Peg, it's the good products, but it's also because you trim it every once in awhile. At least that has been my daughters' and my experiences. That and no blow drying, etc. as you said. I have hairdresser friends tell me, though, that it mostly has to do with keeping it trimmed. Doesn't make sense, to cut it, to make it grow, but it is keeping it healthy by keeping the dead ends trimmed, so I guess that's how it makes sense.:-) Mine grows a lot faster because of it and both of my daughters' grows like weeds!