Left: Sheetal Rawal, scientist (human genetics) & founder of Apsara Skin Care
By: Sheetal Rawal
Split ends can ruin the look of your hair like nothing else. Let’s face it, you can iron out your frizz, you can change the color of your hair if that dye job went horribly wrong, but what are you supposed to do about your split ends (other than chop off a considerable amount of your hair, that is)? Not many of us are ok with this idea. We can’t work so hard to grow our hair only to chop it off? No way!
These two or three-headed dreaded devils called split ends can ruin the beauty of your hair. If you suffer from split ends, you will be comforted to know that you aren’t alone. There are thousands of women just like you always on the lookout for remedies to fix and keep split ends at bay.
Before we present to you 5 really simple yet effective hacks to get rid of split ends, let us tell you what causes them.
The human head is said to have over 150,000 strands of hair that are exposed to dirt, wind, dust, and pollution on a daily basis. Let us not forget the torture rendered by curlers, straighteners, dryers, and styling tools as well as hair products, gels, and serums that are chock full of harsh chemicals.
Singlehandedly, harsh chemicals in your hair care products can wreak havoc on the health of your hair. Most of them are so dehydrating and drying to your hair that split ends are simply inevitable. This is the inescapable truth.
While all those styling tools and products make your hair look ready for special occasions, they cause considerable damage to your tresses. And while you might look
no less than a superstar for a moment, the end result of constant usage is split ends. Sometimes split ends can be so out of control, your hair can take on a burnt appearance.
Split ends show their unattractive selves when the outer protective layer of your hair cuticles begins to wear away due to stressors such as styling tools and chemical-laden hair products. This makes your hair weak, damaged, and dehydrated, and this results in split ends. But wait! The damage is not only external. Usage of harsh chemicals also affects the health of your follicles. Your hair follicles can be so stressed that they simply cannot produce enough natural oil to keep up with their depletion. Therefore, the ends of your hair remain completely undernourished. The result? More breakage and split ends.
It is true. The only true way of effectively getting rid of split ends is to simply snip them off. However, there are a number of hacks that help make them look far less obvious (perhaps invisible even) and definitely prevent them from arising in the first place.
Here are 5 easy home remedies you can try to get make split ends disappear from sight.
1. Beer & Sunflower Oil
Who would have ever thought that an alcoholic beverage can be used on your hair to fix split ends? The proteins and sugar that beer contains can bond to your hair as well as help
strengthen andmend damaged hair. But the trick is to not use beer alone. We need to be sure to cancel any drying effect it may have on your hair. Beer can also render your hair more porous and open to absorbing the nourishing fats from sunflower oil.
Home Remedy
Mix 1/2 cup of beer with 1/2 cup of sunflower oil and shake vigorously. When the two are thoroughly mixed, apply all along the length of your hair and definitely use some extra on the ends. Clip up your hair and wear a shower cap for 3 hours. Now wash with a gentle SLS-free shampoo and definitely condition your hair with a natural and harsh chemical-free conditioner. Do this once a week and this mix can be the trick to make your split ends look far less obvious and definitely help curb future ones.
2. Olive Oil & Avocados
Olive oil & avocados are two ingredients that are used in a myriad of home remedies to treat coun common ailments. Turns out that together, they make a fantastic hair tonic too. Olive oil is incredibly good for dry and damaged hair. It nourishes each strand of hair and makes it silky and shiny. Avocado is said to contain several hair-friendly nutrients and vitamins that better hair growth and keep split ends at bay. Particularly, the omega fatty acids in avocados are highly effective for repairing your hair.
Home Remedy
Use one pitted and skinned avocado and mash it up well. Add 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Whip the mix until you get a conditioner with a creamy and smooth consistency. Apply the paste all over your hair and use a shower cap to cover your head. Let the paste stay on your head for at least two hours. Rinse it off using a mild herbal shampoo. Avoid chemical-based shampoos as it will wash away the nutrients and sap the moisture from your hair. Follow with your conditioner. Click here to find out information about Apsara’s Rosemary and Amla Shampoo, Conditioner and Hair Oil.
Divya shares her experience. She has been using Apsara Skin Care products for 3 years:“I’ve been using Apsara for about 3 years now and I love it. I love it because my skin used to peel all the time. I think Apsara has calmed my skin down and made it beautiful. I love it!”
3. Banana & Vitamin E Split End Magic
This is yet another all vegan remedy that works wonders on split ends. Bananas are replete with skin and hair-friendly vitamins and essential minerals that work magic on split ends. As for Vitamin E, this magical oil is an antioxidant worthy of its repute. Not only does it nourish your hair, but it also reverses free radical damage that could be a result of harsh chemicals, too much sun or an inadequate amount of antioxidants in your diet. It is as awesome for your hair as it is for your skin.
Home Remedy
As tempted as you may be, do not eat, but instead mash a whole banana and add 1 tablespoon of Vitamin E into it. Mix well and apply this mask on your hair and let it stay on until it has dried up. Definitely apply more of it along the split ends so they can soak up the nourishment, come to life, and look far less visible. Wash with your harsh chemical-free shampoo and apply an equally hair-friendly conditioner. You don’t want to undo the goodness of this hair mask by using harsh chemical-laden hair products.
4. Coconut & Castor Oil Split End Buster
The more you praise coconut oil, the more it deserves. This is not the first time we have waxed poetic about the many benefits of this popular hair oil, and it certainly will not be
the last. From curbing hair loss to burning fat, from being a golden toothpaste to fighting skin issues, coconut oil is used as a do-it-all. This oil helps stimulate hair growth by penetrating deep into hair follicles. It also adds luster, shine, and softness to your tresses while preventing hair breakage and split ends naturally.
However, I am not the one to ever recommend using it alone. I feel coconut oil can do better with a partner oil that is deeply nourishing to your hair. I feel coconut oil can use some more fatty acids that can take its effects through the roof. Definitely, your split ends will need as much nourishment as possible to get out of sight.
Home Remedy
Mix 4 tablespoons of castor oil into 1/2 cup of coconut oil. Mix well and thoroughly massage into your scalp and hair, particularly the ends where split ends are most common. Remember, it is essential to nourish your follicles so future split ends can be prevented. Leave on for 3 hours to overnight and wash your hair with your natural shampoo and conditioner.
In this highly informative video, Sheetal talks about common hair issues and how to prevent them. Healthy, gorgeous hair and a balanced scalp: learn how easy it is to prevent hair and scalp issues.
5. Oatmeal & Fenugreek Paste
If you want your split ends to be barely visible, know that nourishment and deep conditioning is your best bet. Both oatmeal and fenugreek are stars at deeply nourishing and conditioning your hair. Conditioner to hair is like lotion to dry skin. Just as a dry sponge comes to life when water hits it, so do your split ends soak up the nourishment and begin to look less obvious. Oils are a wonderful way to condition your hair. In my opinion (and I have no doubt a lot of you will agree) your hair care routine is incomplete without a high-quality hair oil made with herbal ingredients like shikakai, amla, brahmi, turmeric, rosemary, etc.
Oatmeal offers natural sugars to your hair. The slimy feel of wet oatmeal is what raises the hydration levels to your hair. Fenugreek (methi) is superbly nourishing and conditioning to your hair and has been used in Ayurveda for this very same purpose for thousands of years.
Home Remedy
Mix together 1/4 cup of oat flour with 1/4 cup of fenugreek seeds. Add 3/4 cup of water and soak overnight. Blend to make a thick paste. Now add 2 tablespoons of almond oil and put it all over your scalp and cover the length of your hair with this paste. Clip your hair up and wear a shower cap to retain heat in order for this mix to deeply penetrate your hair and scalp. Wash in 2 hours using your gentle and SLS-free shampoo. Now condition. You can use this hair mask 1-2 times a month to fade the look of split ends and discourage more to appear in the future.
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Go natural. It is good karma!
