One of the biggest factors to get in the way of those long, luscious locks you’ve always dreamed of are those pesky split ends.
While you want well-styled hair while you are growing it out, often all of the blow drying, flat-ironing, curling, and coloring can mean that once you achieve the length you desire, your hair isn’t in the best shape and can look frizzy, especially in the ends. While you can’t cure split ends once you have them, and inevitably have to cut the dead length, these 7 tips can help make sure you won’t get them in the first place!
1. Wash Correctly
Though it may seem like it should be an instinct, there actually is a correct way to wash your hair. The length of your hair should never be piled on top of your hair, massaged into all the suds. Instead, focus on massaging the shampoo into your scalp while the length of your hair hangs down your back. Rinsing the suds out of your scalp will carry the shampoo to the length, making sure the ends are cleaned but not overly manipulated or dried out from too much product. Try to rinse your hair in cold water afterwards to seal the cuticle and lock in moisture.
2. Use the right hairbrush
Believe it or not, how you brush your hair can make a big difference, and should differ depending on if your hair is wet or dry.
When you get out of the shower, gently squeeze the excess water from your hair into your towel. Then detangle with a wide-toothed comb. The wider tooth will glide through wet hair easily, without the breakage of a brush or fine-toothed comb. Wet hair is the most vulnerable to breakage, so a few dollars invested into a big comb is a huge preventative measure.
When hair is dry, you can use a standard brush, but you should still be careful. Try a cushioned paddle brush with flexible bristles that will move with tangles rather than breaking them apart. Always be sure to brush from the ends up to the roots, gently removing small tangles along the way.
3. Dry Gently
One of the most tempting ways to damage hair is by giving it a vigorous towel-dry right out of the shower. Rubbing the towel quickly through the hair should be avoided, as should the towel-turban we are all guilty of, as this can cause breakage and pull hair out at the roots. Instead, gently wrap dripping wet hair with the towel, slowly squeezing it in places to soak up excess water. Then carefully comb and dry hair. It is best to let your hair air dry naturally.
4. Heat tool tricks
If you must blow dry, avoid direct heat to your ends unless it is completely necessary. If you are going to follow the heated drying by using heat tools for styling, do not apply any direct heat to the ends, but allow them to air dry.
Use a heat protectant spray or serum and gently brush through to ensure that all of your ends are coated. If you use a curling iron, start at the roots and guide the length of your hair through the iron as you twist it. This way you don’t fry your ends waiting for the heat to go through to the rest of your hair.
5. Accessorize less
Hair accessories are infamous for snagging and breaking hair. Rubber bands can tangle and break hair when they are pulled out. To avoid breakage, definitely choose rubber bands without metal pieces, and try to opt for a wider, softer elastic rather than the thin rubber. Scrunchies are the least likely to cause breakage, and can be easily made at home in any cute fabric!
6. Love your ends
It only makes sense that you should give your ends extra love to prevent them from splitting and looking dead. Make sure you concentrate on your ends when you condition or treat. Not only does this nourish your hair where it is needed, but it prevents your roots from looking greasy or dirty too fast.
7. Swap the scissors
You should always try to make it in to a professional for a trim, but if you are adamant about cleaning your ends up on your own, make sure you use the proper supplies. Kitchen or office scissors can be dull and dirty, sticking to hair and causing further damage and breakage. A good pair of hair shears will be sharper and ensure a clean cut without breakage. Just be sure to keep them in a safe place where they won’t be used for anything besides cutting hair.
Do you have any split end secrets? Let us know in the comments!
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