The 6 best home remedies and quick care tips for beautiful hair

Hardly anyone with medium-length or long hair is not familiar with the problem: the ends of the hair become dry, look brittle and dull and split. We reveal how you can prevent broken ends and how you can remove split ends in your hair without losing much length.

What are split ends?

Take a strand of hair in your hand and look closely at the ends: Are individual hairs split at the ends? Yes? That is exactly what split ends are. Starting at the tip of the hair, a split develops that moves further and further upwards over time. This is not only noticeable up close, but the ends of the hair also look straw-like and broken from a distance. The hair loses its shine, looks dull, frayed and unkempt. SOS, what to do? If the hair is already split, the only thing that helps is scissors, because there is no hair putty. The good news, however, is that we can largely prevent split ends with suitable care and hair treatments.

Why do we have split ends in our hair?

When you consider that the ends of your hair, especially those with long hair, are many years old and are regularly exposed to heat, UV rays, chlorine and salt water, dye attacks or perms, it should come as no surprise that they become dry and prone to split ends. Our hair loses strength over time and various factors promote the formation of split ends:

• external influences such as UV radiation, dry air, salty sea water or chlorinated swimming pool water
• mechanical influences such as friction on clothing or on the pillow
• Heat from hair dryer, straightener or curling iron
• Hair dyes, perms and even some hair care products

How to remove split ends with a split end cut

Once the ends of your hair are split, the only solution is to cut them off. There is no glue or putty that can repair the ends, even if some shampoos or treatments promise to do so. To get rid of split ends, you have to remove the damaged ends completely. We have 6 great split end cuts to remove split ends.

1. Cut the tips

Regularly trimming the ends not only removes split ends, but also prevents the hair from splitting in the first place. It is best to get an expert to do it, who knows exactly how much of the ends need to be trimmed so that only healthy hair remains. If you have the ends trimmed a little every 6 to 8 weeks, the hair will grow slowly but healthily.

2. Care Cut

Some hair salons offer a special cut that seals the ends and prevents them from splitting again. The care cut is carried out with electrically preheated scissors; the cutting tool, which is heated to 140 degrees, seals the ends of the hair as it is cut. Simply ask about the care cut the next time you visit the hair salon or search for a suitable salon online.

3. Twist Cut

You want your hair to grow and you don’t want to sacrifice a single centimeter of length? A special split end cut makes it possible! With the twist cut, hairdressers twist individual strands of hair up to the hairline and then use special scissors to remove all protruding hairs from the cord. You can even do this simple and gentle method yourself at home and remove the broken ends. It is important that you do not use kitchen scissors, but special scissors for cutting hair.

4. Hair Dusting

Another method for removing broken ends without losing length is hair dusting. Instead of twisting the strands of hair, they are simply pulled straight down before removing any protruding hair fibers. Use professional scissors to cut your hair or have the cut done at a hair salon. They sometimes use a special knife instead of scissors.

In the clip: Get rid of broken ends without losing length

5. Split end trimmer

Instead of spending hours snipping with scissors, a split end trimmer promises quick success in removing the damaged ends. The split end trimmer is a type of razor that removes split ends without cutting the length. It is available either as a separate device or as a practical attachment for standard razors or hair trimmers. You divide the hair into about 8 sections, clamp a strand in and slowly pull the split end remover device downwards. Clamping it in is not that easy, so get a friend to help you.

6. Candle Dutting

The method is somewhat controversial and should not be copied at home. Candle dutting involves removing the broken ends with a burning candle. The hair is twisted up in a strand, similar to a twist cut, and the protruding ends are burned off with a flame. While the technique is widespread in South America, only a few salons in Germany offer candle dutting.

Preventing split ends: 10 anti-split tips

Unfortunately, we can never completely avoid split ends when we have long hair. But with the right hair care and a few good tips, split ends can be largely prevented and their spread can be prevented. This means that a visit to the hairdresser can be postponed for many weeks.

1. Hair washing: Wash your hair regularly, but not every day. Frequent washing dries out the hair and encourages split ends. Use a mild shampoo without silicones so that the hair retains its natural protective function and is not over-conditioned. Make sure the water is not too hot.
2. Drying hair: Not only washing, but also drying requires our attention. If we rub it dry with a conventional towel, we damage the hair structure and the ends break and tear. It is better to use bamboo towels with which we can gently squeeze the hair or let it dry in a turban.
3. Silk pillows: We often forget this: When we turn our head from right to left on the pillow at night, our hair is rubbed back and forth on a rough cover. This roughens the cuticle of the hair and can cause split ends. This can be prevented with a smooth pillowcase made of silk or bamboo: The surface structure is so fine and soft that even a restless sleep cannot harm your hair.
4. Sleeping hairstyle: Tie your hair into a tightly braided ponytail or a high bun at night. It will be even more nourishing if you massage a tip fluid into your hair beforehand. This will protect your hair and prevent it from being damaged by friction on the pillow. Instead of a sleeping hairstyle, a silk night cap is a great alternative. This hair accessory from our grandmother’s time is currently experiencing a comeback and even looks pretty fancy in the new turban shape.
5. Hairbrush: A natural hair brush with rounded natural fibers protects the ends of the hair and does not rub them. Detangling brushes with flexible synthetic bristles have a similar effect, gently detangling the hair and not damaging the ends.
6. Styling: Blow-drying your hair too hot, using a straightening iron or curling iron is pure stress for our hair. Of course, we don’t want to do without these great styling aids, but we should make sure that straightening irons and curling irons have a ceramic coating, always use heat protection and blow-dry as cold as possible.
7. Hair oil against split ends: When caring for your hair, make sure you give your ends intensive care. Valuable oils or special treatments and serums moisturize the lengths and seal the ends.
8. Hairstyle against split ends: If your hair tends to split, it’s worth tying it up or wearing it in a ponytail. This way, the ends aren’t damaged by friction on clothing. Be careful not to use hair ties with metal in them, as they will damage your hair.
9. Nutrition: A balanced diet not only provides your body, but also your hair with all the important vitamins and minerals. Biotin, zinc, iron and folic acid in particular are essential for healthy hair. Sometimes it makes sense to take a dietary supplement.
10. Cutting tips: Despite all the tips, we cannot avoid trimming the ends regularly. If your hair is prone to split ends, you should visit the hairdresser every 6 to 8 weeks. Opt for hair dusting or a twist cut if you don’t want to lose any length, otherwise feel free to sacrifice 1 to 2 centimeters of your mane. This will keep your hair structure permanently shiny and healthy.

Prevent split ends: Home remedies for split ends

It doesn’t always have to be expensive hair treatments and serums that strengthen hair and prevent split ends. Home remedies such as olive oil, honey, egg, banana and avocado moisturize hair and can prevent split ends. We have 3 great DIY hair treatments for you, the ingredients of which you are guaranteed to find in your kitchen!

• Egg-banana hair treatment: Puree a banana, 2 egg yolks and a little orange juice to form a thick cream. Apply the mixture to your hair and leave covered with cling film for an hour. Then rinse with a mild shampoo.
• Honey-oil hair treatment: Mix 3 tablespoons of olive oil with 2 tablespoons of honey and apply to hair after washing. Leave on for about 30 minutes and rinse well with a mild shampoo.
• Avocado Protein Mask: Mash an avocado and mix it with an egg and a little olive oil. Apply the mixture to your hair, leave for 15 minutes and then rinse well with warm water – done!

Are you looking for cool hairstyles for your hair? Here we show you how to recreate Heidi Klum’s trendy looks. And these are Rebecca Mir and Viviane Geppert’s trends for long hair for 2024. Check them out!