As a curly-haired person with a weekly routine dedicated to washing, deep conditioning, and generally putting the health of my hair first, split ends are still something I’ve never been able to escape. Even with proper care, I’m sometimes forced to part ways with new growth during my semiannual trims due split ends that have travelled up the hair shaft. Split ends can be caused by a variety of things, from chemical treatments to heat styling to lack of moisture, and while the only real way to get rid of them is to simply trim them off, the good news is that the best products for split ends can prevent you from having to deal with them in the first place.
After my most recent trim, I started fresh and set out to perfect my haircare regimen so I could really narrow down a list of products that would make split ends less of an issue for me. Ahead, you’ll find a handful that have been working wonders on my hair so far.
Bond Builders
Bond builders are specially designed to (you guessed it) repair the bonds in your hair that can be broken by anything from excessive use of chemical treatments to improper combing and brushing. These are a few that I’ve found to work the best.
Olaplex
Nº 3 Hair Perfector
This is the bond builder of all bond builders, and the one that put the category on the map in the first place. I haven’t always been a fan of the smell, but I can’t deny that it truly gets the job done and has helped to repair my once frizzy and damaged hair. Just pop it on as a pre-wash treatment for a few minutes and then follow up with shampoo.
Redken
Acidic Bonding Concentrate Leave-In Treatment
I’ll always shout my love for Redken’s products from the rooftops, especially when it comes to those that can repair damage like this one. My tightly-coiled hair is prone to dryness and breakage, but this product softens and conditions after just one use.
Bumble and bumble
Bond-Building Triplebond Flash Rinse
This liquid formula does two things at once: it cleanses and removes impurities from the hair while working quickly to strengthen it. It also comes with a nozzle, which makes it so easy to distribute throughout my thick hair.
Deep Conditioners
I deep condition like my life depends on it, and I’ve found that my hair cooperates more and is in its best shape when I do it at least twice a month. I’ve tried more masks than I can count, but these are the ones I always find myself going back to.
amika
The Kure Intense Strength Repair Hair Mask​
This is one of many hair masks I leaned on heavily after coloring my hair for the very first time. It has a very creamy texture and incredible slip, and I noticed that my hair felt much softer and smoother after my first time using it.
Briogeo
Don’t Despair, Repair! Deep Conditioning Hair Mask
If there’s any deep conditioning product I use the most, it’s this one. I can get pretty heavy-handed with product sometimes (especially with masks and deep conditioners), but a small amount of this goes a very long way, and I can apply a palmful of this to my curls while they’re soaking wet and still feel like they’re getting the right amount of moisture. I usually leave it on for about 30 minutes and sit under a drier with a plastic cap—my hair feels nice and healthy every time.
K18 Biomimetic Hairscience
Leave-In Molecular Repair Hair Mask
Another holy grail leave-in treatment, this mask works in under five minutes to address damage and split ends. Just make sure you wait the whole five minutes before following it with a heat protectant or styling product.
Hair Oils
Oils have always been a tricky category for me: on one hand, they can be really beneficial when it comes to keeping your hair and scalp moisturized, but the wrong ones can be a little too greasy and/or heavy. The following hair oils are the ones I’ve stayed true to due to their moisturizing and repairing qualities and lightweight texture.
I love this hair oil because it doesn’t actually feel like an oil. I never have to worry about it rubbing off on my clothes or other surfaces, and it adds life back to my frizzy hair with just a few pumps.
K18 Biomimetic Hairscience
Molecular Repair Hair Oil
This is another lightweight oil that’s designed to repair and strengthen the hair from the inside out while addressing frizz, split ends, and overall damage.
Serums
In the same way that I wouldn’t hesitate to use a face serum, I’ll use a hair serum with no questions asked. Ahead, some lighter products that can moisturize and minimize breakage and frizz.
L’Oréal
Everpure Bond Repair Oil-In-Serum
Proof that a drugstore product can repair your hair just as well as a luxury one. It’s a non-greasy oil that hydrates and reinforces bonds while also offering benefits like heat protection and frizz reduction.
R+Co Bleu
Split End Fix Serum
This milky serum is designed to seal split ends, which is good news if you deal with a lot of frizz when wearing your hair in sleek or curly styles.
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