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As the old saying goes, the only two things in life that are certain are death and taxes. Well, whoever came up with that line clearly wasn’t paying attention to their hair, because split ends are an ironclad fact of life and a truly great leveler of humanity.
Everyone will get them regardless of your hair texture, color or length because, according to famed hairstylist Annagjid “Kee” Taylor, the mastermind behind some of Keke Palmer and Tiffany Haddish’s best hairstyles, life is simply the main culprit.
“But if you don’t take care of your hair, your ends will split a lot faster,” she adds.
Once you see those telltale red flags, your hair becomes more prone to tangling, feeling dry and rough, or as Taylor says, “[when] you comb your hair and little short pieces fall off everywhere” – this is because your hair breaks. At this point, only a snip from a good curtain will save your strands.
On the other hand, however, as the whole problem of split ends affects almost everyone in the world, there is an avalanche of nourishing and repairing hair care products that ensure that hair stays healthy from root to tip for as long as possible.
Here we sat down with two of the best hair stylists to learn about their favorite treatments and see what tips they can offer to keep breakage at bay.
This article originally appeared on instyle.com
#1: Use a hair mask regularly
According to Larry Sims, hairstylist Gabrielle Union-Wade and Regina King, the ends are “always the unhealthiest part of your hair” and “certainly the driest part,” but there’s a quick fix for those troublemakers.
To give your ends the hydration they crave, incorporating a deep conditioning mask into your regular daily wash routine is crucial for all hair types, but especially those with naturally curly and frizzy hair.
“Curly hair in general tends to be drier due to the composition of the hair strand and cuticle,” says Sims, who always uses the Flawless by Gabrielle Union Repairing Deep Conditioning Masque. “It’s moisture, moisture, moisture for curly hair.”
Sims recommends masking natural hair every shampoo day. But the most important thing is to be consistent.
However, if you have thin or fine hair, opt for a light hot oil treatment once a week to seal in moisture in the cuticles. “It doesn’t rinse out squeaky clean, but it’s light enough that fine hair doesn’t feel weighed down while still retaining all the nutrients and moisture,” says Sims.
#2: You will need a leave-in
Who doesn’t love some good set-it-and-forget-it action? To start the day, spritz liberally onto your ends with a hydrating leave-in conditioner. And make sure it’s packed with protective, powerful ingredients like proteins, fatty omegas, and oils, all of which you can find in Playa’s Monoi milk.
“Leave-ins are lightweight and super hydrating,” says Sims. “They’re great for people who want to blow out, and they’re also great for people who want to rock their hair curly and naturally, like girls who want to wash it and go.”
For oil-prone hair types, apply from mid-lengths to ends, avoiding roots to avoid a greasy finish.
#3: Cool it down with the hot tools
In news that shouldn’t shock anyone, both Taylor and Sims are passionate about putting down the hot tools.
“Excessive amounts of heat from blow dryers, flat irons, and curling irons will cause the ends to split more quickly,” says Sims. Instead, he says try to air dry it if you can.
In fact, hot tools can so damage hair follicles that Taylor, a self-confessed former “heat girl,” says people with naturally curly hair should only use heat every six months, while those with straight hair can indulge once a month.
#4: Check your product’s ingredients list
Strong hair is much less prone to breakage and building strength starts with using a super restorative shampoo and conditioner. And it’s always a good idea to opt for a cult-favorite line, namely Olaplex, which is specially formulated to treat and strengthen damaged hair by reconnecting broken bonds.
“Our hair is essentially made up of one protein: keratin,” explains Sims. “You really should make sure you’re using protein-building products to essentially saturate, rebuild, and re-strengthen the hair cuticle so you’re less likely to have the same hiccups related to split ends.”
Two key ingredients to look for in hair strengthening products are biotin and creatine, which Sims says are “specifically designed to rebuild and repair the hair shaft” to prevent current damage. They also strengthen brittle hair from common strand stressors that cause dead ends, like color or chemical treatments and seasonal changes (dry winter air is no friend to anyone).
#5: Rethink your daily washing routine
One of the easiest and most efficient tricks to boost hydration and absorption is to shampoo and condition your hair as soon as you get in the shower. Then leave the conditioner on while you wash your body and do your thing.
“I do that,” says Taylor. “I wash my hair, condition it, leave the conditioner in as I wash, then rinse it out.”
To really maximize shower time, Taylor suggests slipping a plastic shower cap over conditioned hair for the rest of the shower. “[The] Heat radiating from your scalp can activate the conditioner even more,” she shares.
#6: Hair oil is your friend
For frizzy, rough-looking strands that need a little extra conditioning, coat the ends of dry or wet hair with an intensely moisturizing oil, like almond, argan, or jojoba oil, in pure or blended form. All of this helps to soothe and smooth hair while protecting it from further damage.
“Even though oils can’t undo an already split end, it helps seal the hair [healthy] hair and keep it conditioned to the end,” says Taylor, who recommends using oil-based masks and conditioners for their softening properties.
But remember, oils are powerful, so start small with a pea-sized amount and apply to the ends only, especially if using on dry hair. You can also work it through combed wet ends and tie your hair in a braid or bun to give your strands a shot of moisture and really lock in the goodness.
#7: Change up your routine for the season
Where you live plays a big part in the types of hair care products you use—and they should all be rotated seasonally. The dry, cold winter air is notoriously harsh, especially for natural hair, but the summer sun can also do damage.
“A lot of people don’t think about how dry summer is for hair because there can be so much humidity, but the sun and heat do graze hair,” Taylor reminds us.
To combat the inevitable lack of moisture in both summer and winter, load up formulas with a cocktail of extra moisturizing ingredients like honey, rich oils and hyaluronic acid to keep strands resilient and strong. In autumn and spring, focus on restoring and strengthening damaged and weakened hair.
And it goes without saying that hot tools should definitely hit the streets during the tougher months, especially for super curly 3A to 4C hair types. “Lie into your natural texture and wear styles that are more protective,” suggests Sims for the colder months. Braided or twisted styles are most ideal during these times.
#8th: Be careful when wet
“One thing about hair is that it’s weaker when it’s wet, so you want to make sure you’re being as gentle as possible when handling wet hair, regardless of the hair type,” says Taylor, who swears by using it for detangling always use a wide-toothed comb and never a paddle brush, and work from the ends up. “And always take your time brushing your hair, because even the slightest tug can break your ends,” she advises once the hair is dry.
#9: But if you want to go wild…
Take advantage of the low-stakes work-from-home environment and have fun playing with your hair’s natural texture.
“[Try out] different variations of yourself without feeling pressured to look a certain way,” says Sims. “As long as we’re in this pandemic, we don’t need to feel the pressure to make sure we’re ‘presentable’ with these ideologies of what’s deemed appropriate with our hair and presentation.”
Rock a headband or chic hair clip, or just get going and weave Sims’ favorite hair accessories like jewelry, ribbons and fabric into pigtails for a festival-inspired vibe, or give modern-looking beads a whirl.
“Pearls are really, really cool these days, I love good beads,” he says. “I’m always a fan of going to Michael and grabbing some materials, even metals.”
Be fearless with your style now, Sims urges, because, “Why not? That’s what I say.”