We all want what we can’t have—and we want it now. Whether you’ve just done the post-breakup dramatic chop or feel your strands have stagnated in recent months, it’s totally normal to desperately want longer, healthier hair as soon as you’ve cut it all off.

It may also be the cooler temperature or the lack of hair-ruining humidity that sets our mind ablaze with Gigi Hadid-hair length possibilities, but regardless of the inspiration one thing is certain: we don’t have time to waste. Here, we enlist the help of hair genius and founder of EdwardsAndCo, Jaye Edwards, to drop his industry secrets for speeding up hair growth.

“Go easy with your styling tools,” says Edwards. “Many of us use heat styling tools like tongs and blow dryers regularly, but too much heat causes irreversible damage.” Instead, Edwards recommends limiting heat styling to once a week, embracing your natural texture on the other days.

If that sounds like a daunting demand since, don’t worry, just try to lower the heat and use a heat-protective spray before styling. Our favourites are the Oribe Invisible Defense Universal Protection Spray and the John Frieda Frizz-Ease 3-Day Straight Semi-Permanent Styling Spray.

This may seem counterproductive but hear us out. “Split ends are very common,” says Edwards. “But if they are not trimmed regularly the breakage will travel upwards, causing your hair to snap or become frazzled.”

In other words, getting regular trims at the salon is the best form of damage control for your hair. And when your hair is healthy, it likes to reward you with things like growth, shine and bounce. Yes, your hair did tell us that.

That’s right: we’re now demanding you carve out some ‘me’ time every week. Grab a glass of wine, flick on an episode of Sex and the City and spend 30 minutes nourishing your strands with a moisturising hair mask.

“When you have damaged hair, masks are your best friend. There are different hair masks designed to suit different hair types and concerns and if your hair is damaged you should use a deeply moisturising mask once or twice a week,” recommends Edwards.

Our favourites? The Briogeo Don’t Despair, Repair! Deep Conditioning Hair Mask and the Christophe Robin Regenerating Mask with Rare Prickly Pear Oil.

“I recommend that anyone with damaged hair, or those wanting to encourage new hair growth, take hair supplements each morning to start the day,” says Edwards. His recommendation is the Apotecari Mane Event which has been formulated by naturopaths and nutritionists to optimise hair growth, length and condition. 

Your best bet? Try something that contains B vitamins and amino acids as these are essential building blocks to strengthen the hair and encourage growth.

Last but certainly not least, is booking into your favourite salon for a good ol’ fashioned hair treatment. “If you’re colouring your hair, ask your stylist for a bonding treatment like the one from Olaplex,” recommends Edwards. “This will improve your hair health and minimise breakage.”

Plus, like walking through the front door to a home cooked meal, everything’s better when someone else does it for you.