If I Were to Grow My Hair to Waist Length Again, Here’s Exactly What I Would Do

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Hi Curlfriend!

I’m Tree, the owner and founder of Tree Naturals. If you’re new here, welcome! I formulate all of our natural hair goodies to help you grow and maintain healthy, luscious curls. My journey started from pure frustration—I had just big-chopped, and I had no idea how to care for my curls. My first look at my real hair had me shook! 😳 My mom gave me my first relaxer at just six years old, so natural hair was completely new to me.

Fast forward, I found myself staring at dry, frizzy hair that I didn’t recognize. I turned to YouTube, learned from the community, and decided to document my own natural hair journey. That led to my first-ever product—a hair growth butter (which we still sell today!). I made my first sale from a Tupperware container, and the rest is history. Tree Naturals is now a six-figure company with a complete hair care system, and I couldn’t be prouder. 😊

Throwback to years ago—filming a low-quality YouTube video, showing off my “hair growth butter” in that infamous Tupperware jar. Little did I know, those first inquiries would lead to my very first order. Talk about humble beginnings—my heart is so full. 🤎

But let’s get into how I actually grew my hair to waist length TWICE over the last 13 years (with the help of my growth butter) I even maintained blonde color (which, as you know, is the hardest color to keep healthy!).

How I Grew My Natural Hair from Big Chop to Waist Length in 3 Years

Tree Naturals' CEO tree's hair after big chop

Tree Naturals CEO hair growth journey to waist length

Step 1: Get a Trim to Start Fresh ✂️

The first thing I did was go to a salon for a professional trim. I know, I know—it feels counterproductive when you’re trying to grow your hair, but trust me, getting rid of split ends is key to length retention.

Step 2: Develop a Consistent Hair Routine & Stick to It 💆🏽‍♀️

Here comes the fun part - at least for me anyways...the planning! I'm old school so I love a good writing pen and a new notebook. I wrote down my entire plan and tried my best to time it up with my life responsibilities. I wanted to ensure I had ample time to care for my hair and was not "rushing through the process."

Consistency is everything! Here’s the exact routine I followed:

Washed my hair every 7-10 days with the Shampoo & Conditioner Bars.
Deep condition every wash day with our Bamboo & Water Lotus Deep Conditioner.
Detangle gently in the shower—take your time! Use lots of conditioner, start with finger detangling, then use a detangling brush from the ends up.
Moisturize daily with our Rice Flower & Shea Leave-In Conditioner.
Seal your ends daily with Natasha’s Growth Butter.
Oil your scalp daily with our Hair Growth Oil.
Wear protective styles like two-strand twists, plaits, or flat twists and pin the ends if your hair is longer.
Avoid buns & ponytails to prevent tension damage and that dreadful line of demarcation - oh trust me it's not just for transitioners! You can develop a line of breakage in your crown, edges and nape.
Avoid heat to prevent damage and your curls possibly not reverting. I know there are "straight naturals" nowadays who are seeing great results, but staying away from heat really worked for me until my hair was healthy and strong.
Sleep with a satin bonnet (our Luxe Satin Bonnet is a game changer!).

Step 3: Pre-Treat & Detox for a Healthy Scalp 🧖🏽‍♀️

If my hair felt extra dry or tangled, I did a homemade pre-poo treatment once a month:

Mist hair with water 💦
Warm coconut oil 🥥
Coat hair in oil & add a bit of honey 🍯
Sit under a dryer for 15 minutes, then rinse

Bonus tip: Every 1-2 months, I did a scalp detox with the Tree Naturals Earth Mask to unclog pores and boost hair growth. I promise, once you rinse it out, your curl definition will POP!

Detoxifying Earth Mask - Tree Naturals Hair Growth Products

Step 4: Add a Protein Treatment Every 3 Months

Since I have color-treated hair, I did a quarterly protein treatment to strengthen my curls and prevent breakage. If you’re not sure if you need protein, here’s a simple rule:

If your curls feel overly soft, limp, or stretchy → You need protein!
If your hair feels dry, brittle, or stiff → You need moisture!

No matter what, never skip deep conditioning after a protein treatment. Your hair will thank you!

Step 5: Protect Your Hair 24/7 (Even at Home!)

I always made sure my hair wasn’t rubbing against surfaces—this makes a huge difference in length retention!

Wore a satin bonnet ALL day when at home 😆
Never laid on the couch without covering my hair
Wore only satin-lined hats in the winter

I am in looove with our Satin Luxe Bonnet! It's so comfortable, doesn't come off at night and really helps with moisture retention while you sleep.

I also limited my wash & gos to special occasions because keeping my ends tucked and protected helped me retain so much length.

Step 6: Eat for Hair Growth & Stay Active 🥗🧘🏽‍♀️

Your diet plays a HUGE role in hair growth! I focused on:

Protein-rich foods: Lean meats, lots of salmon, eggs, beans, nuts, seeds
Dark leafy greens: Lots of spinach, kale, collards
Hydration: Lots of water & herbal teas 🍵 ...lately I've been hooked on matcha
Supplements: A quality daily multivitamin
Exercise: Moving my body 5 days a week helped with circulation & scalp health!

Step 7: Have Patience & Stay Consistent! ⏳

Some months I had breakage, other months I had crazy growth. The key was to give myself grace and stay consistent. The only way you won’t see results is if you give up!

Need Even More Hair Growth Tips? I Got You!

Over the years, I’ve learned so much about growing natural hair—what works, what doesn’t, and the little things that make a huge difference. That’s why I put together my Ultimate Hair Growth Guide—so you don’t have to figure it all out the hard way like I did!

📖 Inside, I’m sharing:
✅ My exact hair care routine for growing long, healthy curls
✅ The biggest mistakes that slow down growth (and how to avoid them!)
✅ Proven tips for keeping moisture locked in & length retention
✅ Bonus secrets on scalp health, nutrition, and protective styling

I want you to have everything you need to succeed on this journey. Download the Hair Growth Guide now and let’s grow these curls together! 💕 Get Your Copy Here

Want the Exact Products I Used for This Routine? 💁🏽‍♀️

To make it super easy, we created the Product Junkie Kit (PJ Kit)—it includes everything I used to grow my hair! Grab yours today and start your waist-length journey: