By Eleanor Pendleton
One day, you look down and realise your hair is starting to look, well, a little ratty. Upon inspecting your damaged, dehydrated ends, you notice an unsightly split end. You naughtily peel it apart and feel unashamedly satisfied that you got the little bastard. Then, you look down again and find another. And another. And another.
With that guilty look on your face as you read this post, you know deep down that you shouldn’t be so emotionally connected to your hair and just get the damn thing cut. But, let’s be honest. We’re women. We are emotional. And, we really love our hair. So, in a bid to forgo a trip to the hairdresser’s – where they’ll cut off those ends with a gratified grin on their face – here’s a few top tips to fix split ends (yes, fix!) without lopping off your locks:
“Lightweight serums are an easy fix,” says Brad Ngata, Celebrity Hairstylist and Founder of Sydney’s Brad Ngata Hair Direction. “Apply a light film of serum to the palm of your hands then press the serum onto the split ends”.
Want something more potent and effective? “In-salon treatments help lower splitage,” says Ngata, who also reveals he only uses natural bristle brushes, as they’re are more gentle on the hair. “I love my Mason Pearson Brush – they’re handmade and last a lifetime – however my latest hair brush obsession is Acca Kappa, an Italian brand”. Ngata explains plastic brushes tend to be more forceful, effectively ripping or snapping weaker strands of hair.
Not a styling product person? Look no further than TRESEMME’s Split Remedy. The shampoo and conditioner features a micro-gel, which binds the frayed ends by attracting them together with positive charge. After rinsing, your hair feels noticeably smoother, before you’ve even had time to dry off. Genius.
And, for those whose fried and frazzled ends are well beyond saving – then, my friends, it’s time to pick up the phone and call your hairstylist. “When it comes to professional hairstylists, there’s an old school method of trimming split ends,” says Ngata. “It includes trimming two centimetre sections and twisting the hair till the tension forces the split end to protrude. Then, snip them off flush to the twisted hair,” he says. This means minimal length is cut off.
Still, there’s no denying that the most effective way to eliminate and prevent split ends, is a regular trim. Ngata calls them “whisper trims,” because they’re barely noticeable. And the best part? When stepping out of the salon with perfectly trimmed tresses – after that slightly emotional experience – your hair looks healthy, while others are none the wiser.
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