Is a horse’s tail more manageable than your hair? Does your hair look like 80’s mauled hair even if you didn’t tease it at all? If so, then you probably have terrible split ends.

Luckily, there are a lot of ways to get rid of split ends. Before you get enlightened with those ways, you must know some important facts about split ends. Split ends are actually dry ends of hair that are damaged. As the name implies, they split at the tips. The degree of damage varies, but the worst split ends are like a crack in the glass that crawls farther and farther. Since the tips are split, it won’t take long before they split more and more until what you have is a bundle of sorrow that’s too hard to comb. The more you comb it, the worse it gets. It makes you just want to sport a Sinead O’ Connor look.

There are two main causes of split ends: they’re either caused by an unnatural occurrence or the practice of irresponsible hair handling. However, they can also be caused by the genetic dice. Don’t be angry at your parents, though, because there are many ways to ease your woes. Here’s how you can get rid of split ends.

Brush

There are two ways of brushing – the good way and the bad way. If you brush your hair the proper way, you won’t have to deal with split ends in the first place. If you are naturally curly, never use a fine-toothed comb. Buy combs that are specially designed for your locks – ones with huge gaps between the teeth. If you have dry hair, brush gently and not vigorously. If you have wavy hair, you also should avoid fine-toothed combs. Always brush your hair before you take a shower, not while you’re having a shower. When applying shampoo, make sure that your hair hangs down, and apply the shampoo on top of your scalp. Work your through your hair, lathering from the top going downwards. Do this gently and move your fingers in a zigzag motion until you’ve covered the length of your hair. This kind of washing may seem extreme, but it actually prevents you from getting tangles while you bathe. Tangles easily become split ends because they encourage hair breakage, especially when you start brushing after the shower.

Conditioners

Since split ends are caused by dry hair, you should remember to use conditioner. However, not all conditioners are good for your hair. Some can even damage your hair all the more. You can tell which are good from their price. Cheap conditioners are cheap because they don’t contain the nutrients essential for hair. What they have are fillers, stuff that leaves residue even if you rinse your hair thoroughly. The expensive ones are the reputable ones and it’s not a bad thing to invest in one when you have split ends. Think of it as an investment for your hair, and not for the manufacturer. Good conditioners will make your hair smooth and silky, providing enough lubricant for your hair not to incur any breakage whenever you brush. You can also use raw eggs before you take a bath. Simply beat some eggs and apply them on your hair. Leave them for 30 minutes. Use shampoo and conditioners when you shower and you’ll be surprised that even if you rinsed thoroughly, your hair will still be shiny. Eggs are good for those with split-ends because damaged hair needs protein, which is present in eggs.

Air Dry

Air dry your hair before you brush after you hit the shower. Many experts have mentioned this in countless hair care sites, particularly if you’re suffering from split ends. This is the common mistake many people make. It’s quite understandable because many people don’t have much time in the morning, so they tend to brush their hair right away, even when wet. If you don’t have the luxury of time, make sure that when you brush your hair, you do it with care and never ever bundle your hair up in a towel unless you’re going to use a hair dryer before brushing. Please wake up early to air dry your damp hair!

Seriously

You have to wake up early because using hair dryers is a major no-no if you really want to get rid of split ends. Devices such as hair straightening irons and curling irons also aggravate split ends. If you have curly hair, it’s best to rely on those plastic curlers used by your grandmother, not the modern metal type. Any thermal hair treatments can aggravate the splitting because they make your hair drier every time. Make sure that when you brush your hair, you spread it so that it exposes more surface area and, in turn, dries your hair quickly and naturally.

Cutting

Getting rid of split ends is not as simple as cutting the tips of the hair. You have to make sure that you cut at least 1 and ½ inches from the tip of the hair to be able to control split ends. This prevents the split ends from continuing to split. Go to the salon and get a cool new haircut. Remember to always examine your hair for split ends so you can control the problem at once. After cutting, treat your hair by applying some leave-in conditioner. This further prevents your hair from splitting, especially after the fresh cut.

The Right Attitude

Have the right attitude when it comes to hair care; always be careful with the hair products you use. Make sure you’re using a real organic product and not just one that’s “organic” for marketing. Look for products with rosemary oil or tea tree oil and not some harmful inorganic ingredients such as synthetic proteins and silicone.

The beauty industry wouldn’t have flourished without the discovery of jojoba oil, which is great for treating split ends. It has the ability to cure dry to damaged hair. There are many products that use jojoba oil as their raw material. Look for those products and use them.

If you got your hair colored, look for hair products that contain henna. Henna is also included in hair dyes nowadays, so best to use that for your hair instead of those cheap powder dyes that can add lots of color, yet rid your hair of so much life.

If you have big dreams, you won’t escape events like dinner parties or that important job interview. In such scenarios, split ends are not really a good sight. Get rid of them now and take care of your hair, because it really can impact others’ impressions of you.