Move Over, Castor Oil: This Hack Can Grow Hair Quickly, Too

Growing your natural hair is a long process that requires patience, perseverance, and maybe a little bit of peppermint oil. In fact, oils to grow natural hair are believed to increase volume, length, and shine. Castor oil is known as a go-to, and it does work wonders... but there are so many unsung heroes in the beauty world that deserve some — ahem — shine as well.

“Healthy hair starts with a healthy scalp,” says Stacey Ciceron, a celebrity hairstylist and textured hair expert. “Oils are great to keep the blood flow circulation and to promote hair growth. They also have antibacterial, hormone inhibitors, and balancing properties."

To select the right oil, make sure that you address your specific needs. Oils can be overused and used for the wrong reason, according to Jaxcee, Color Director at Hair Rules Salon. "People need to find out what’s triggering hair loss while treating it. Just like a pain in the body, hair loss is an indication that something is off. Promoting hair growth should be done internally — with proper diet, nutrition, exercise, and water — and supported externally, with topical solutions like oils.”

Once you find an oil that you like, use it to pre-treat the hair before shampooing, or add it to a conditioning treatment for extra hydration, Ciceron suggests. You can also do a hot oil treatment, a naturalista favorite. Or if you're short on time, simply apply from root to end as a part of your daily routine. "I advise my clients to use a half of a dime-sized amount of oil on their ends twice a day," Jaxcee says. "Once before bed and once before leaving the house in the morning."

Ahead, see nine oils that will give you long and strong hair for the summer.