In this blog post, we talk about Your Complete Haircare Routine for split ends. Split ends are the bane of every hair routine.
Those scraggly, frayed strands can give your hair a dull and unkempt appearance. While trims help by fixing the broken tips of your hair, there are steps you can take between salon visits to stop splitting.
Your Complete Haircare Routine For Split Ends
Follow this routine to keep ends sealed and under control.
Hair Washing
How you wash hair plays a huge role in preventing split ends. You see, using the wrong shampoo or just being too harsh with your strands can rough up those delicate cuticles, leading to fraying, dryness, and pesky split ends.
That’s why you want to always use a gentle, sulfate-free shampoo that’s specially formulated for your hair type – whether that’s thick and coarse or fine and limp.
As you’re shampooing, take care to massage your scalp with your fingertips rather than vigorously rubbing and tangling your strands.
When it’s time to rinse, do so with cool water. The cooler temp helps those cuticles lie flat and smooth, sealing in moisture for extra shine and strength.
Conditioning Hair
Never skip conditioner. It seals the hair’s cuticle to lock in moisture and stop splitting. Now, here’s a pro tip: when applying conditioner, don’t just slather it all over.
Instead, focus that hydrating goodness on the mid-lengths and ends of your hair. That’s where those ends get the most abuse from hot tools, coloring, and general wear-and-tear.
Once that conditioner is distributed evenly through the lengths, set a timer for 3-5 minutes and let it work its magic. Giving it a little extra time helps it penetrate each strand for deeper conditioning. Then simply rinse it out with cool water to seal in that smoothness.
Limit Heat Styling
Heat is incredibly damaging to your hair’s delicate structure, causing strands to become brittle and prone to split ends. To prevent this, try to air dry whenever you can. It may leave your hair a bit more frizzy, but the strands will stay stronger and healthier in the long run.
When you do pull out the hot tools, be sure to armor up first with a thermal protectant spray or serum. These create a heat-resistant barrier around each strand to minimize sizzling.
And when you are flat ironing or curling, always start from the bottom and work your way up. The ends are the most vulnerable, so hit them with the hot tool last for the shortest amount of time possible.
Hair Serums
Hair serums containing nourishing oils and silicones can create a protective outer layer that smooths down raised cuticles. With the cuticle lying flat and sealed, your hair can better lock in hydration and nutrients while shutting out frizz and damage.
Of course, you don’t want to go overboard and make your roots a greasy mess. Serums are meant to concentrate on the mid-lengths and ends where split ends tend to pop up first.
Just squeeze out a dime-sized amount into your palms, emulsify it by rubbing your hands together, and gently work it through the bottom half of your hair.
Sun Protection
Summer is the season of backyard BBQs, beach days, and outdoor fun. But amid all that sun-soaked revelry, there’s a hair hazard lurking that you might not expect—those seemingly innocent UV rays.
Just like they can wreak havoc on your skin, ultraviolet rays can also suck out all the precious moisture from your strands, leaving them dry and brittle, a condition that can lead to split ends.
To protect your strands from UV damage, wear a hat when possible or mist your hair with a UV-protectant spray containing antioxidants. These shield hair from drying out and developing splits.
Handling Your Hair Gently
Rough handling your wet hair by rubbing it dry with a towel is one of the worst things you can do. All that aggressive friction roughens up the cuticle, causes tangles, and can even lead to splits forming.
Instead, you want to always handle your hair with care by gently squeezing out excess moisture with your hands or an old cotton t-shirt after a shower or bath.
Then, grab a wide-tooth comb and patiently work out any knots from the bottom up. Pulling a brush straight through will just create more snags.
Get Ahead of Split Ends
No one wants frayed, damaged split ends. Luckily, following this routine can ensure your hair stays sleek and strong. Remember to prioritize moisture, limit damaging practices like going out into the sun without protection, and reseal strands after each wash.
I hope you enjoyed my blog post about Your Complete Haircare Routine For Split Ends. Is there anything you want to add? Please leave me a comment below.