5 Tips to Help You Prevent Split Ends
You've probably heard of split ends from your fellow naturalistas.
They are actually bad business for natural hair. And now you want to know how to prevent them.
Or probably you have split ends and you want to know how to prevent them. Either way, you have come to the right place! Before we dive in, let's learn a bit more about split ends.
What are split ends?
Split ends are simply when the end of your hair shaft splits into two or more parts due to dryness.
What is the big deal with split ends?
Split ends are the sign of damaged hair. The hair shaft may continue splitting until it reaches the root. They tend to make your hair more susceptible to breakage.
What causes split ends?
- Friction caused by some fabrics such as cotton wool.
- Excessive heat that causes damage your hair.
- Over-brushing your hair.
- Not moisturizing your hair.
How do I fix split ends?
There is practically no way to fix split ends other than actually cutting them off.
At the same time you can't totally get rid of split ends but you can adopt several ways of reducing their occurrence.
Read on to find out!
1. Moisture On Washday
Washday is a prime time for you to lock in as much moisture as possible. Here's how:
- Pre poo your hair before shampooing.
- Deep condition your hair using ( our Deep Conditioner - coming soon!) and sit under a steamer or plastic shower cap. Apply the product from the hair ends heading towards the roots to ensure that your ends get enough product.
- LCO/ LOC. Depending on which one you use, just like deep conditioning, apply the products from your hair ends to the roots.
Another way of locking moisture during washday is by including a co-wash. A co-wash simply means using a conditioner (our Conditioner - coming soon!) only to wash your hair. Having a co-wash plus shampooing in your regimen will help you cleanse your scalp and maintain your hair's moisture.
2. Sleep On A Silk Pillowcase or Use A Satin Lined Bonnet
As you sleep, you twist and turn a lot. This creates a lot of friction between your hair and whatever surface you have put your crown on.
This friction causes your hair to dry out; losing all the moisture you worked so hard to gain. It also causes a lot of split ends.
Having a silk pillowcase or satin lined bonnet, reduces the friction, protecting your hair from dryness and breakage and most importantly, split ends.
3. Hydrate From The Inside
Drinking lots of water not only helps your skin, but your hair too. Drinking a minimum of two liters of water daily will be of great help. Here is how you can achieve that:
- Get a water bottle. Having a water bottle will help you becoming more committed to actually drinking more water.
- Refill your water bottle. Each time your water bottle empties, look for a nearby water source and fill it up.
- Drink water immediately after you wake up. Before you sleep, fill up your water bottle and place it somewhere you can see it in the morning. Once you wake up, take a couple of sips.
4. Get The Right Products
By the right products I mean products that will strengthen and nourish your hair. This means picking products with nourishing ingredients, and that suits your hair needs to make sure it is effective. Our Moisture Bundle contains all the products you need to strengthen and nourish your hair from root to tip and inside out.
5. Use Protective Styles
A protective style is basically any style that tucks your ends away. A protective style prevents split ends by:
- Protecting your hair from over manipulation.
- Protecting your hair from the harsh effects from the environment around you that may cause dryness.
These styles include braids, crotchet braids, wigs, extensions or even low maintenance styles such as twists.
What steps will you be taking to prevent split ends on your hair? Do tell us below!