My Hair Is Longer Than It Was at 16 Thanks to This Thickening Shampoo

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It grew past my armpits for the first time in years.

My 30s have come with a lot of changes: My social calendar has freed up significantly, I’m opting for comfortable, supportive sneakers over almost any other shoe style, and I’m starting to notice subtle changes in my skin and hair. Fine lines and crows feet are starting to make their imprint into my complexion and, like many women, my hair has gotten thinner (and consequently, would not grow past my shoulders for years).

I’ve tested countless shampoos to attempt to tackle the issue: Thickening formulas! Volumizing formulas! Plumping formulas! If it’s a hair growth shampoo, there’s a good chance I’ve tried it. A lot of them were marketing B.S., but a few have earned a permanent place in my shower. Kevin Murphy’s Plumping.Wash densifying shampoo is one of them—in fact, since using it, my hair is the longest it’s been since I was a teenager. Right now, you can shop it on sale ahead of Cyber Monday.

Kevin Murphy Plumping.Wash Shampoo

$35 at Amazon

The formula calls on a number of scalp-nourishing ingredients, two of which include rice amino acids and aloe vera leaf extract to boost density while keeping strands silky and shiny. Rice water strengthens hair and promotes growth by prolonging the hair follicle’s anagen phase (a.k.a., the active growth phase). Aloe vera, meanwhile, adds shine and strength and may also aid in hair growth.

Alexis Young, MD, an assistant clinical professor of dermatology at Columbia University Medical Center in New York City, previously told InStyle, “There’s no scientific proof aloe vera can stimulate hair growth, however, a healthy scalp free of excess scale, inflammation, microbes, and oxidative stress—all of which are mitigated by the presence of aloe—would be ideal for optimal hair growth.”

I noticed the effects of Plumping.Wash after about a month of use. The most apparent side effect I first noticed was the glossy volume it imparted on my hair. After cleansing and blow drying my hair, I saw a significant difference in fullness. It gave my strands enough lift to cover patchy spots without drying my hair out. After about two months, my hair looked longer than it usually would in that timeframe. Part of that, I believe, is the result of the shampoo’s strengthening properties, which kept my hair free of breakage despite repeated hot tool-use.

It’s now been a couple of years since I started working it into my hair care routine, rotating between Plumping.Wash and Clearstem’s Restorative Shampoo. My hair goes past my armpits, which is just about as long as it was when I was in high school. Now if only my skin would follow suit…

I’d be remiss not to mention one of my favorite details about this shampoo: It smells divine. It’s a sweet sandalwood musk scent that’s fresh yet sultry, slightly reminiscent of Le Labo’s Santal 33. The scent is very potent (which I love, because it doubles as a long-lasting perfume) so if you’re sensitive to strong smells, I would not recommend this for you.

All of Kevin Murphy’s products come in sleek, girly packaging, which is yet another reason this shampoo is a permanent pick for my shower. Shop more of the brand’s thickening products, like the thickening conditioner, leave-in plumping spray, and volumizing mousse, at Amazon from $22.

Plumping.Rinse Thickening Conditioner

$33 at Amazon

Body.Mass Thickening Leave-In Treatment

$59 at Amazon

Body.Builder Volumizing Mousse

$22 at Amazon