in biotin.

Wet your hair before you swim

Your hair can absorb 30% of its own weight in water, according to Hair Science. This means you want to control the quality of water it is absorbing. Get your hair wet with tap water before jumping into chlorinated water. If its already saturated with fresh water, it wont absorb as much chlorine.

Overnight conditioner

You dont have to spend a lot of money on fancy conditioners to give your hair a deep moisturizer. Get your hair damp, spread coconut oil through it (focusing especially on the ends) and leave the oil in while you sleep. This gives your hair plenty of time to soak up those delicious nutrients and will leave your ends healthier.

Wash with cold water

While warm water opens your hair follicles up to be shampooed and conditioned. It also makes it easier for your hair to break off. Rinsing it with cold water at the end of the shower will give you glossier, less-frizzy hair because this closes off the follicles, allowing your hair to hold moisture, according to Hair Care Manual.

Brush it like Rapunzel

Hair strands can contain 14 different elements, and one of them is a trace of gold, so imagine your hair is made of gold when you brush it. Start brushing from the ends to get out the tangles before moving to the roots. This is gentler and will prevent breaking.

Ditch the towel turban

Your hair is most fragile when its wet. Wrapping it in a heavy towel pulls it and causes breakage. Dry it by gently squeezing it with a towel and letting it air-dry after.

Choose your damage

Speaking of air-drying, be cautious about the amount of heat you are putting on your hair. This is probably a no-brainer, but its hard to follow. Its not completely bad to use heat on your hair, but limit what you do. Dont blow dry it and use a straightener. If you dont have time to let your hair air-dry, use the cold air setting on your blow dryer. Showering at night is a great way to give your hair the time it needs to dry naturally.

Eat right

Researches believe your hair grows faster in the summer, according to Live Science. Why? On average you eat more fruits and vegetables in the summer, which provides the nutrients your body needs to make crazy pretty hair. Eating healthy year round will give you those benefits always.

Cheating tip: Look at hair extensions

If you are looking to have instantly longer locks, there are a lot of options for easy hair extensions that dont involve having them sewn in. Clip-in hair extensions do require you to wash them, but they are an easy, realistic way to have beautiful, thick, long hair in no time at all.
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Have You Seen This? Street musician slays with clarinet
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Better than almost every face-melting guitar or drum solo. - photo by Facebook video screenshot

THE BIG EASY — Yeah, yeah, we all know that New Orleans is stuffed to the gills will incredible musicians.

But knowing that fact and then hearing that fact are two different things. You can step into any number of jazz clubs on any given night on Bourbon Street, and you’ll probably be impressed with virtually every act. Or you can sit at home on your comfy couch and watch this featured video.

In the video, you’ll see a woman who is in the groove. She is swinging hard, and wailing on her clarinet with a practiced expertise that makes it sounds so easy.

From note one you’ll be drawn in; your appreciation will grow with every second, and then your face will melt off when you realize how incredible she really is.

If you’ve never played a woodwind or a brass, you may not know everything that comes with a performance like this. Lung capacity and breath control are huge factors in keeping your notes clear and loud, and hitting those high notes is especially difficult.

So when this woman hits that high note and holds it for several seconds, you know you’re dealing with an exceptional musician. It means she has worked hard for years to develop skill on top of her natural talent, and we get to benefit.

It kinda makes you wonder how we let people get away with mumble rap and autotune when talent like this exists in the world.

I wish this video were longer, and I wish I had more information about this woman, but as it is, we’ll just have to appreciate the little flavor of New Orleans jazz posted by the Facebook group Clarinet Life.

Martha Ostergar is a writer who delights in the ridiculous that internet serves up, which means she's more than grateful that she gets to cruise the web for amazing videos to highlight for your viewing pleasure.
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