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“Beauty, to me, is about being comfortable in your own skin.”
― Gwyneth Paltrow

The 14 Best Foods for Hair Growth
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Many people want strong and healthy hair, especially as they grow older.

Interestingly, your hair grows around 0.5 inches (1.25 cm) per month, and 6 inches (15 cm) per year. How fast it grows depends on factors like age, health, genetics and diet.

Although you can’t change factors like age and genetics, diet is one thing you have control over. In fact, consuming a diet lacking the right nutrients can lead to hair loss.

On the other hand, eating a balanced diet with the right nutrients can help promote hair growth, especially if you’re experiencing hair loss due to poor nutrition.

Here are the 14 best foods you can eat to promote hair growth.

1. Eggs
Eggs are a great source of protein and biotin, two nutrients that may promote hair growth.

Eating adequate protein is important for hair growth because hair follicles are made of mostly protein. A lack of protein in the diet has been shown to promote hair loss.

Biotin is essential for the production of a hair protein called keratin, which is why biotin supplements are often marketed for hair growth. Research has also shown that consuming more biotin can help improve hair growth in people with a biotin deficiency.

However, biotin deficiencies are uncommon if you consume a balanced diet. There is little evidence to show healthy people benefit from consuming more biotin).

Eggs are also a great source of zinc, selenium and other hair-healthy nutrients. This makes them one of the best foods to consume for optimal hair health.

Summary Eggs are a great
source of protein and biotin, which are important for hair health and growth. A
deficiency in either of these nutrients has been linked to hair loss.

2. Berries
Berries are loaded with beneficial compounds and vitamins that may promote hair growth.

This includes vitamin C, which has strong antioxidant properties.

Antioxidants can help protect hair follicles against damage from harmful molecules called free radicals. These molecules exist naturally in the body and the environment.

For example, 1 cup (144 grams) of strawberries provides an impressive 141% of your daily vitamin C needs.

Also, the body uses vitamin C to produce collagen, a protein that helps strengthen hair to prevent it from becoming brittle and breaking).

What’s more, vitamin C helps the body absorb iron from the diet. Low iron levels may cause anemia, which has been linked to hair loss.

Summary Berries are loaded
with compounds like antioxidants and vitamins that may promote hair growth. For
example, strawberries are rich in vitamin C, which aids collagen production and
iron absorption, two factors that may promote hair growth.

3. Spinach
Spinach is a healthy green vegetable that’s loaded with beneficial nutrients like folate, iron, and vitamins A and C, all of which may promote hair growth.

Vitamin A helps the skin glands produce sebum. This oily substance helps moisturize the scalp to keep hair healthy.

A cup (30 grams) of spinach provides up to 54% of your daily vitamin A needs.

Spinach is also a great plant-based source of iron, which is essential for hair growth. Iron helps red blood cells carry oxygen throughout the body to fuel your metabolism and aid growth and repair.

What’s more, iron deficiencies have been linked to hair loss.

Summary Spinach is loaded with
folate, iron, and vitamins A and C, which may promote hair growth. A deficiency
in these nutrients may result in hair loss.

4. Fatty Fish
Fatty fish like salmon, herring and mackerel have nutrients that may promote hair growth.

They are excellent sources of omega-3 fatty acids, which have been linked to hair growth.

A study in 120 women found that taking a supplement containing omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids as well as antioxidants reduced hair loss and increased hair density.

Another study found that taking a fish oil supplement significantly reduced hair loss and increased hair growth in women with thinning hair.

However, there are only a handful of studies on omega-3 fatty acids and hair growth. More studies are needed before health experts can make any recommendations.

Fatty fish is also a great source of protein, selenium, vitamin D3 and B vitamins, nutrients that may help promote strong and healthy hair).

Purchase salmon online.

Summary Fatty fish like
salmon, herring and mackerel are great sources of omega-3 fatty acids, which
have been linked to improved hair growth and density. However, there are only a
few studies in this area, so more are needed.

5. Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes are a great source of beta-carotene. The body converts this compound into vitamin A, which is linked to good hair health.

A medium sweet potato (about 114 grams) contains enough beta-carotene to provide more than four times your daily vitamin A needs.

Research has shown that vitamin A promotes the production of sebum, which helps keep hair healthy.

What’s more, vitamin A could also speed up the rate of hair growth and encourage the growth of thicker hair, all while preventing other hair follicles from regressing.

Summary Sweet potatoes are
loaded with vitamin A, which helps aid sebum production. Additionally, it has
other factors that may help speed up the rate of hair growth.

6. Avocados
Avocados are delicious, nutritious and a great source of healthy fats.

They are also an excellent source of vitamin E, which may promote hair growth. One medium avocado (about 200 grams) provides 21% of your daily vitamin E needs.

Like vitamin C, vitamin E is an antioxidant that helps combat oxidative stress by neutralizing free radicals.

In one study, people with hair loss experienced 34.5% more hair growth after taking a vitamin E supplement for eight months).

Vitamin E also protects areas of the skin, like the scalp, from oxidative stress and damage. Damaged skin on the scalp can result in poor hair quality and fewer hair follicles).

What’s more, avocados are a great source of essential fatty acids. These fats cannot be produced by the body, but are essential building blocks of your cells. A deficiency in essential fatty acids has been linked to hair loss.

Summary Avocados are rich in
vitamin E, an antioxidant that may promote hair growth.
Additionally, they are a great source of
essential fatty acids, which appear to be crucial for hair growth.

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7. Nuts
Nuts are tasty, convenient and contain a variety of nutrients that may promote hair growth.

For example, an ounce (28 grams) of almonds provides an impressive 37% of your daily vitamin E needs.

What’s more, they also provide a wide variety of B vitamins, zinc and essential fatty acids. A deficiency in any of these nutrients has been linked to hair loss.

Nuts have also been linked to a wide variety of other health benefits besides hair growth, including reduced inflammation and a lower risk of heart disease.

This makes nuts an excellent and easy addition to your diet.

Buy almonds online.

Summary Nuts are packed with
nutrients like vitamin E, B vitamins, zinc and essential fatty acids, all of
which may promote hair growth and are linked to many other health benefits.

8. Seeds
Seeds deliver a massive amount of nutrients with relatively few calories. Many of these nutrients may also promote hair growth. These include vitamin E, zinc and selenium.

An ounce (28 grams) of sunflower seeds provides nearly 50% of your daily vitamin E needs, with a wide variety of hair-healthy B vitamins.

What’s more, certain seeds like flaxseeds and chia seeds also provide omega-3 fatty acids.

A 1-ounce (28-gram) serving of flaxseeds provides 6,388 mg of omega-3 fatty acids. That’s more omega-3 fatty acids than half a fillet (178 grams) of salmon.

However, flaxseeds provide a type of omega-3 fatty acid that is not used by the body as efficiently as the omega-3s found in fatty fish. Nonetheless, it’s a great addition to the diet.

In order to get the widest variety of nutrients, it’s best to consume a mixture of seeds.

Shop for sunflower, flax, and chia seeds online.

Summary Like nuts, seeds are
rich in vitamin E and other nutrients that may promote hair growth. Some seeds
also contain omega-3s, which have been linked to hair growth.

9. Sweet Peppers
Sweet peppers are an excellent source of vitamin C, which may aid hair growth.

In fact, one yellow pepper provides nearly 5.5 times as much vitamin C as an orange.

Vitamin C helps promote collagen production, which can help strengthen your hair strands. It’s also a strong antioxidant, which can protect hair strands against oxidative stress.

Oxidative stress occurs when free radicals overwhelm the body’s antioxidant defense system. It has been linked to hair loss and the graying of hair.

What’s more, sweet peppers are also an excellent source of vitamin A.

This vitamin may help speed up hair growth while stimulating the production of sebum, which helps keep hair healthy.

31 Little Makeup Tricks That Make A Big Difference

1. Test foundation shades on your neck *not* your arm. Chances are your arm is actually darker than your face due to consistent sun exposure (and yes this applies to even us indoor cats).

2. Play a game of connect the dots if liquid eyeliner has always seemed intimidating. It'll help you get more precise results than just *winging* it.

makeuptrends.maybelline.com
Maybelline Master Precise Liquid Eyeliner. It features an ultra-precise felt tip that's only 0.4 millimeters for higher definition. Its formula was designed to be exceptionally smooth and give you an application that has continuous flow for smooth, even lines. It even has an easy-to-control grip so you're always in charge. Did I mention it's waterproof, smudge-proof, and will last up to 12 hours?

3. Hide any cracking or unevenness from your lipstick by layering on an extra coating of a similarly shaded lipgloss. Plus, the added shine will make your lips look fuller!

4. Put skincare first — literally! Apply a soothing treatment lotion, vitamin C serum, and moisturizer to reduce redness (especially helpful for acne), tighten pores, and protect your complexion from future breakouts.

I only listed the three most crucial steps so you know what to start with, but Ubi here (a Sephora beauty store manager and makeup artist) has a full pre-makeup skin care routine! Check out below for why these products actually serve a purpose:

Origins Mega-Mushroom Relief & Resilience Soothing Treatment Lotion is light, soothing, watery lotion specifically for sensitive skin. Its formula boasts reishi, fermented chaga, and coprinus mushrooms to hydrate and soothe your skin. Tldr: this is great if you want to tone down any redness (or facial stubble post-shaving) before applying foundation.

Drunk Elephant C-Firma™ Day Serum should be used directly on any red areas. If you're wondering why this comes with a hefty price tag, it's because this does it all. It brightens the skin thanks to its powerful antioxidant complex, essential nutrients, fruit enzymes, and a chronopeptide. Plus, it visibly reduces the appearance of dark spots and wrinkles thanks to ingredients like vitamin E. AND it even improves your skin over time: pumpkin ferment extract and pomegranate enzyme dissolve dead surface skin cells for an overall brighter complexion. Oh, and it's all natural and cruelty-free!

Belif The True Cream Aqua Bomb is an ultra-lightweight, oil-free gel-cream that gently cools and revitalizes your skin while intensely moisturizing. Its formula contains a blend of apothecary herbs to neutralize skin-damaging free radicals, improve skin elasticity, and minimizes the appearances of pores.

5. Define your brows while still looking au natural by using a Maybelline eyebrow pencil that features a teardrop tip to precisely fill in hairs and a spoolie brush to softly blend. Can you claim you woke up like this?

6. Highlight your features with a shimmery shade that directly compliments your skin tone by using Becca Cosmetics pressed highlighter. It features 12 shades (currently the biggest shade range for highlighters!) that adjust to your skin's undertones.

Plus its formula blends pigments with liquids to create a creamy feel that applies smoothly and doesn't cake. And it's cruelty-free! Check out more from Nordstrom's The Thread for application tips!

7. Expand into a wider range of color when it comes to eyeliner to achieve different effects. Need a smokey eye? Turn to brown. Going for a softer look? Gray is the answer.

Marc Jacobs has all of these colors and more! Not to mention they've received 2,526 five-star ratings for their intense pigmentation, 12-hour waterproof wear, and matte finish.

8. Mix a dime-sized amount of Urban Decay translucent powder into a drop of your regular liquid foundation to achieve a DIY velvety, matte finish.

Promising review: "Being an Urban Decay fan i had to try this product !! I have oily skin. I mixed with this with foundation and had literally what you call flawless skin!!! It really does do what it's called — VELVETIZE! Highly recommend you try this product, especially if you're an Urban Decay fan like me." —AnniMani

9. Cover dark circles with bright red-orange lipstick. Yes, you read that right. It neutralizes darkness and minimizes the appearance of circles. Just apply your concealer directly on top!

Smashbox Cosmetics true red cream lipstick offers a super-pigmented, satiny finish that'll easily cover your under eyes in just a couple swipes! Plus, it boasts major staying power so it'll last all day, and won't ever dry your skin out thanks to its ingredients like shea butter and vitamins C and E that'll actually *nourish* while it works! Comfortable wear AND effective? Take. My. Money.

10. Discover all the surprising uses of white eyeliner: Want to brighten your eyes? Check. Bold brows? Done. The subtle effect will highlight the features you want to show off.

This L'Oréal white eyeliner has 462 five-star reviews speaking to its ability to brighten eyes, its precision, and its ease of use!!!

11. Combat shine in photos by creating a matte, full-coverage base makeup to make your face look smooth and even. The flash of the camera will bounce off your makeup, so blending concealer and foundation is key!

For this technique, you'll want to apply your foundation *first* and then layer concealer on areas that still stand out (usually around your nostrils, the shallow area underneath your eye and into any laugh lines). Don't forget to top it all off with a transluscent powder to remove all shine!