I’ve always had relatively thin hair but no major issues when it came to thinning or hair loss. That was until I hit my early 40’s and slowly began seeing the receding of my hair line and some really sparse spots around my face. My ends also became dry and dull, which led me to use hair oils. Whenever I would pull my hair back, I had really severe widows peaks and patches where I was almost bald. Because I wear my hair down most of the time, I was able to hide it but finally decided to see if I could make an effort to grow it back or at least thicken what I had left.

While I know a ton about skincare and makeup, hair care is not something I am interested in as much. So I was very overwhelmed trying to decide where to start. I decided to focus on my scalp health because from what I have read that is where you can make the most difference in helping in hair growth efforts. I started with one product in my routine and slowly built up my arsenal from there. It was too much to do it all at once. So trying one product at a time seemed more doable and less daunting. After more than a full year on my hair journey, the results speak for themselves.

Best Hair Growth Products

The pictures that I am sharing below are the main areas that I was losing hair and now have grown back more than I lost. My hair line is fuller and all of my sparse patches are nearly filled in. It’s been slow and has taken a long time just to get this far. But after feeling a bit hopeless and scared, I am so happy with the results. I have tested out a bunch of hair products over the past year and have identified five that have made the most difference in my hair journey. These may not work for everyone and I know there are numerous more products out there to try but these have been the best for me so I thought I would share them in today’s blog post.

OneSkin OS-01 Hair Peptide Scalp Serum (discount code: MAREE15)

I am a huge fan of OneSkin products so I knew instantly that I wanted to try the Peptide Scalp Serum when it launched earlier last year. Fast forward to present day and my hair has grown faster and thicker than any other scalp serum I’ve tried. It’s not greasy or heavy and doesn’t weigh my roots down.

You are supposed to apply this once a day directly to the scalp and massage it in. It doesn’t matter if you apply it in the morning or evening but I apply it in the morning. It is a liquid so it took some getting used to having my scalp feel a bit damp immediately after. But it would dry after a few minutes and I could style my hair as normal. I used the Vegamour scalp massager with it. And would make sure I was massaging it in for at least a minute.

Then I began to see the first signs of hair growth around the 3-4 month mark.

It takes a LONG time so be patient. I slowly saw growth around my hairline where I was seeing the worst signs of thinning. It’s a process but the proof is in the results for me. It has not changed my hair texture or thickness, just stimulated new growth. My hair is still very fine but those thinning spots are virtually gone.

Vegamour Scalp Massager

Even if you don’t want to invest in a scalp serum right now, utilizing a scalp massager in your everyday routine is a great habit to start. Massaging your scalp every single day for at least a minute if not a few minutes will really help the health of your scalp. It stimulates natural oils and boosts circulation to the scalp. Be sure to use a very light touch but consistent scalp massages will ultimately help the health of your entire scalp.

Anablue Scalp Cleanser (discount code: MAREE15)

I have used a scalp scrub off and on for years to help remove build up and give my scalp a thorough deep clean but this one has stood out as a favorite. I have put aside all other scalp scrubs in favor of this one and repurchased it a few times already. It is a salt scrub that I use once a week. And it makes my scalp feel balanced, soothed and helps give it great volume.

Anablue Treatment Oil (discount code: MAREE15)

Scalp oiling was something I had heard of but wasn’t sure it would be a process that my scalp could benefit from. It is suggested to help with hair growth because it can be great for scalp health. I first decided to try a scalp oil from Briogeo because I loved the brand and found that their products really worked for me. But after using the scalp oil for nearly 3 months, I noticed that I was shedding more during my showers than ever before. So I immediately stopped using that oil and decided to give it one more shot with this treatment oil from Anablue because I loved the Scalp Cleanser so much. The shedding stopped and I have actually begun to lose less and less hair when washing than ever before.

I use the scalp oil once a week on the same day that I use the scalp cleanser. I will section off my hair, apply the oil directly to my scalp all over my entire head. And then massage it in with my scalp massager for 2-3 minutes. After that, I will leave the scalp oil on for 1-2 hours before I wash my hair. Because this particular oil is so lightweight, it does not weigh my hair down or leave any residue after I am done washing.

Currentbody LED Hair Growth Helmet (discount code: ALITTLEBITCB)

I am already a fan of the Currentbody LED face masks and have found them to be incredible for helping my skin in so many ways. I was already using all of the other products in my routine regularly before I added this LED helmet to my process. While the other products I was using were instrumental in starting the hair growth, using the helmet sped up the process. It’s important to be consistent with it in order to see results so I use it 5-6x/week for 10 minutes. It is designed to thicken hair, increase hair density and increase hair growth rate. My hair growth was slow and steady until I added this LED helmet which really sped up the process.

Epres Hair Bond Repair Treatment

I’ve been on a hair journey for nearly two years. Trying to stimulate growth and help get my hair to a healthier state. I’m pretty happy with how things are progressing but was contemplating adding in a bond repair treatment once a week. I’ve heard amazing reviews about this particular formula so I’ve been testing it out for the past few months. I use it once a week before I shower drenching my dry hair with the solution and leaving it on for 10 minutes. I’ve noticed a HUGE difference in the ends of my hair and overall health of my hair.

Nutrafol Women’s Balance Hair Growth Nutraceutical

This has been recommended to me for soooooo long by tons of my readers and IG followers so I finally decided to add it into my routine. Mainly because I felt I was at a bit of growth plateau and thought this could help. I’m now on my second bottle because hair growth is slow so it’s important to remain consistent with products for many months before deciding if they are working or not. As with so much of my hair growth journey, I don’t notice a difference day to day. But after about 6 weeks of taking this Nutrafol supplement, I began to notice how full and thick my hair appeared. I made sure not to change anything else in my routine to truly identify if this was making a difference. My hair has not felt as thick or full as it does currently which I can now attribute to the Nutrafol supplement. It’s a pricey investment but my hair truly looks so much better than it ever has before. I don’t have a discount code but I did find a code that will get you $15 off! (Use code: SM15)

Related: How To Keep Your Hair Hydrated

Everything I Read in August 2026

The Take

I didn’t love this book but I didn’t dislike it either. It kept my attention because I wanted to know how it all played out in the end. Maggie is an aspiring writer who is struggling to make her dreams come true. When she has the opportunity to work for Ingrid Parker, a top Hollywood producer, Maggie thinks this could be her big break. Except she isn’t going to be doing a conventional job. Ingrid wants to try a new experimental anti-aging procedure where she will essentially exchange blood with Maggie in hopes that she will reverse her age. Without understanding the full scope of this experiment, Maggie gleefully accepts the job.

While in this new job, Maggie does get access to other Hollywood contacts who could help advance her writing career, but also begins to feel negative affects from the blood exchange. Ingrid assures her it will be worth it and she will help Maggie achieve her goals of becoming a famous writer. After Maggie uncovers the real reason behind Ingrid’s experimental procedure, she begins to question whether it was worth it. Rating: 8

The Names

This book has been on my TBR (to be read) list for so long but sadly it was a complete letdown. It was sooooo slow moving and at times really hard to follow. I wish the author had been a bit more clear about how the story was going to veer off in so many different directions instead of just placing us somewhere new every chapter. The concept of the book is really interesting but the execution was not for me.

With an impending storm coming, Cora must hurry to the registrar’s office to register her new son’s name. On the way there, she is discussing the possible names with her young daughter. There are three different options – one that Cora wants, one that her daughter wants and one that her husband is insistent upon. The story then takes you through the alternate lives of each possible name of her son. Can a name really change your path in life? The one common thread throughout all the alternate realities is the abuse that the entire family suffers at the hands of Cora’s husband. His reaction to his son’s name directly correlates to how the lives of each family member plays out. I love the premise of the story but it was too hard to follow for much of the book. Rating: 7

The House Wife

An easy to get through mystery that had some great twists and turns. Jodie is living her dream of being a housewife to successful man. She lives in a beautiful home in Beverly Hills and has everything she could ever want. The only issue is the mystery surrounding the death of his first wife. He says she committed suicide but Jodie isn’t sure. And Jodie is keeping secrets of her own from her husband. Ones that could expose the truth of who her husband really is and what he is capable of. Rating: 8

Three Reasons for Revenge

An easy to get through thriller though it wasn’t a favorite of the month. After a young woman comes to the police station to report an assault, detective Judith Lee realizes this is not the first time she is hearing about an assault complaint made on this perpetrator. He is a wildly successful psychologist who works at the local university. After taking the woman’s statement, detective Lee launches an investigation only to have the man end up dead in his office a few days later. The two incidents must be related but the young woman who made the initial complaint has disappeared.

After two more pieces of evidence connected to the death appear at seemingly random homes, Detective Lee realizes that she is racing against the clock to find this missing woman. Was this a revenge killing? And if so, why? Does the assault complaint Detective Lee took years ago against the same psychologist have an anything to do with what is happening presently? So many unanswered questions that can make it a bit hard to follow at times but it does all tie together in the end. Rating: 8

The Lies They Told

One of my favorite books of 2026! The story is both heartbreaking and heartwarming all at the same time. Lena comes with her family to America from Germany in hopes of escaping their war torn country in the early 1930’s. When they arrive at Ellis Island, she is separated from her brother and mother without explanation. Terrified and alone in a foreign country with her two year old daughter, Lena must fight to make a life for herself. A distant cousin has agreed to allow her to come work at his home in the Blue Ridge Mountains taking care of his home and children.

Shortly after arriving, Lena comes to learn that her cousin has taught his kids to hide from law enforcement whenever they come around. Without any explanation as to why, Lena fears that there is something her cousin isn’t telling her about his life in Virginia. Things come to a head when the state shows up to take the children into custody as well as Lena’s two year old daughter. In a fight for her life, Lena must endure the most horrific experiences in hopes that she can be reunited with her child again. Rating: 9.5

It Could Have Been Her

I absolutely loved this new book from Lisa Jewell! It was soooo drawn out but in the best way – I could not put it down. Jane is out one afternoon walking her dog when another small dog runs up to them with no leash or owner. After taking the stray dog to the vet, they check for a microship so Jane can return the dog to its owners. Shortly after reuniting the dog with its family, word spreads that a teenage girl has also gone missing which makes Jane wonder if the teenager and lost dog were together. Jane decides to try and launch a search for the teenager but surprisingly is not getting  much help from the girl’s family.

What could this family be hiding and why won’t they be more forthcoming in locating their missing family member? There are SO many loose threads woven throughout this book that don’t come together until the very end in the best way! Rating: 9

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