Toward the end of 2009, I decided that it was time to start growing my hair out. I had chopped it all off in 2000 and decided to keep it fairly short since then. Well, decided might be too strong a word.
You see, I would try to grow it out and then once it hit that not-short-but-not-long length that brushes your shoulders and refuses to hold a style, I’d chop it all off again. Grow, frustrate, cut, repeat. I’d managed to break this cycle, and grow my hair to just below the shoulder when it inexplicably seemed to stop growing.
My hairdresser and I were dumbfounded, and I was getting frustrated by the lack of progress. Then last Fall, I found a product by British hairstylist Michael van Clarke, called 3″ More Inches ($38) that promised healthier, longer hair with regular use.
Neither a conditioner nor a styling product, 3″ More Inches is a pre-wash treatment that infuses your hair with amino acids and cashmere proteins. Now, I know that any claims that it “makes your hair grow” are probably phooey. But, it does strengthen your hair and prevent split ends, which makes your hair strong enough to grow longer without breakage.
The theory behind the product is that hair exposed to UV rays, heated styling tools and hair color ages faster. This pre-wash rinse is tasked with protecting and maintaining your hair in the face of this damaging lifestyle. I certainly think that it’s done a great job of protecting my hair color, and it definitely increases shine.
Of all the products I’ve tried that claim to strengthen hair, this is one of the few that actually does it. And since it goes on before I shampoo and not after, it doesn’t seem to weigh down my hair. So if you’re trying to grow out your hair or you just want to stop split ends in their tracks, give #” More Inches a try.
Hey Belle!
This sounds like the answer to all of my problems — great post! Where can we buy this in the US? Is it easier to just order online?
E
Ditto E's question — it always makes me nervous to buy via international currency since my credit card loves to charge “conversion” fees…
I'm going through this right now! I chopped my hair and it grows to my shoulders, flips all crazy, and then out of frustration I have it chopped again. I will try this product ASAP!
Do you really soak your hair for an hour with this product in every second wash as the product's website suggests? I liked the product alot but that seems like a big time investment.
Only US location I could find was space NK. https://www.spacenk.com/product/haircare/treatment+%26+masks/3+more+inches+shampoo.do
Prosecutor-I soak on Saturdays. I put it in my hair, throw on a shampoo cap and clean my house. Then jump in the shower and rinse. Every other use seemed a bit excessive.
I know it sounds insane but I use Mane and Tail…originally used on horses, but the bottle says for human use also. I've used it for two years and my hair has grown significantly faster, not to mention it's just super healthy and shiny!
ah. that sounds much more reasonable. I will have to check it out. Thanks for sharing.
good, cheap alternative: I take fish oil supplements for my chronic kidney disease and ended up with the most amazing hair and nails of my life. My hair grows around 3/4″ a month and has never looked glossier.
Belle, I have dark hair that I don't dye because my natural color is really nice. However, it gets some natural highlights when I'm out in the sun. Any idea if this product will help protect against that?
Probably not since it's meant to protect dye already in your hair. What you need is a shampoo with sunscreen. Seriously, you can buy shampoos and leave in treatments with UV protection. Kerastase makes a spray for it, comes in a red bottle.
this is going to sound weird…all the girls in my sorority take pre-natal vitamens NOT because we are in any way interested in getting pregnant, but because the additional folate/iron/a and b vitamins really improve the condition of your hair and nails! instead of a normal multivitamin, try this!
*vitamins
Hey there– try a regime of the super B vitamins. My hair and nails grew crazy long and strong.
I take Biotin supplements along with a multivitamin. Biotin is the reason prenatal vitamins are good for your hair and nails and I can't keep my nails short enough and I've given up on keeping my hair any length but long. And 100 1,000 mg tablets are around $6 usually BOGO at a drugstore.