NO MORE SPLITTING HAIRS

Unfortunately a whole host of things can cause our hair to split, so we have sourced a selection of top tips to protect you from damaging those strands of yours.

1.RETHINK THE WAY YOU TOWEL DRY YOUR HAIR

Your hair is actually most vulnerable during the drying process, so the way you treat it after a shower will make a huge difference to the amount of split ends you have to deal with.

And even though it’s tempting when you’re in a rush before work, don’t rub your hair dry with a towel as it will only promote more breakage, and the last thing you want is for those splits to travel upwards.

Instead, apply pressure by gently squeezing the excess water out of the hair using a towel. Microfibre towels are great. They may look unassuming, but we found that it reduced frizzy bits by half and absorbed water twice as fast as our usual towel, which meant we didn’t have to spend long under the hairdryer. Genius.

2.REASSESS YOUR BLOW-DRYING TECHNIQUE

We’re all guilty of blasting sopping wet hair with a hairdryer, but if you’re serious about preventing split ends, it really pays to allow your hair to air dry as much as possible before letting loose with the dryer. Anywhere from 60% – 90% dry is ideal, as the longer you leave your hair exposed to heat, the more damage is likely to occur. Even better? Miss the ends out completely.

Invest in a quality heat protectant and avoid placing heat directly on to the ends of the hair. Focus more on the roots and mid lengths

– leave the ends to dry from the secondary heat and always keep the nozzle moving constantly for an even distribution of heat. Also try your best to dry on a cold air setting.

Never touch the nozzle to the hair directly. Even rough drying hair means applying heat (yep, it’s really not that much better) so if you really want to protect it, just use your hairdryer to create shape and to smooth the cuticles. Position it just above the hair and brush.

3.TURN DOWN YOUR STRAIGHTENERS

You’d be forgiven for whacking your straighteners or tongs up to the highest setting, especially if your hair is super-thick, or you’re in a hurry. But what if we were to tell you that your hair won’t straighten any faster or better?

Yep, really.

It’s a huge myth that the hotter the tool, the better and longer lasting your blow- dry or curl. Hair reaches optimum moldability at 180 degrees, so anything higher is overheating and damaging the hair.’

The worst part, though? A high temperature is zapping your hair of the one thing that contributes to shine, strength, softness and manageability – keratin.

Healthy hair contains keratin, which dissipates once heated over 200 degrees, so, any hair tool over 180 degrees will dekeratinize the hair.

4.BIN YOUR BRUSH

It might not feel like it, but hair is much more flexible and prone to damage when wet. Your trusty paddle brush? It could be doing more harm than good.

It’s always good to start with a wide tooth comb. You don’t need to add pressure or brush vigorously, especially if you start at the bottom of your hair and work your way up, otherwise, you’re just dragging the knots.’

Makes sense, right? And you should really be taking your time at this stage to prevent causing any damage. There’s no harm in splitting your hair into sections to brush it.

5.BEEF UP YOUR HAIR-CARE ROUTINE

You can’t repair split ends permanently, but there are some amazing products out there that have the ability to make them much less obvious. Smooth, sleek hair? Yes please. Damaged split ends crave moisture.

6.SWITCH UP YOUR SHAMPOO AND CONDITIONER

While there are no magic shampoos or conditioners that will get rid of split ends, choosing something filled to bursting with moisturising ingredients can help disguise them.

They also work to strengthen and protect strands against other factors that contribute to them, such as colouring.

7.THINK ABOUT GETTING A SILK PILLOWCASE

Amazing hair is totally an excuse to be extra, but it pays to be savvy. A silk pillowcase won’t cure split ends but it’s more of a luxury preventative measure, as is tying your hair in a loose ponytail while you sleep.

8.GET A TRIM – IT’S WORTH IT IN THE LONG-RUN

If you’re growing your hair, the last thing you probably want to do is book in for a trim, but the longer you leave it in between salon appointments, the more likely you are to cause further breakage – and really, a haircut is the only thing that will completely eradicate split ends.

The hair follicle will just continue to break and snap along the hair shaft otherwise. It’s a common misconception that in cutting, the hair won’t grow. For optimum hair growth, you should visit the salon every 6-8 weeks for a trim, depending on the colour and condition. And if you’re still wary Hairstylists can cut cleverly by working in minimal layering. This technique makes the hair appear long but it cuts out the bulk of the split ends. But how do you know how much needs to come off? If you split apart the hair, the point where it stops splitting is a good indication of where the weak hair ends and the strong hair begins. Good hair days all round.

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