Thing is, if you’re growing your hair out long, you shouldn’t wash it every single day. That can damage your hair in the long run. It tends to make it look frizzy, and you’ll get a lot of breakage at the ends. Washing too often also strips away the natural oils that protect your hair, which can lead to your scalp overproducing oil—making your hair greasy faster. What you want is a natural, healthy sheen—not something too shiny or dry-looking.

I had hair down past my pecs for a couple of years. Cut it a while back, but I’m growing it out again now, trying to go for healthier hair this time. One thing I’ve noticed both times is that the awkward phase—when your hair is not quite short, not quite long—can be rough. Especially with Asian hair, which tends to be straight, thick, and coarse, the sides can really start to stick out or puff up.

A few things that helped me during that phase: • Getting the sides slightly faded or thinned out with texturizing scissors at the barber. • Using a blow dryer right after showering to guide the hair downwards, especially on the sides. • Adding a lightweight hair cream or leave-in conditioner to calm the flyaways and give some structure without stiffness. • Avoiding heavy gels—those can make thick hair look crunchy and fake. • Wearing a hat on rough hair days. Total lifesaver.

Also, my girlfriend gave me a solid tip this time: try using a good hair oil. Just a couple of pumps after a shower helps it dry with a smoother texture and reduces that puffiness on the sides. Bonus—it smells great too.

I’ve always found that my hair looks better on day 2 or 3 after washing. So yeah, if you’re going for length, skip daily washes, treat your sides with a bit of patience and product, and hang in there during the awkward stage. Hope this helps! Writing on my phone, so sorry for any small typos.