How To Manage Split Ends
Split ends are a result of the fraying or separating of the hair strand into two or more fragments. This is due to damage caused by excessive stress on the follicle. Even though the only way to completely get rid of split ends is by snipping them off, there are things you can do to prevent them from cropping up in the first place and to stop them from climbing further.
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 number of split ends you have to deal with.
Rubbing your hair dry with a towel 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.
RE-ASSESS YOUR BLOW-DRYING TECHNIQUE
We’re all guilty of blasting dripping 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. 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, 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.
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.
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. Try using moisturizing hair masks and oils.
BOOK A KERATIN TREATMENT
Keratin treatments are totally worthy of their game-changer status and are especially amazing if you suffer with fuzzy, parched split ends – not a good look.
So, how do they work? Well, they harness a large dose of proteins (mainly keratin), which, when blow-dried into the hair, smooths and reinforces the fragile strands that would usually be prone to fraying. It also lends a mirror-like shine and cuts styling time in half.
SWITCH UP YOUR SHAMPOO & CONDITIONER
While there are no magic shampoos or conditioners that will get rid of split ends, choosing something filled to the brim with moisturizing ingredients can help disguise them.
They also work to strengthen and protect strands against other factors that contribute to them, such as coloring.
THINK ABOUT GETTING A SILK PILLOWCASE
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.
GET A TRIM
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.
To be clear, the only way to truly banish this dreaded hair affliction is to snip the split ends off. However, you can treat them so they’re less noticeable between cuts.
2019 Hair Trends
Are your locks in need of a major refresh after the wild year that was 2018? We are right there with you. Nothing makes us feel more refreshed than a new haircut. That’s why, with the new year right around the corner, we decided to share some of the 2019 trends so you can start booking your next hair appointment.
BLUNT BOBS
Inspired by the ’70s revival and popular celebrities like Kendall Jenner and Karlie Kloss, a new shorter length is set to be the standout hairstyle for 2019.
Blunt cut suits all face shapes because the length can be adjusted to flatter the face, while the bluntness can help thicken up thin hair and soften thick hair depending upon the way it’s styled. In fact, done correctly it will do wonders for your bone structure and is often the gateway to an even shorter ‘do. But, if you’re going for a drastic cut from long to short, ask your hairdresser to show you the different ways of styling your new hair.
GOING GREY
Age-inclusivity has finally blossomed in the beauty industry, which means individuals are not only dying their hair a fashion-forward silver but are embracing their natural grey hairs too.
Work with a colorist to try to get the hairline as light as your natural grey. If the eye sees the lightest color against the face it will give the appearance of being totally grey.
You might also want to consider cutting your hair, as the shorter you go the more any existing color you are using will be cut out, thus exposing more of the natural color and grey.
SUPER STRAIGHT
If you cast your mind back to the early nighties, you might recall the army of women who embraced pin-straight hair. Now, love it or loathe it, it’s back.
MODERN TOP KNOTS
Top-knots used to be the hairstyle of choice only if you had three-day old hair or weren’t leaving the house, but then Chanel’s Fall 2018 ready-to-wear show happened. The models appeared on the runway as if they had literally just thrown their hair up into the up-do and suddenly ‘undone’ hair was cool again.
The trick to the perfect ‘imperfectly perfect’ bun, is to tie your hair into a ponytail before twisting it into a bun, so that the ends remain loose and messy.
GLOSSY HAIR
The impossibly smooth and super shiny ‘glass hair’ finish trended on Instagram towards the latter end of 2018, and in 2019 it’s set to make it mainstream.
BIG VOLUME
A lack of volume is one of the most common hair concerns for women and the reason why there are so many volumizing shampoo formulas on the market. It’s no wonder then that our personal fascination with adding body to our tresses has triggered a trend for extreme volume.
LILAC MAKEOVERS
Bid adieu to millennial pink as a new pastel hair trend has emerged, with searches for lilac tresses increasing by a staggering 1,077 percent in the end of 2018.
How To Keep Your Blonde Bright
Want your blonde bright, sunny and vibrant without having to hit the hairdressers (and your bank balance) every 6 weeks? It’s not too much to ask; here are some easy ways to get more blonde for your buck.
WASH YOUR HAIR LESS
Essentially washing your hair is what causes color to fade the most, so get to grips with dry shampoo. Hair Hack: apply some at night so it absorbs oil as you sleep.
USE A BLONDE FORMULA
When you invest in your next dry shampoo make it one for blondes. These formulas have a hint of color that will revitalize your locks and help blend in any root re-growth.
CHOOSE COLOUR-SAFE SHAMPOO
Don’t underestimate the claims ‘color safe’ shampoos and conditioners make – they work! Only stick to fade-fighting formulas or you’ll be washing money down the drain.
END WITH A COOL RINSE
Everyone can benefit from this trick. Simply finish your wash with cool water which works to close the hair cuticles, reducing fade and promoting shine.
TRY A PURPLE TONER FOR BRASSINESS
If you notice your blonde going brassy, alternate your color-safe shampoo with a purple one, intended for hair color-correction. The lilac counteracts orange therefore acting as an effective toner.
COUNTERACT CHLORINE WITH KETCHUP
If you’re a swimmer you might notice your blonde hair can develop a green tinge. Remedy this with a tomato ketchup mask, left on for 20 minutes. The red neutralizes the green, leaving locks true-blonde again.
WASH YOUR HAIR WITH BEER
Another hair hack from your kitchen: A blend of beer and lemon juice coating your tresses while you sit in the sun will brighten your blonde.
REFLECT THE LIGHT WITH SHINE SPRAY
Shine sprays have light reflecting particles which can help illuminate your hair. Make a mist of this your last step when styling to add brilliance to your blonde.
How To Brighten Blonde Hair At Home
More women are going blonde for the summer. It seems there’s a wave of blonde highlights everywhere there are women. If highlights are on the list of things to do, try not to damage the hair with harsh chemicals. Instead, use alternatives to harsh ingredients.
Try a homemade recipe to highlight dull looking hair. It’s best to use natural ingredients, especially if you’re allergic to the chemicals in store-bought brands. Besides, it’s a lot cheaper to do it at home with natural remedies than to buy online or off the shelves.
Without further ado, let’s find look at a few home remedies:
1] Cinnamon
Not only does it look tempting, but it smells fantastic, too.
Mix cinnamon powder and conditioner in a small container or pour into the palm. After the two are mixed, cover as much of the entire head as possible. Combing or brushing the hair thoroughly will help spread the mixture.
Put the hair into a ponytail or bun and cover with stocking or shower cap. Cut the lights off and go to sleep. When morning comes, rinse the hair first and then wash it. Repeat as often as desired.
There are no side effects to using cinnamon on the hair and scalp to keep blonde highlights bright.
2] Honey, Olive Oil, and Vinegar
Another great recipe for keeping blonde highlights their brightest is as follows:
- One cup of raw honey
- One tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- Two cups of vinegar together
- One tablespoon of cinnamon or ground cardamom
Stir until smooth and apply to moist hair. Brush or comb through for even distribution or the areas where highlights are to go. When ready, wrap hair using plastic wrap, swim cap, shower cap or is a towel.
Leave the ingredients in overnight and rinse/wash out the next morning. What’s so fascinating about this recipe? The honey has tiny traces of hydrogen peroxide in it, so the hair gets lightened further.
3] Salt Water
Mix water and salt together to get an all-natural highlight. Take a part of salt with five parts of water and rinse the hair but don’t wash out yet. Let the salt water stay in the hair for about 15 minutes and rinse.
How To Keep Your Hair Blonde After Bleaching
4] Chamomile Tea
Who knew chamomile tea would help keep blonde highlights bright? Evidently, lots of people knew to use it as a lightener. Try this recipe to extend the life of the dye.
- One tea bag
- Cup of water
Boil water and steep the bag of tea for approximately ten minutes. When the water is cool, rinse the hair with the tea and leave in the hair for up to 15 minutes. Repeat two or three times before washing or shampooing.
5] Lemon Juice
You can brighten blonde highlights with lemon juice. Take one cup of water and two tablespoons of pure lemon juice and pour it on the hair. Relax in the sunlight and let the hair dry. The bonus is getting a slight tan while laying out in the sun.
6] Baking Soda
Lots of people use baking soda every day for numerous reasons, but never thought to try it to keep blonde highlights bright. It also strips the hair of buildup of harmful chemicals. The only negative aspect of using baking soda is lightening won’t happen overnight. However, it will work.
How to Lighten Already Bleached Hair
Typically, a semi-permanent dye doesn’t last as long as permanent hair color. If bleaching the hair at home, remember to go one or two levels lighter than the original hair color or darker if that’s the goal.
Most box dyes come with a chart to help determine the color before and after, with ten being the lightest blonde. Sometimes, it doesn’t come out the way we see it in the magazines. With this said, no one said it had to remain that color.
There are ways to correct a botched bleach job. Let’s check them out:
1] Clarifying Shampoos
Use a clarifying shampoo to strip away any color. Some shampoos contain chemicals that harm hair. Ironically, it’s the stuff that makes the lather people love when washing their hair. If anyone is unfortunate enough to use a brand such as this, they will require a deep conditioner when done.
2] Use Color-Removing Products
If not satisfied with the results, you should remove the new color and return it to the original hair color. Find the best solution for the problem, regardless of whether it’s a color that’s too light or too dark.
The summer is one of the worst times for keeping blonde highlights bright. People tend to participate in water sports, and by doing so, it could turn the highlights green even. Stylists recommend using a red-based toner to fix dull blonde hair.
Hard water can fade highlights and make the hair appear more yellow or brassy than anticipated. This, too, is an easy fix. Try a violet-based shampoo and conditioner to keep unwanted hues at bay and lighten blonde hair.
Often, the hair gets drier following a bleach or dye treatment. Of course, dry hair is drab hair. The more the hair is highlighted, the more it becomes dry and brittle. Use a hydrating shampoo or mask to keep the hair moist. Make sure they are sulfate-free, however.
Protein is vital to the hair. It serves as a barrier, so the moisture doesn’t escape the strands, and it will make the hair and roots stronger as well.
What Is Dry Cutting?
If you thought that there was some universal rule that a haircut must involve the cutting of wet hair, think again. In fact, taking scissors to dry hair has never been more popular. That’s because for certain hair types and styles, getting snipped when your hair is completely dry can actually improve the results—as well as improve the condition of your hair too.
1) Dry cutting is a friend to people with curly and wavy hair.
Anyone with temperamental ringlets or waves knows that exactly where you slice and dice can make a big difference in whether you like the end result – and it can be harder to tell where the curls are going to lie when your hair is soaking wet. Cutting while the curls are doing their thing means your stylist can pick and choose where to cut so that they lie atop one another just right.
2) It can get you in and out of the salon faster.
Ever notice how, after you have a traditional, wet haircut and your stylist has dried your hair she often has to go back over it again with the scissors, trimming here and there? Doing it dry to begin with eliminates most of this second-round work.
3) It can be gentler on fragile, thinning hair.
Wet hair is more fragile and elastic (especially if over processed or fine), and can be prone to snapping while it’s being combed over and over during a wet cut. You’re likely to shed fewer strands during the whole process if you have a dry cut.
4) There may be fewer surprises.
Because hair is so stretchy when wet, it looks much longer, and this is especially true for people with very curly hair. Cutting the hair when it’s already dry allows the stylist to trim just the right amount off – and eliminates the shock factor that can come right after a cut, when it can bounce up way more than anyone expected.
5) It can be more precise.
When you dry cut you really get to see the movement of the hair, where most of the weight is and how much really needs to be cut off. Making it an ideal choice for fine or thin hair as well. One more bonus: You can see split ends more clearly when the hair is dry!
6) It’s 100% tailored to you.
When hair is cut wet, many stylists are just following a formula and doing the movements that they were taught in school. But, when you cut dry, you are receiving a completely individual, custom haircut.