Georgia says this ingredient was a game changer for boosting hair growth, helping her ditch the extensions forever.
Georgia Toffolo has been a dedicated user of hair extensions for years. The I’m A Celebrity winner has said that as little as a year ago, she couldn’t be seen without hair extension, even on her wedding day, because her fine, damanged hair made her feel too self-conscious.
So fans have been quick to question whether her new, healthier looking locks represent a return to her extensions days, or whether she’s managed to grow out her hair in another way. “Everyone keeps asking if this is my real hair,” she shared on a recent Instagram video. “And somehow… it is.”
Because she’s had first hand experience of how much of a knock to your confidence thinning hair can be, she was happy to talk through the process she’s gone through, leaving her now in a place where she’s proud of the way her hair looks, and she’s extension-free. And at the core of it is coconut oil.
“This has been such a game changer,” she said, showing a smaller pot of VitaCoco Coconut Oil she says is for travel, and a larger one she keeps at home.
“Before hair-washing day I lather it on, leaving it overnight. I swear by it. This is what has made my hair grow.” VitaCoco Coconut Oil is a 100% raw, extra virgin and cold pressed coconut oil from organic coconuts – and while it’s more commonly regarded as a cooking oil, it does have a loyal following of hair fans too. The really great news if you want to try it out, is that it’s currently on offer with 25% at Holland & Barrett. That means you can get the 50ml travel size for just £2.24, or the supersized 750ml pot for £11.47.
Georgia is the first to admit that years of extensions, peroxide dye jobs and heat styling had left her hair in a sorry state. “I completely destroyed my real hair,” she explains. “It was so thin, it was broken. I was solely relying on hair extensions to feel confident.”
Feeling like she was stuck in a damage cycle, she resolved to change her ways, stripping back her hair treatments and starting over. Though she credits the new regrowth to VitaCoco, she actually took a multi-pronged approach – limiting damage and doing everything she could to encourage her hair to naturally grow faster and healthier.
1. Hair extensions
Georgia says she removed her hair extension because she became worried about what they were doing to her hair in the longterm, and though she never thought she’d feel confident without them, it was a first step towards healthier, more naturally thick hair.
2. Heat damage
It’s well know that heat damage is a major cause of dryness and damage to hair, so that was something she was keen to rectify. “I think it’s really worth investing in a tool so you can do your hair so it looks beautiful but it’s not damaging it,” she says, holding up her Dyson Airwrap, which looks like the Complete model (no longer on sale, but you can get the same attachments with Dyson Airwrap i.d.™ multi-styler and dryer, £479.99).
3. The right brush (at the right time)
“I never ever brush my hair when it’s wet,” says Georgia. “It’s when your hair is most sensitive and open to damage. You’re basically asking your hair to snap of if you do that.” Her preferred too? The Mason Pearson Boar Bristle Brush, £120.
4. Scalp massage
Georgia’s final secret is the Champo Shampoo Brush scalp massaging tool, £16.50. “Scalp massage has been an integral part of my hair growth journey, admitting that she’ll happily do it any time, even while watching telly, “But I definitely when I have my hair mask in when I’m in the shower.”
