Healthy hair grows at a rate of a half of an inch to one full inch each month. Though it may feel as if our hair is not growing at times, if we’ve been providing proper maintenance to our tresses, the growth has not missed us and for most people, length retention is one of the most important parts of their hair journey.

If you’re looking for ways to retain your length each month, here are 10 tried and true tips that will help you achieve the hair goals you’re yearning for.

Get regular trims.

Although many people like to hold on to every inch of their hair when they see that it has started to grow, but one of the main ways to keep it growing is to get regular trims. It may sound counterproductive to most, but letting a professional trim your hair will help eliminate breakage, keep those pesky split ends away, and keep your hair healthy. Consistent trims also means that you don’t have to cut much off because your hair will be in good condition.

Don’t skip the deep conditions.

Regardless of your hair texture, deep conditioning should be incorporated into your wash day routine. Regular deep conditions will help promote healthy hair by maintaining or improving the moisture-protein balance of your hair. If you wash your hair multiple times in one week, however, deep conditioning after every wash can create over-moisturized hair and disrupt your hair’s balance. If you’re in need of a good deep conditioner to use, try Aunt Jackie’s Coco Repair Coconut Creme Deep Conditioner.

Be sure to use satin or silk when covering your hair at night.

You’ve probably heard before how important it is to protect your hair with a satin or silk bonnet while sleeping at night, but do you know why you should be doing that? Since most people use cotton pillowcases to sleep on, leaving your hair unprotected against the fabric will cause dryness and breakage. If bonnets or a hair scarf aren’t your preference, you can also opt to sleep directly on a satin pillowcase. And, if you have a habit of frequently wearing cotton-based hats or turbans.

Keep your hands out of your head.

When you’ve nailed a new hairstyle or even when you just chose to wear your curls out, it’s hard to not want to play in your hair just a bit. If you want to keep it growing long and healthy though, you might want to think twice. Continuously touching your hair can cause it too frizz up and create breakage.

Be patient.

Looking at those beautiful natural hairstyles on Instagram that you hope to accomplish one day can make you want to rush your hair growth process. What you have to remember though is that those now big, beautiful curls were once a little shorter, too. With the right routine and patience, however, they’ve grown to be what they are now. And, just like them, you’ll also get there.

Find a step-by-step process that works for you.

Although it’s good to get advice from other curl hair enthusiasts, you have to remember that what works for one or two may not necessarily work for you. The key to taking care of and growing healthy hair is to go through product trial and error to determine what will work best for you and your lifestyle.

Keep your hair moisturized.

Just like you should deep conditioning every week to keep your hair balanced, keeping it moisturized daily is another key to keeping it at its best. And while good old water is a good go-to for that, there are plenty of products on the market to add to your routine, too. Try using Aunt Jackie’s Butter Creme Intensive Moisture Sealant or the Quench! Moisture Intensive Leave-In Conditioner for added moisture.

Invest in the right styling tools.

Finding the right styling tools for your hair type is imperative to eliminating breakage. Although using your fingers to detangle and style is common in most hair routines, investing in wide tooth combs or detangling brushes can be helpful, too. It doesn’t stop there either. Look into finding the right types of pins, hair ties, and headbands that won’t snag your hair, tangle it or create frizzing.

Minimize your use of heat.

Putting heat to your hair can be extremely tempting if you’re looking for a change. If you want to keep it healthy and retain that lovely length that you’ve acquired, however, you may want to think twice. Consistently using heat on your hair can cause breakage, dry and brittleness, as well as damage your curl pattern to the point where it’s irreversible. Try to keep your heat usage (including blow drying) down to a minimum.

Create a healthy lifestyle.

What you eat and how active you are definitely have an effect on your body – and that includes your hair. Eating a balanced diet, drinking plenty of water, and keeping our bodies active will increase the health of our hair through the follicles. So, if you’re looking for a good place to start, this is it.