If you want to win the battle against damaged hair, then you need to know how to prevent split ends. And while many of us simply resort to snipping our split cuticles, there are plenty of tips for repairing and preventing split ends.
1. Brush through your hair before showering.
This will minimize tangles and prevent breakage (which can lead to split ends) that can occur when you brush your hair post-shower. Apply shampoo towards the crown of your head and lather it gently downward, keeping hair straight (without bunching it up) by making a zigzag motion with your fingers down the length of your hair.
2. Use plenty of conditioner while showering and use a leave-in after, if need be.
Not only will your hair feel super-smooth to the touch, the lubrication will also help prevent split end causing breakage.
3. Try not to brush your hair while it's wet.
Yes, this is a hard thing to avoid, but if you do the aforementioned two steps, (and avoid scrunching your hair up in a towel), you should be able to easily comb through it.
4. Lay off the heat styling tools.
Anything that uses heat to treat your hair (blow dryers, straighteners, curling irons, etc.) is damaging. Try experimenting with different hairstyles that don't call for a sleek look. Style it with a little mousse to add texture and maybe even — gasp — let it air dry.
5. When getting your hair trimmed, cut about 1 ½-inches above your split ends.
Split ends will continue to split if left unattended, so this will help prevent more damage.
6. Use a split end treatment to prevent splitting.
Our readers have done the work here for you by testing out these hair care products that remedy split ends. Whether in serum, conditioner, silkener or shampoo form, our readers rave these products will give your strands all the hair therapy they need to become healthier.
TotalBeauty.com average member rating: 8.2* Why it's great: One reader says her hair "was very damaged with split ends" before using this mask. After using the mask, she describes her hair as "very soft and silky." Other readers agree, saying, "it definitely strengthens [their] hair, and the damage is so much less noticeable."
TotalBeauty.com average member rating: 8.5* Why it's great: "This is a truly lightweight oil which repairs split ends and deeply hydrates," declares one reviewer. Another fan of the product adds, "[It] smells wonderful ... [and] added a lot of shine to my hair. Bonus: Reviewers also report it "smells great, like an expensive perfume."
TotalBeauty.com average member rating: 8.6* Why it's great: "I have fine hair that is dry and brittle from years of coloring and heat styling," says one reader. "I tried Damage Remedy and am now a total convert … my hair is smoother, shinier and more manageable." Other readers agree, adding, "[It] works great, "smells wonderful" and leaves hair "smoother and cleaner."
TotalBeauty.com average member rating: 8.6* Why it's great: Readers agree that this "awesome drugstore purchase" leaves hair moisturized and soft. One reviewer says, "Even after a long day [at the beach], my hair [was] completely nourished and balanced." The best part: It worked for reviewers of all hair textures.
If you want to win the battle against damaged hair, then you need to know how to prevent split ends. And while many of us simply resort to snipping our split cuticles, there are plenty of tips for repairing and preventing split ends.
1. Brush through your hair before showering.
This will minimize tangles and prevent breakage (which can lead to split ends) that can occur when you brush your hair post-shower. Apply shampoo towards the crown of your head and lather it gently downward, keeping hair straight (without bunching it up) by making a zigzag motion with your fingers down the length of your hair.
2. Use plenty of conditioner while showering and use a leave-in after, if need be.
Not only will your hair feel super-smooth to the touch, the lubrication will also help prevent split end causing breakage.
3. Try not to brush your hair while it's wet.
Yes, this is a hard thing to avoid, but if you do the aforementioned two steps, (and avoid scrunching your hair up in a towel), you should be able to easily comb through it.
4. Lay off the heat styling tools.
Anything that uses heat to treat your hair (blow dryers, straighteners, curling irons, etc.) is damaging. Try experimenting with different hairstyles that don't call for a sleek look. Style it with a little mousse to add texture and maybe even — gasp — let it air dry.
5. When getting your hair trimmed, cut about 1 ½-inches above your split ends.
Split ends will continue to split if left unattended, so this will help prevent more damage.
6. Use a split end treatment to prevent splitting.
Our readers have done the work here for you by testing out these hair care products that remedy split ends. Whether in serum, conditioner, silkener or shampoo form, our readers rave these products will give your strands all the hair therapy they need to become healthier.
