How to Get Rid of Split Ends

Ahhhh, split ends. They’re the little blighters that creep up on us all at once, causing our hair to become a fraying, frizzing and frazzled mess. While the pleasure that comes with watching our hair part like the Red Sea is all too satisfying, split ends are indeed a sign of damaged and tired locks.

The best way to prevent them is a good old trim now and again – we know that – but, it’s not always manageable (or affordable). In fact, it’s fair to say that we’d rather refrain from taking a trip to the salon every other month for the sake of a couple scraggly ends, hence the therapeutic pulling apart.

As the Cosmetify team are firm believers in everyone being able to indulge in luscious locks, we’ve compiled a bunch of ways you can get rid of split ends at home – and prevent them in the meantime.

Use a hair-friendly towel

According to Sam Burnett, Owner and Creative Director of Hare & Bone, your hair is most fragile during the drying process, which means the way your treat it after a shower is crucial.

Forget the harsh, rough hair towels, as they only encourage more breakage, and opt in for a softer, more-absorbent fabric that provides gentle treatment.

Swap your hair brush for a wide tooth comb

While Tangle Teezers and paddle brushes are great for getting rid of all the knots, they can actually damage your strands more than you think, especially when hair is wet.

The experts suggest that you bin your brush and go for a wide tooth comb to avoid vigorous brushing. Start from the bottom of your hair and work your way up, otherwise you’ll be dragging knots through your hair and causing more breakage.

Be hot on how you use your heat tools

So, air-drying is your best bet if you’re serious about beating the split end. However, not all of us have the time for that – or the hair type.

When it comes to blow-drying, you want to ensure that the nozzle never touches your hair directly. Instead, hold the hairdryer just above your hair and brush simultaneously.

In addition, try and hold back on whacking your straighteners and stylers up to their highest heat. Heat tools reach their maximum performance at 180° – anything above that is just causing unnecessary damage to your hair cuticles, stripping them of that all-important keratin.

Sleep with a silk pillowcase

A silk pillowcase is one of the more luxurious ways to prevent hair from splitting and an excuse to be extra, of course.

Whilst the pillowcase itself probably isn’t going to cure fraying ends, silk does prevent hair from roughening against fabric as you toss and turn throughout the night. As a result, your hair will be much less knotty, matted and tangled in the morning.

Stock up on the right hair care

Products can’t repair hair instantly but they are great at preventing and camouflaging suffering strands.

Snap up the shampoos, conditioning hair masks, heat defence and sealing treatments that are going to put the moisture back into your locks, as this is what split ends crave.

Use softer hair ties

Whilst traditional elastic hair ties are great if you like a sleek and tight up-do, they're also one of the main contributors to breakage and split ends. Opting for hairbands that are made from materials such as polyester, microfibre or silk is best if you're looking to reduce frizz and tension.

A few simple adjustments to your hair care routine and you'll be well on your way to a head full of split-end-free strands. Take your battle against breakage one step further and check out 10 Ways To Style And Protect Your Natural Hair and our guide to hair care treatments.