You may be familiar with the jaw-dropping hair growth before-and-afters we recently dropped online and you guys are desperate to know more! 

The owner of that now, full, long and thick (!) head of hair is actually none other than our very own Brand Manager, Carmel! You know we don’t like to gatekeep around here, so be sure to keep reading to learn how Carmel's hair went from thin & flat to thick & healthy in just 6 months, using our very own Hair Growth & Volume Shampoo & Conditioner.

Hey! I'm Carmel, the Brand Manager here at A bit Hippy. I'm responsible for the words written on emails, social posts and even the website. I also help out our Product Development team, ensuring that any product we want to launch, actually performs to our gold-star standard. I'm not selling anything to our loyal customers that I don't back fully myself! When developing a new product, we conduct rigorous testing on ourselves, colleagues, friends and family. If we don’t want to recommend our products to those closest to us, there’s NO WAY we’re recommending them to you!

Last year, we were busy behind the scenes developing our new & expanded hair care range, which eventually came to fruition back in March. When I was testing out the samples for our Hair Growth & Volume Shampoo and Conditioner, I loved the formula, the sensory experience, as well as the science that backed up the ingredients selected for the formulas. Behind the scenes, I was going through some pretty major hair loss concerns. I've always had thick, full hair. Every hairdresser through the years was truly shocked by how much hair I had. Although last year, stress was showing its head, on my head. I was losing clumps of hair during every hair wash day, and my hair seemed to get thinner and thinner. My once go-to slicked-back bun ‘do, would reveal huge sparse areas of my scalp. Part of the reason we began developing our Hair Growth & Volume Shampoo and Conditioner, was due to my struggles. I needed something gentle on my sensitive scalp that would actually garner results without breaking the bank. 

I’m truly blown away with my results. I’m a real-life success story! I want to share my secrets for hair growth with as many people as I can.  Because, hair breakage, thinning or outright loss is a truly personal and emotional experience. Here’s my four top tips for getting started on your hair growth journey.

Step 1: Strip back on your hair care products.

I’m sure you’ve heard it all before, but less most certainly is, more. Audit every product in your hair care routine and ensure it serves a purpose. There’s only four products I use, the Hair Growth & Volume Shampoo and Conditioner, the Intense Repair Hair Mask and a sample of something coming soon. (Stay tuned!)

Hair Growth & Volume Shampoo - This formula has some pretty great ingredients. You’ll spot Niacinamide, to promote the production of Keratin, a key protein contributing to the health of your hair. This is key because healthy hair means less breakage. We also added Rosemary Oil and Caffeine. Ingredients that are proven to stimulate hair follicles, to boost new hair growth.

See how hair growth is a 2-factor approach? By reducing breakage, and stimulating new growth, you’ll achieve thicker, longer hair, quicker. 

Hair Growth & Volume Conditioner - We followed suit to continue the hair growth magic. This Conditioner also has Niacinamide, Rosemary Oil and Caffeine. Although, we couldn’t look past our favourites for hydrating hair. So we added Olive, Coconut and Jojoba Oil to give your hair that soft, silky feeling. 

Tip- Be consistent, results take time. Don't swap it out for a random sample you have at home, or become the victim of another shampoo impulse purchase just 'cause it looks cool on Instagram.

Intense Repair Hair Mask - I don’t know where I’d be without this Hair Mask! If you’re a sucker for ingredients, be sure to check out the ingredients list here. You’ll spot many superstar ingredients, making this formula truly something else. Every second or third hair wash day, I’ll swap out the Hair Growth & Volume Conditioner for this Hair Mask. I’ll coat my hair from the root, all the way down to the ends and leave it in for ten minutes.

Try it for yourself! It’ll alleviate dryness, restore suppleness and deeply moisturise your hair strands. This will make your hair softer and easier to comb through. Reducing breakage and speeding up your hair growth journey! What’s best? It’s less than $30, and we challenge you to find one as great and affordable as ours.

Mystery sample - This formula’s been approved and we’re finally in production! Stay tuned!

Step 2: Take a collagen supplement.

Now that you’ve taken care of your hair from the outside, it’s time to go inward. I began taking a collagen supplement to support my skin health, not realising I’d see visible changes to the length of my hair! 

Collagen promotes healthy skin elasticity and hydration, including your scalp. A healthier scalp means healthier hair and less breakage. So no wonder, it’s doing wonders! I like to take the Nutra Organics Unflavoured Collagen, I pop a spoonful in my morning coffee, to give my skin & hair that morning boost too!

Note- While Collagen is not vegan, Nutra Organics ensures every ingredient in its formula is natural and of the highest quality. It’s an Aussie brand, and its brand values align with A bit Hippy, making me confident that you’ll love it too. I really do credit collagen in assisting in my hair growth journey.

Step 3: Slow down, address your stress.

You may have realised by now that impressive hair growth and visible results require a holistic approach. While our Hair Growth & Volume Shampoo and Conditioner formulas are one of the best of their kind, there’s simply no ‘miracle’ product alone to get the job done. 

Life's busy and life can be hard. It's important to take care of YOU. Stress manifests in many ways, brain fog, muscle tension, shortness of breath and trouble sleeping. For me, back in December, stress showed its head, on my head. Major hair loss was becoming an apparent problem every hair wash day.

The only reason I have this pic of my hair after an average hair wash day is because I wanted to show my friends what was going on. (Low key, I was freaking out!) I’m glad I have it, it’s a visible reminder of the physical effect stress had on my body.

What’s the answer to stress?

Again, I’d hate to be the bearer of bad news, but there’s no one-size-fits-all treatment to stress. Each day, I check in with myself. Be it, planning out my day in my head during a morning walk, calling my friends on my drive home to decompress or simply making a calming tea before bed. By addressing any challenges in my life, I can tackle them head-on and prevent them from manifesting into physical symptoms as best I can. And yes, hair wash days are a lot less hairy these days! 😜

Step 4: It's time to quit the slicked-back buns.

Slicked-back buns at one point, were my entire personality. Dirty hair? Slick it back. Big meeting? Slick it back. Sweaty gym sesh? Slick it back. The list goes on.

Slicked-back buns cause tension in your hair follicles, and your hair eventually snaps under that tension. Got a bunch of baby hairs all of a sudden? Those hairs may not be new growth, but broken hair strands. It's okay, join Slicked-back Buns Anonymous, swap out the buns for a gentle claw clip style, and you'll be on your way to healthier hair quicker than you can say slick rick three times.

Disclaimer - Slicked-back Buns Anonymous isn't a real support group. But I'm sending you love!

Seriously though, really think about how you style your hair. How often are you putting your hair under tension? It’s an easy and free fix, that will help you get results quicker.