Long, healthy hair doesn’t happen by accident—it’s the result of consistency, care, and the right nighttime routine. If you’re aiming for longer, shinier, and stronger hair, this simple evening haircare routine will help support growth while preventing damage and frizz. Best of all, it’s budget-friendly, easy to follow, and not time consuming at all. Let’s get into it!
The below steps outlined I do think help everyone regardless of the type of hair you have. Although, depending on your genetics and hair type, results may vary in terms of hair growth you can achieve.
🌙 Why Nighttime Haircare Matters
Your hair goes through a lot during the day—weather exposure, friction, and buildup from products or pollution. Hair at your ends might start to look thin and brittle if not properly cared for, stunting your growth goals and overall hair health. Night is the best time to repair and protect it. A proper routine can reduce breakage, retain length, and support hair growth over time.
🪮 Step 1: Gently Brush Your Hair
- Use a soft-bristle or detangling brush
- Start from the ends and work your way up to avoid pulling
- Brushing distributes natural oils and detangles hair
Brushing your hair helps prevent knots and evenly spreads natural oils from the scalp to the ends. This not only adds shine but also helps hydrate your hair naturally. A good brush also stimulates blood flow to the scalp, which supports growth. Stimulated blood flow also helps any products you use to work better on your scalp as well.
The brush I use is the “Tangle Teezer Ultimate Detangler Brush” bought from Amazon. This is by far the best brush I have used for my curly or heat styled hair. I have had less breakage and an easier time detangling knots due to the way the flexible bristles in this brush are set straight allowing for the hair to glide through easily.
💧 Step 2: Apply Hair Oil to the Ends
- Use 2–3 drops of hair oil depending on your length
- Focus on mid-lengths to ends
- Use your fingers or a wide-tooth comb to distribute evenly
Oiling the ends prevents split ends, seals in moisture, and keeps your hair soft and manageable. Since the ends of your hair are further away from your scalp, all those good natural oils that get produced from your scalp can’t make their way to your ends easily—leading to frizz and breakage. Ultimately leading to needed a haircut to get rid of your split ends, stalling your hair growth journey.
Olaplex No.7 Bonding Oil is a great option and is the one I use—it’s lightweight, highly concentrated, and spreads effortlessly, making it ideal for all hair types without weighing it down and for everyday use. At $30 for a small bottle, a little does go a long way and this tiny bottle can last for a good couple of months.
💆♀️ Step 3: Apply Minoxidil 5% to Your Scalp (Optional)
- Use as directed (usually once daily)
- Apply to clean, dry scalp
- Focus on thinning areas or the crown
If you’re targeting hair growth, using Minoxidil at night is a great addition. It improves blood circulation to the hair follicles, extends the growth phase, and can visibly improve thickness with consistent use over a few months.
I also recommend using Minoxidil to maintain your hair density and consistent growth. As I get older, more of my hair will naturally start to thin out and Minoxidil is good treatment to prevent that.
Always aim to get the 5% Minoxidil and ignore any titles mentioning “for men only”. Minoxidil 5% works for both men and women regardless of marketing.
🛁 Step 4: Use a Shower Cap
- Maintains style between washes
- Keeps applied products in place
- Prevents your scalp from getting wet leading to dryness
If you don’t wash your hair daily, wearing a shower cap can help keep your strands clean, smooth, and product-protected. For me, my scalp tends to get a little wet, especially in the back around my neck when I take a shower which leads to flaky dry skin or dandruff. Wearing a shower cap helps prevent water from hitting my scalp.
🧢 Step 5: Wear a Silk Bonnet or Use a Silk Pillowcase
- Reduces friction, frizz, and breakage
- Helps retain moisture
- Protects styles overnight
Cotton pillowcases can tug at your hair, cause frizz, and dry it out. A silk bonnet or silk pillowcase reduces friction, minimizes tangling, and keeps your hair smooth and hydrated by morning. This is a must for maintenance of your hair – especially if you have long hair!
☝️Tip : Stop getting hair cuts
If you have split ends then yes get a hair cut to get rid of those crispy ends and start fresh. Following the above steps will help ensure the ends of your hair will maintain moisture and not become frizzy or brittle. Now patience is key as your hair grows and don’t try to cut it off. I would argue if you can, try to minimize the hair cuts you get for as long as possible.
☝️Tip : Heat Styling isn’t bad for your hair if you do it right
Using heat to seal the cuticles of your hair to control frizz, add shine, and smooth the hair is beneficial to maintaining your hairs health as you move forward. The more frizzy your hair is the more prone to breakage your hair becomes. As long as you use a heat protectant, leave in conditioner, and not burning hot tools, heat in a controlled amount is not terrible for your hair.
Usually after washing my hair, I would blow dry my hair after using some hair products which ends up lasting for 2-3 days. My hair feels smoother and is easier to comb through and distribute oil.
💡 Final Thoughts
A good evening haircare routine doesn’t have to be complicated. With just a few consistent steps, you can reduce breakage, boost growth, and maintain the health and beauty of your long locks.
About a year ago my hair was cut into a bob after not maintaining the health of my colored hair. Starting fresh and following these steps, I was able to grow my hair down to my waist!
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