Home Remedies For Split Ends
Split ends are caused by damage to the hair and general mistreatment but simply knowing the cause doesn’t stop them from occurring. Despite the resulting split ends, many women still use harsh treatments such as coloring, perms or chemical straightening. This is in addition to continued use of daily styling tools that are often damaging, such as straighteners and curlers.
Constantly having to cut several inches off of your hair can make it very hard to grow out but luckily there are some home remedies that can help you repair your split ends to some extent as well as prevent the formation of new ones.
Eggs
One of the most common home remedies for split ends involves using eggs. They are full of nutrients, proteins and vitamins that are very important for healthy hair.
Vitamin B is found in abundance in raw eggs and has hemoglobin which promotes oxygen responsible for blood circulation, keeping your locks growing strong. Alternatively, you can steep an ounce of rosemary in a pint of hot water for twenty minutes, let it cool and beat an egg in. Simply massage the treatment into your hair and rinse. Or try beating a yolk with almond oil (just a tablespoon) and leaving it in for an hour. You can also beat orange juice, a banana and two eggs and apply it to the ends of your hair, leaving it in for a half hour for a deep treatment of split ends. One physiological reason eggs can be good is due to their level of proteins. Soy, wheat and rice proteins are all known for being able to be absorbed into the follicle shaft at varying depths and levels. These proteins (from which the follicle shaft and cortex are built) help strengthen, reduce breaking and splitting and add shine to hair that has been dulled from chemical treatments, coloring or styling. Nourish Silk Protein Conditioner should be a consideration when considering hair products to reduce or repair split ends.
Papaya
Papaya contains many proteins that your hair requires to help maintain growth, moisture and shine. Take some papaya and mix it with yogurt for a split end treatment. Although the amount you need depends on the length and thickness of your hair, a general guideline is to use half a papaya, remove the seeds, mash it up and mix in half a cup of any plain yogurt. Massage mixture into your scalp and let it stay for a half hour before washing it out with your normal shampoo. The mixture is full of enzymes, proteins and healthy fats that help to nourish hair. When our hair is fully nourished you’ll see less damage in the form of split ends.
Castor Oil
Take equal amounts of three oils: olive, mustard and castor and mix them together. Keep in mind you want to coat your hair so plan your measurements accordingly. Once you have made this oily concoction, simply apply it evenly to your hair, wrap it in a towel and leave it in for thirty minutes. Then wash it out using shampoo (and be sure to do a good job as this home remedy can leave a not so pleasant smell). The oils are rich in natural fats, amino acids and vitamins that are important to a healthy growth cycle. While not recommended on a consistent basis, this can be an effective (though temporary) solution for treating
dry hair; and, dry hair is most often a primary contributor to splitting.
Beer
Beer is full of proteins and vitamins that are important for strong hair shafts. Vitamin B is also found in beer which promotes proper oxygenation something necessary for cell rejuvenation in your body. This will help your hair to continue growing strong and healthy. Put some beer in your palms and use it to massage your hair and scalp.
It is important to make sure that you allow the beer to thoroughly soak into the hair follicles before you rinse it out. Rinsing is key with this home remedy as although the beer won’t cause any damage, the smell can get very annoying. Keep in mind, however, that even after washing your hair with shampoo there can be a slight beer smell leftover. A good way to remedy this is to rinse your hair with an essential oil mixture with rosemary or vanilla.
Product Recommendations
While these remedies may be helpful periodically, it is recommended that you use conditioners or shampoos on a daily basis that helps reduce or repair splitting. We recommend several conditioners and treatments that you should try. These can be found below or there are links in the body of this article (eg Silk Protein Conditioner):
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Nourish Deep Treatment - for periodic treatment of damaged or dry hair
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Healthy Hair Plus Emu Oil Conditioner - considered by us one of the best daily-use conditioners to prevent splitting - contains proteins, amino acids and Omega 3, 6, and 9 - highly moisturizing
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Argan Oil - Argan Oil is excellent as a leave-in - will restore shine, hydration and reduce drying time.
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Nourish So Strong Conditioner - Another very good spray-on, leave-in - improves shine and styling while moisturizing dry or damaged hair
Not to ramble, but split-ends can be caused by a number of things. As mentioned, dryness is most often the common cause. There are, however, several other things to consider such as chemical treatments - bleaching, coloring, straightening, perms, relaxing, etc. It is possible that the comb or brush you use may cause snapping, pulling or tearing...this causes splitting at the ends also.
Consider use the appropriate brush for your hair type and especially after shampooing to avoid pulling during while getting rid of tangles.
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