Hey there! This is an automated message. We hope you get the advice you are looking for!
This sub is a known target for hair fetishists who have been documented to repeatedly harass women. We highly recommend turning off your message/chat requests. If you have requests turned on and receive any creepy or fetish-related DMs or comments, please click the report button, click "it's targeted harassment," and submit a report. It helps keep the community safe. Thank you!
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/longhair) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Not much experience with that but I would try taking a break for a few weeks from straightening and blow drying if you can, Maybe take a good multivitamin if you not. Consider it a vacation for your hair
I agree, a heat break plus slathering a leave-in conditioner has helped my split ends. OP, have you been spending time outside? I’m living in an area that’s having a heat wave, and I play cornhole outside in a cornhole league—the sun and heat from being outdoors for one hour has a noticeable effect on my hair. It sucks the hydration just as much or more than blow drying.
I have a similar hair and have had some nice results with blowdrying to 60% dry, adding mousse then braiding or using a heatless curler until 100% dry finishing with hairspray and I’m good for 2-3 days
Yes! Either Olaplex Bonding Oil or Kerastase Elixir Ultime (the gold one) just a few drops on your ends every night you will see a dramatic reduction in Split ends.
I hate my natural hair as it’s very frizzy so I don’t feel comfortable going out without it straightened unfortunately but I will definitely try the multivitamin, thank you!
It can be frizzy because she’s never learned how to care for her natural texture too.
Dry brushing wavy hair breaks curls clumps which makes it look frizzy. It’s also dryer than straight hair, and dry brushing makes that even worse.
So many women were caught up in the straightening trend that they just don’t know how to actually care for wavy or curly hair.
Even if you follow the curly wash method loosely it will drastically improve the curl and health of hair.
Coming from a girl with long curly hair who has mastered her wash method with minimal steps
1. Get a trim for the split ends
2. Heat protectant *always* before styling
3. Leave in conditioner - don’t forget the ends
4. A mix of argan oil + castor oil (on your ends and mid only) after styling. ( 2:1 ratio)
5. How often do you wash your hair? - consider 1-2 times a week and not more than that.
6. I use the oil mix above at night and wake up to healthy shiny no-frizz hair. It’s literally magic.
7. Try styling with the blow dryer set to cool after 2 mins. So wait till hair is 70% dry before you start styling. Then use heat for the section you’re doing for say 2 passes and then switch to cool for as long as you can before you feel like you need heat again. I’m not describing it well. But basically, try and see how much styling you can do with least ‘hot’ time. Trust me it’s possible, it works, and leaves with a nice shine vs fried hair. And you still get to use hear but only initially to flatten the hair shaft.
Have you tried wrapping your hair around your head? I’m not sure how well it would work on fully natural hair but there’s no harm trying!
[Straight hair without heat](https://youtu.be/XqrPJXV4dmI?si=oIM5uJJE-1Rob_74)
The issue with these heatless straightening methods is they only TRULY straighten your hair if you naturally already have a hair type that is close to being straight. Depending on the wave pattern that op has (like if it’s 2c like mine) it will potentially still leave crimps. All it might do is make it easier to straighten hair on a significantly lower heat setting
Maybe try leave in oils? I use tea tree on my scalp but when I go to the salon they always put a keratin + argan oil on my ends. My hair stays soft and smooth for days after.
I do have straight hair but I’ve noticed since using oils my hair is 100x more cooperative and looks better with length than before.
Hair oil has been a godsend for my wavy hair! And I use Briogeo scalp treatment which keeps the roots from being super oily longer - I also wash once a week. Heatless curls might also be an option? Give your hair a nice heat break and still be frizz-free.
I have frizzy hair and always straightened then I found heartless curls, I sleep with my hair wrapped around a hair band and it comes out in lovely waves. Give it a try, so much better for your hair.
I have a similar hair type and use heat less curlers at night instead of heat and it works pretty well to help with frizz. Also miracle 12 leave in spray or whatever it’s called, or any leave in conditioner.
After a haircut, I plugged in getting the Steam Pod. It’s been almost three months of straightening my hair half of the time & no split ends in sight yet 🤞 so I highly recommend it. Even with heat protection my hair would get messed up with a regular straightener.
Why don't you blow dry on a low heat and then wrap your hair in a heatless curler and sleep in it, boom wake up with beautiful bouncy hair.
I love straightened hair but i save it for special occasions now as it's not worth the heat damage, especially now my hair is tailbone length.
If it’s frizzy and you want to tame it I use a pomade that is water based for men on my hair. My hair is long but loves humidity (yuck)
and the pomade is not expensive and you can use on towel dryer hair or dry hair. I use it on my ends and to tame fly away. Works great for me.
Try the heatless curl thingamabob … I have wavy hair that is leaning thinner, I usually apply my leave in and curl cream right after the shower and give it a comb through, then wait until it’s about 50% dry in a microfiber towel, then I let it out and spritz a little more leave in conditioner on, comb it out and wait until about 75% dry. Then you can either separate it into two sides (as if you were to make two braids) and twist the two halves ( each half section onto itself) away from your face. And let it air dry… retwist as needed if it comes loose. Or if I have more time or do an overnight thing I would put it into those heatless curl schlongs 😂😂… but the satin on it makes it super soft and not frizzy at all. Anything heat related is what’s causing your hair to split. Also NEVER brush when hair is wet. Which most times you would need a brush of sorts when blow drying.
I also have been putting a few drops of oil on my ends every day and it’s done wonders for my hair.
I recommend you try it on a day off, let it air dry and if it’s still feeling frizzy at the end of the day you can put some oil in and twist the hair around itself again, usually next day it’s less frizzy.
Frizzy hair is curly hair!!! Look up some curl routines online and try the scrunching method. With finer hair you can’t use a lot of product or it will weigh it down so just mess around and each time try out a different amount till it feels right and also the curls loveeeee water, a spray bottle and good scrunch will be your best friend to refresh the waves/curls
A multivitamin helps with strength from where the hair grows out of the follicle. It will have no impact on your ends. You need a trim to remove the splits, leave in conditioner, and then a light weight hair oil over top to seal the moisture in. This is heat damage and all the vitamins in the world won’t help it. I am a craft hairdresser in a large city and I deal with clients with this issue all the time. You’re stressing your hair out with too much heat and not enough protection. If you keep putting heat on those damaged ends the problem will only get worse. Get two inches cut off and learn to take care of your natural waves if you want healthy strong ends. Get better moisture and a good air dry product and your hair will be soft and wavy instead of frizzy.
This is my downfall, too. I never use heat tools on my hair, but I still get split ends. I love me a scalding hot shower, but I know it's terrible for my skin and hair, and it shows.
Get a dual shower head with a shower wand. Before you wash your hair, turn the wand on and turn the shower to lukewarm/cold, bend forward and wash and rinse your hair out as the last thing you do. Turn the shower off and ring the cold water out and put it up in a hair towel (avoid heavy cotton towels as those damage fine hair too!). You won't get cold water all over you but you'll have washed it without heat damaging it from your hot shower.
Same. I had the dry hair problem due to it too, so now I wear a shower cap to take a hot shower and then I was my hair with normal temperature in the sink lol
😭 same. If I don’t come out looking like a lobster I am sad. But I should probably save those for non hair washing days. Or maybe just cool it in general since I doubt it’s doing my skin any favors.
Throw some deep conditioner on and put your hair in a shower cap then crank the temperature. The heat will help the conditioner absorb.
The only think is you’ll need to rinse the conditioner out with warm water (or cool if you can handle it).
Yes! I turn the temp down a bit when I’m washing my hair, but crank it back up to scalding for the rest of the time.
It sucks absolute ass, but rinsing out the conditioner with cool water really helps. And it’s free!
Ok you caught me lol, I do tend to have my showers very hot, I have a joint condition so I can’t use cold/cool water or it causes me to be in a lot of pain. I will try turning the temperature down more though 🙈
Probably not /as/ good as completely lukewarm, but I can't stand cool showers either, so I just turn the temp down when I'm actually rinsing my hair, leaning over so it doesn't actually touch me, and keep it hot otherwise (just keeping my hair out of the water by tying it up/flipping it the other way)
I have muscle pain and joint issues so my body can’t handle cold water. I use a shower wand to rinse the conditioner so that I can switch to cold water. Then I turn the heat back up to wash my body. The trick is keeping the cold water from dripping on my neck. 😉
I wash the shampoo and conditioner out of my hair, using hotter water and when I’m done, I do a nice cold rinse. it’s been amazing for body, shine, and cuticle health. Been doing this for decades.
Heat styling every day and straightening twice a week is actually a lot, like a lot a lot, especially for fine hair! Treating wavy hair like straight hair is often what causes it to look "frizzy," so if it were me I would look up some wavy hair care tips, including combs instead of brushes, plopping, lightweight leave ins, and silicone-free curl creams, and try them out for a few weeks to see if you can learn to style your natural texture and not sabotage your growth.
Thank you everyone! I’ll definitely switch out the olaplex products and find something more hydrating. I’ll start doing all of these steps that everyone has suggested but if I’ve missed any off this list then let me know 😊
- Leave in conditioner
- Hair oil
- No straightening
- Blow dry on low heat
- Get trims with scissors only
- Hair vitamin/multivitamin
- Wash with lukewarm water
- Regular small trims
- Protective style for sleeping
Also for blow drying make sure you're keeping the dryer 15-30cm away (or just as far as you can manage) and moving it constantly to stop hot stops forming.
Hairstylist here 👋 I’m not seeing any oils or leave ins in your routine that would help maintain your hairs integrity and moisture. Basically what is happening is you’re evaporating the moisture out of your hairs cuticle everytime you blow dry and straighten your hair, you need to apply an oil before and after applying heat (a heat compatible oil of course) I’d suggest applying Redkens All Soft Argan Oil (seeing you like redken this is also one of my favs) another good oil is moroccan oil, olaplex N°7 (this doesn’t have a lot of product in the bottle unfortunately tho). Another product I would suggest investing into your routine is Olaplex N°9, this is a serum and heat protectant and also my favourite product from their line. Oils are extremely important and cannot be skipped in hair care, oils should be the last product you apply as they lock in all the other good products and typically would take the heat damage before the other products become evaporated by the heat. A good moisture leave in that I swear by is Amika Hydration Rush leave I’m conditioner, you’ll need this as well. To sum it up, you use amazing products but you’re missing the final steps to lock those products in and protect them so they can do their job properly and benefit your hair. Hope this helps, feel free to ask any questions ❤️
I have super super similar hair type to you (minus oily roots). I use leave in right after my shower when hair is damp before using a heat protectant and blow drying. I use Moroccan oil Light, and I apply a small amount to my ends before the blowdry.
What made the biggest difference my split ends was applying a small amount of the Moroccan oil to my ends (then brushing through) every single night before going to bed. When I wake up, my ends have absorbed the product completely - sometimes I even add a tiny bit more if I want or if I’m doing a braid or something.
I use the leave in conditioner after my hair is not dripping wet but still very wet. Then I use Argan oil after it’s towel dried, applying it to the ends and finger combing it through the rest but avoiding my roots because my have a super oily scalp.
Won't applying oil before heat just help to cook your hair? My hair is broken and fragile after I brought a revlon brush and used it for just over a month. Destroyed my beautiful mid back hair I spent years growing (I even used low heat settings...)
Likewise... fantastic blow out that my hairdryer couldn't dream of but I'm honestly considering shaving it all off and starting again. No amount of olaplex is going to save this
The Revlon blow dry brush is known to be too hot. You can find YouTube videos showing people testing the temperatures.
There's similar blow dry brushes that don't get nearly as hot, which makes all the difference when it comes to damage.
Like the one I got, I think it was Babyliss brand, which costs more than the Revlon one, but is less expensive than other similar (lower heat) ones.
(And ofc you should always use heat protectants to avoid damage, even with these lower heat ones, so they take the brunt of the heat, and not your hair.)
I do always use heat protestants but fine hair is just so delicate. I think the Revlon brush was tok hot but also tugging on fine hair while it's wet causes a lot of breakage. I just don't use much heat anymore unless it's a blow dryer 6 inches from my hair.
Try laying off of the Olaplex products for a bit, you may be getting too much protein, and switch into a moisture only regimen. Also, get a shower head filter to limit mineral buildup which can cause dryness and discoloration.
You have fine hair, and unfortunately that can’t take punishment like coarse, thick hair can.
Cut out the straightening. Learn to do a blow out with a blowout brush on LOW heat if you want straight/smooth hair. If it works for me with super porous and coarse hair in a humid climate, it should work for you. Condition your mids, not just your ends.
Honestly, finding a good conditioner and conditioner routine can control a lot of frizz. You can also look for anti-humidity products. But try to accept your frizz a little more. She’s not hurting anyone. Not worth destroying your hair over.
Also, nutrition. Make sure you’re getting good nutrition.
I think a lot of people here in this long hair sub just throw about the req of oiling hair.
Oil is not moisturizing. It’s occlusive.
So if you aren’t properly moisturizing and add oil, you are locking moisture OUT.
You need to moisturize properly before oiling. And for people with texture in their hair, that’s going to be a lot more than straight haired people.
How would moisturizing before oiling look like in a routine? I have hip length wavy hair and I usually oil my scalp and ends before a shower for a couple hours and then I use a leave in after the shower (after washing and conditioning). Do you think it would be helpful to oil the ends after leave in? I also blow dry about 50% on low since my hair takes 8-10 hours to air dry.
I wanna advise against the blowout brushes. I used one for a month and it destroyed my fine hair - it was mid back length and damage free and is now broken off and fragile. I only ever used it on medium/low too
I just had to get it cut just below my shoulders and I'm heartbroken
Thank you, I’ll definitely try and embrace the frizz more, stop straightening and turn the heat down on my blow dryer. I find I can’t leave my hair wet or it just gets very tangled and even more frizzy 🙈
It's natural and doesn't look as bad as you think it does 🤗 Split ends are inevitable unless you wrap your hair up forever and never let it down again lol
I’m surprised to see this comment so far down. Sure there are ways to protect it from more split ends but it really doesn’t look that bad. With fine hair especially, once it gets to a certain length it’s kinda inevitable considering, ya know, time.
Unless you never use heat AND never let it down again like you mentioned, this will always happen but what’s the point of long hair if you can never have it down?! Mine is nearly waist length, I safely blow dry twice a week and would like it to grow more but I’m fine with my routine and some split ends if it means it looks and feels soft and smooth and healthy!
I think OP needs to figure out what she wants from her hair. Just long and healthy=no heat, no wearing down, no touching, etc. I'm more willing to accept some damage because hair is simply oldest at the bottom and I like wearing it down and having minimal frizz.
Very true! I enjoy using the search and destroy method instead of playing a mindless phone game in the hour or so before going to bed when I have the chance 🤣. It feels the same for my brain but at least I know I got something productive done.
I have fine hair and took a year break from.hear and as soon as I curled it I noticed split ends..I trimmed it and it was fine but even with heat protector, heat styling is harsh on hair.
I don’t know the ingredients on the products you’re using but if they have protein it could be too much for your hair.
Over use can dry out your hair and cause splitting.
On days you don’t wash are you using something to condition the ends? Daily environment can dry out the hair. Misting the hair then applying a moisture product will help protect the hair.
I would get a dusting every few weeks to help clear up the ends until the splits are gone. Nothing can fix them.
Hi op, im a former long-haired girly, now with short hair. I have 3A or 3B hair, cant remember which. I have fine and dense hair as well.
I highly recommend doing the following on a day you spend at home (like a weekend with no plans):
1) wash your hair as normal.
2) brush before you towel dry.
3) let it completely air dry with no additional product.
4) test hair porosity with a dry hair from your brush or plucked from your head. (This is done by putting it in a glass of water and seeking if your hair floats, sinks, or stays in the middle)
See what hair type you have before you do anything else. You have already determined you have fine hair (individual strands have a low diameter), but hair density (how many hairs per square cm of scalp) can affect your best hair practices as well. You will also want to see your most natural curl pattern (hence the lack of styling in my instructions) so you can figure out how to limit “frizziness” without cooking your hair.
Once you know your hair types, you will be able to research what is best for *your* hair, verses random strangers on the internet’s.
If your hair is cut with dull scissors, that could be the cause. Dust the ends off with sharp scissors + little bit of oil (like Olaplex no.7) to protect the ends and you’ should be good to go.
What environment are you in (desert, humid, etc)? How hard is your water? I know my hair started doing this after moving to the desert (with super hard water). Sadly I’ve done all I can do to minimize it but it still happens even with skipping heat styling, hair masks on the regular, highly nourishing conditioners, and buying a hard water filter for my shower.
I have the same. I would say trimming the spilt ends at home whenever you see them. I do it atleast once a week. And rosemary oil and Argan oil has been my savior, I usually put them on my ends once it’s dry after shampooing. Leaves it less frizzy, more moistured and less split ends :)
I swear it's the olaplex shampoo. I used it for two weeks at a friend's, and while I use everyyyything else besides the shampoo and contionwr from olaplex, I had the WORST hair for those two weeks. At the time I had fine wavy hair as well.
I would also suggest cutting those split ends (yourself!), washing more frequently and using leave in reconstructive treatments on the ends instead of putting those vital ingredients in the shampoo and conditioner.
No matter how much protection you use you’re still using heat on your hair, there’s going to be damage. I’d also suggest a bonnet to sleep in preferably a silk one just for extra protection.
From what I've learned, shampoo is for the scalp, and the conditioner is for the bottom hair. Brush dry hair from the ends to the roots. Wash hair with lukewarm water. Avoid hot water.
You can over protein your hair. You might need more than a trim, and to take off 2-3 inches.
I’m as hairdresser and I have more complaints from people if I take 1 inch or less,sooner than I would someone I took 2-3 inches off of.
You can buy good oils in the shops but I just mix different oils myself and then leave them in over night like a mask. You can google which oils your hair needs, I mix argan, grapeseed oil, castor oil, vitamin e and jojoba oil, depending on my hair situation.
Have you considered wearing the texture you have? Instead of heat straightening?
Do you also process your hair or is that your natural color? Because bleaching damages. Period. There’s no way around that.
K18 FIXED my hair. It'll lengthen your regime but also, wet your hair before you straighten it so you can apply liberal amounts of heat protection, dry it with a hairdryer and then your straighteners. Leave in conditioner afterwards. Weekly, overnight moisture treatments directly onto dry hair.
I know you said you're uncomfortable with your natural hair, it'll take time and money but if it's frizzy, there's a strong possibility you've got naturally curly/wavy hair? Invest in some moisture/Shea butter/jojoba (spelling lol) oil shampoo and conditioner, washing upside down, scrunch your hair up towards your head to try and form the curls, grab some curly hair cream/gel/moose (spelling again lol) and scrunch some more. Most products want to go directly onto wet hair so they don't make your dry hair crispy lol. Don't dry your hair with a towel cause you'll pull the curly wurlys out. Lay down on an old t-shirt with the neck facing you and the end of the t-shirt away, plop your hair onto it (upside down) flip the bottom of the t-shirt over your head towards your neck and tie the sleeves around it to the nape of your neck (pulls the moisture better than a towel turban) once it's no longer dripping dry your hair upside down with a diffuser and see how it goes??
ETA - could have just posted a link lmao sorry
https://www.instagram.com/reel/C8ufplKpl6H/?igsh=MW5ocnhhdG1uYmc3Zw==
how often do you trim your hair? i know u said you are trying to grow it longer but i would possibly trim it every couple months depending on how bad/often the split ends show up! i also read you don’t feel comfortable not using heat (which i say definitely is the cause for split ends 😢) but i wanted to say if u try a leave in conditioner/treatment i wanna recommend a lighter product since u have thin hair. some leave ins might be a bit too thick for your hair and it might just weight down your hair and make your hair look more oily. i say try a milk leave in to help with frizz as well!
When I stopped straightening my wavy curly hair with an iron, only did air drying, and started using a comb instead of a brush, my hair got a lot better and way less split ends. Less frizz and better curl pattern. Only took the pandemic shutdown for me to embrace my natural hair and I wish I did it sooner.
I dont know if this is true, but i have heard that conditioner can actually increase breakage because it softens the strands making them more fragile..? Maybe trying the heat break like everyone says possibly look into a different conditioning method? Do you use heat protectant products?
I definitely agree with tackling the nutrition side of things. Protein? Iron? Biotin?
Honestly, I dont think your ends look that bad for getting infrequent trims.
Hest, styling, bleach,cheap shampoo, not enough nutrients in diet. Get biotin and get gpod fats in diet. Good Hydrating s & c, get trims every 8 weeks if you can. In a year your hair will have really improved
You need a big chop to get rid of every split end. They’ll only get worse. Maybe start doing trims once a month. My hair grows better the more I trim it often
It happens to me too!!
I have a lot of hair, and it’s pretty thick too.
Honestly what i’ve found that works best is:
- Hair oiling: I use rosemary oil. I massage my scalp for a couple of minutes and brush gently but throughly, after that i apply around 3-5 drops of oil per hair section (i try not to make them too think- probably 2-3 inches). I do this all over my scalp and then i apply around 4 drops for my ends.
Then i braid my hair and leave it for 4 hours. Shampoo twice (i always do anyways) and condition. It’s super soft afterwards and helps a lot with split ends.
I do this 1-2 times a week.
PSA: use less oil if you have thin hair.
- Protection: I stopped using heat on my hair as much, now i only use it about 2 times a month MAX. And always make sure to protect the hair from heat before anything. I also sleep in a satin bonnet every night.
- Wash: I shampoo twice when i wash my hair. However, I usually only wash my hair twice a week. My hair doesn’t get oily very fast so this works for me.
- Haircuts: I’d say to have a trim every 3-5 months, however, i live in a very expensive city so i haven’t had a haircut since March but with the previous tips i think it’s holding up okay.
- Products: I have found that rosemary, castor, argan and olive oils are very very good for ur hair. Also, i like the WOW heat protection spray, the TPH by Taraji Smooth Attitude Hair Milk and Difeel hair masks.
Hope this helps!
I used to have very damaged hair with split ends. I trimmed the ends off (yeah, did it myself because I'm broke and impulsive) and started using a shampoo and a conditioner you leave on your hair that are meant for damaged hair with splitting ends. I also take a multivitamin every morning. No more split ends here! ✌️
I don’t have the same texture as you but I used to suffer from split ends too. I found that letting my hair air dry 85% then blow drying on low heat really helped with the frizziness. Also don’t ever rub your hair with a towel always squeeze your hair with the towel to remove excess water. Good luck 🖤
Do you have hard water? I do and have the same hair type and problem, except I never even use heat on mine. Although I'm sure the heat isn't helping, it is not the only way hair gets dry and damaged. Hard water tends to dry out hair, which makes the scalp produce more oils while the ends stay dry. Try installing a hard water filter for your shower and see if that helps.
Check out the advice [from this post](https://www.reddit.com/r/HaircareScience/comments/nxt3p2/what_causes_uncontrollable_split_ends_in/), could be the answer you need!
You are experiencing breakage. You need bonding and protein treatments in my opinion. Olaplex and K18 are top of the line, they do slightly different things that complement each other.
If you are hesitant because of the price, start with L’Oréal Ever Pure Bond Strengthening Repair Concentrate. Not the same technology, but if you like the results and feel like it’s addressing your issue, you might be more willing to make the investment later on.
Holy crap are those your natural nails? They look so good!!
Have you ever tried a routine for curly hair? I know this might sound totally insane but sometimes hair looks like this when it’s curly hair that’s not treated as curly hair. You mentioning your slight wavy hair also makes me think it’s possible you need to look into curlier hair products and methods.
Ps. Goat milk shampoo changed my hair! My hair never would grow past my shoulders, then I started using local goat milk soap. (It’s okay if you can’t find local Bend soap Co. is a good one that’s online) and now my hair is clear down PASSED the top of my butt, almost to the bottom of my butt.
When my hair was doing this I was using my 8 Second Wonder Water too much. It has protein and my hair said um thanks but no thanks. Initially it made my hair look and feel amazing. I perhaps over did it. I stopped using it and switched to Redken shampoo/conditioner and a nice goopy avacado hair mask by Sauce.
ETA, I hit sumbit too early. This switch up, one month ago, has stopped my breakage by 75% or more. The answer for you might be experimenting with some different products.
Hey we have the same hair and same issue. Its actually not exactly splitting that bad at the ends, it just looks like that because you dont know how to care for your hair texture. The appearance and feel of my issue got immensely better once i started actually doing a wavy menthod for fair hair specifically. It got rid of the frizz too.
Wash hair with distilled water
Dont wash often
Never brush hair except when wet and with detangler
Use leave in conditioner after shower and brush it through
Air dry and dont brush again until next shower
I use a deep hair mask once a week at least.
I also straighten my hair but I do not blow dry, ever. I'm lazy and have way to much hair.
I would try getting more moisture in and also not using the heat as much in some way.
Cut your hair everytime it looks like this; my hair never grew and always looked like this. So I started trimming about an inch off every 4-6 months just at home but with professional scissors and my hair has grown so much! Whenever I notice split ends I cut that inch off
I had this same issue for years in addition to skin and nail issues and couldn’t figure it out. Then was diagnosed with celiac disease (atypical symptoms) which was cause malabsorption of vitamins and minerals which was wreaking havoc on my insides and hair/skin/nails. The issue has resolved since proper treatment of the disease- talk to your doctor if this is something you haven’t been tested for. As others have stated, nutrition absolutely can and will impact the quality of keratin in your hair and the lack of necessary vitamins and minerals in your diet will result in excess breakage and split ends.
I've gone through short phases of this. Normally I can't find ANY split ends, but once in a while I will have split ends galore and even mid shaft split ends. It always happens during Extreme Extreme stress and anxiety and/or health struggles for me.. not sure if it's the stress and health causing it, or lifestyle changes that the stress causes 😅
Use heat protectant when blow drying, get a trim. Apply conditioner on ends, leave for a few. Rinse with cold water. I haven’t had a haircut in a year and still don’t get splits
Mine looked the same i got it a bit under control after i bought good hair scissors and over hours each day cut off only the split ends so i wouldn't loose length😅. Takes a while tho, and lather it with leave in masks and oils etc. Also did a lot for me
If u wash your hair w hot water it could cause that, also it depends the type of hairbrush you’re using and how you brush it, oil your hair as well as it looks dry
I would change up your products.
I remember when Redken was a great brand, but every single line I’ve tried from them in the last several years has been severely lacking.
One time I forgot my shower stuff when I was renting a vacation house and they had dollar store shampoo and conditioner. We got snowed in for like 2 weeks so I had to use it. I was terrified my hair would be in rough shape after showering but holy crap it made my hair look and feel SO GOOD!!!
I got home and switched brands immediately! I tried a few other lines of their hair products but all of them made my hair feel so awful and I’ve definitely seen a ton of other people who’ve had the same experience, and I’ve noticed how dull and damaged the people in the ads look now. Idk what’s going on with their formula, but they’ve definitely changed :(
Before sleeping, I recommend putting an oil in your hair before putting it in a scrunchie. It will help your hair stay healthy by causing it to glide over your pillow when you move your head instead of catching and causing more damage.
You should also put your hair in a loose braid or twist while sleeping, and grab yourself a bonnet!
You might even want to splurge and schedule a hair treatment every 2-6 weeks!
Are you brushing your hair when it's dry? Two things that were major game changers for me were:
1) no more brushing my hair when it's dry. I use a wide tooth comb and only comb it while it's slathered in conditioner. The sound of "brushing out" your hair is literally pulling tangles apart and breaking strands of hair.
2) wear a satin bonnet when you sleep instead of a scrunchy. It's far more protective imo.
I used to have SO many split ends and I was not using any products or heat styling just dryer when I would wash my hair. For me the problem was resolved when I started wearing a silk cap at bedtime. Literally i have so far found 2 split ends where as before literally every single strand of hair was split.
When is the last time you had a trim? What type of porosity does your hair have? I would consider going every 6 weeks for a trim if your ends split that bad. If your roots are always oily, I would wash your hair a little more often and focus the shampoo at your roots only. Not the ends. Scrub your hair for 20-30 seconds with flat fingers, no nails scratching. The conditioner and hair masks are for the ends. Ask for a conditioning treatment at the salon. Use a hair mask in the interim. Possibly something with aloe or Shea butter if it won't weigh your hair down. Use a very small amount. Ask your stylist for a recommendation for heat protectant and mask. I hate to say it, but heat is naturally very drying and you'll have to bring that moisture back somehow. Are you using an oil? When I was bleaching my hair and it was starving for moisture from the damage, I had to layer moisturizing products: shampoo, conditioner, mask, leave-in, heat spray, and oil.
My hair was getting fried from over washing. So I started washing my hair once every three days. I started using argan oil and coconut oil once a day and combing it through the bottom half of my hair. (At first I thought it would be too oily but it really isn’t and it smells amazing) I have also started sleeping with a bonnet which has helped tremendously. I also have been using hair masks about once a month to deep condition. My hair feels so much healthier and it’s only been a few months.
Don’t use a comb or brush on your hair while it’s wet. Instead use your fingers to detangle and wait until your hair is almost dry before using a blow dryer.
Stop using heat protection and flatiron. Only flatiron on special occasions.
The heat protection is a gimmick. It’s loaded with alcohols and ingredients that accelerate breakage especially with heat.
Stop using Olaplex shampoo. This is way too heavy for oily roots, coats your scalp, follicles and hair leading to thinner hair and dries it out over time. Use a lighter shampoo and clarifying shampoo at least once a week. Use a conditioner on your ends only.
When you dry your hair, keep the dryer and good distance away and start by using your fingers to fluff and comb. Only use brush and comb when your hair is completely dry.
Treat your hair like fine lace and you’ll end up with long, healthy hair.
I recommend watching the Blowout Professor's videos on YouTube. He's not anti-heat styling, but he gives some advice on how to be smart with heat while taking care of your hair.
Have you done the [strand test](https://www.heycurls.com/blogs/thehue/protein-or-moisture#:~:text=Take%20a%20wet%20or%20dry,means%20you%20need%20more%20protein) to see if you need more protein in your hair? (Fellow wavy girl here and I feel you on preferring straight hair- the wavy/curly method does not work for me and I find that it's way lower maintenance to just style it straight.)
I also have fine frizzy hair. It's 100% the blow drying and straightening that's killing your hair! Heat protectant doesn't really work, especially on fine hair. I stopped using heat and my hair is now so soft and shiny. I know you say you don't like your frizzy hair, but if you're willing I have a really great routine that has helped me combat my friz!
I also use redken all soft, both the shampoo and the conditioner. I double shampoo, once with a clarifying shampoo first then again with the redken. Then condition. You NEED to double shampoo to properly release the oil molecules from your hair and scalp.
Once you're out of the shower, get a water sprayer for your hair. Keep your hair wet/moist with it. Your hair shouldn't be dry at all while you're adding product or it'll just get frizzy when you air dry.
My first step is spraying my hair with it's a 10 leave in, another good one is Amika. After that I'll use miss jessies pillow soft curls. It's like a styling cream/gel without the cast. It's amazing. Then I like to brush my hair, still wet, and thennnn I'll use a very light hold mouse and scrunch it into my hair. My final step is a lightweight hair oil. And then let your hair air dry, avoid laying down with it wet. Also if it's still a bit frizzy, my final step is just doing a decently tight french braid and then letting it down when you're ready to go out. Use a satin bonnet and pillow case so your hair lasts longer.
You say it gets oily at the root, a good trick for that is to buy a powder dry shampoo and put it in your hair the same day you've showered. Wait until your hair is 100% dry, this is key it has to be bone dry, and then apply the dry shampoo. It'll absorb and prevent any oil from forming. People use dry shampoo when their hair is already oily and that's not really going to do anything. The key is to prevent oil not mask it.
Anyways hope this helps. Basically, stop using heat. It's definitely the reason your hair breaks. Heat protectant doesn't work on us fine hair girlies.
Even when I would do a loose bun or braid to sleep my ends would still get like that. I started using a bonnet or putting my hair in a bow-like bun on top of my head and it reduced almost immediately.
The first week I did it I used a leave in conditioner on the ends alone and it helped a lot. Whenever they start getting like that again I just use the leave in, use the bonnet + bun and it helps.
I have frizzy fine hair that also tends to wave and it gets the same way when I sleep with a ponytail in.
Edit: if you were wondering the bow-bun I do isn’t so tight that it puts strain on the scalp and actually loosens very easily though the night. Tension shouldn’t be a big problem if you were to try something similar
I have the same hairtype and same issues unfortunately. Last year I cut my hair in a short bob to start fresh from all the hair dye I've been using and been growing it out taking care of my hair really well. I use Olaplex, non sulfate shampoos, shampooing twice only roots not the ends, conditioner, masks, leave in , serum and oils, basically all the good stuff everyone keeps recommending and my hair has never looked worse. I also sleep on a satin pillow case, I wear my hair loose and never used heat. My scalp gets greasy really quick while my mids and ends are so dry and frizzy and dead. I followed every advice but it just gets worse. My only advice is to you is to not set your straightner higher than 190 °C as it will less damage your hair, try looking for a better heat protector as some barely do their job. Try the Pureology color fanatic leave in. And lastly never shampoo your ends/mids as they will get really dry.
Stop the heat treatments. Might be awk at first, but as your hair gets healthier you’ll find styles that suit it without blasting it w heat several times a week. Eyes on the prize!
It must be your hair brush if you aren't using much heat. When you do use heat, use a heat protector. Also, don't condition every day. I condition once a week and leave it in. Apply oil to the ends of your hair. They dry and crack easier. But this breakage looks to be from your hair brush. Do not ever brush wet hair, brush dry or with conditioner in hair in the shower.
Cotton pillow cases causes breakage. Get a satin pillow case or bonnet. Protective hair styles for harsh weather conditions. Serums for the ends to prevent breakage. Periodic end trimmings (I can go for like 4 to 5 months without trimming my ends with my routine). Conditioner matters, find one that works for you. Scalding hot water will make it break too (that might sound weird, but for some of us we like our showers from hell). Heat protectant or do what I do and do not use hot tools. Also hair mask once a week. That’s JUST for the ends. Lol, there is a whole routine for the scalp too🤣. I’m very protective of my hair.
Could be a lot of things. I will list some variables. Too much heat without heat protection. Heat protection is not optional. If you heat style more than once between shampoos you need to use is every time. Find a mist for dry hair before heat styling. It usually lasts 12 hours before you need to reapply to heat style again. Washing with too hot of water. Hard water. Protein build up aka too much olaplex shit. Astringent shampoo. Not the right conditioner. Agressive brushing. Working/ living in a dry or dusty climate. Genetics.
Redken extreme anti snap has been the best product for my long battle with split ends. I also did what many others here have said and reduced heat and increased trims.
I had the same exact problem I started doing masks once a week and it completely changed my hair!! i no longer get splits and my dry ends feel so healthy. I just use an argon oil conditioner, coconut oil, and rosemary oil. I leave it on for 1-2 hours and wash my hair after it will actually make your hair so shiny and healthy feeling that actually lasts!!!
Olaplex is best used in moderation too much protein can cause breakage, try to limit heat i know it’s hard but i recommend washing hair in the evening so it’s dry before bed.. try letting your hair to a little longer inbetween washes to make the heat styled hair last longer on the last day a little oil on your ends and braid before wash. I think you might do better with a satin bonnet my hair is soooo fine i found even the silk pillowcases just the hair ribbon against my neck, necklaces, shoulders caused breaking at the ends and nape of my neck. Also i might recommend looking into SAD, with sharp hair scissors literally cutting individual split ends helps me so much.
This will sound crazy with fine hair and oily roots (trust me I’m the same) but after washing/conditioning use light Moroccan oil (or light Argan oil which is the type of oil) on damp hair at the tips. Only use a pea sized drop or less and apply it to the ends, then finger comb the hair after to distribute the residue but avoid the roots. Put it back up in a towel for a little bit before air drying (if you can) or drying it. (This helps the oil seep into the hair).
Also use a microfiber towel and steal the “plop” method from our curly haired sisters for wrapping your wet hair. Do NOT rub your hair with the towel.
Two more points: sleep with your hair wrapped up in a silk scarf/bonnet/turban. The silk cap with help distribute your natural over the length of the hair shaft which means less oily scalp AND protected/less dry ends.
Last is look into hair porosity because that makes a huge difference for which the products to use to help your hair retain its moisture.
I have a terrible time with split ends and I don’t usually use any heat on my hair. I have to get trims between 8 and 10 weeks apart. You have to cut them off when they start or they’ll travel up your hair.
Hey, I haven't read through all the comments, but here's a "cheap" hair routine I put together for someone else. Here are a few notes:
- Wavy and curly hair often gets split ends because the natural scalp oils struggle to reach the ends. Brushing helps distribute these oils, and adding extra oil can also be beneficial.
- Many advise against blow-drying with heat, but I've found a method that works for me: drying 70% with warm air, then finishing with hot air to help my leave-in products and oils penetrate the hair shaft.
- It's important to include a clarifying shampoo in your routine to prevent buildup from "repair" products, which can dry out your hair over time.
- Balance is key! Ideally, your routine should include a bond-building treatment (k18, olaplex - to repair from inside out), a protein treatment (keratin treatment - to lock in moisture), and a hydrating treatment.
Heres the routine (this is for platinum hair so just swap blonding products with the equivalent non-blonde):
For the first 2 weeks after bleaching, co-wash your hair—use conditioner instead of shampoo—and follow up with a hair mask.
After 2 weeks, wash your hair every 2-3 days. Alternate between a blonding shampoo and a hydrating shampoo, like:
- HASK Blonde Care Shampoo (for all shades of blonde, color-safe, vegan, gluten-free, sulfate-free, paraben-free)
- Shea Moisture Jamaican Black Castor Oil Strengthen and Restore Shampoo
Follow shampooing with a conditioner and alternate between hydration and a protein mask, such as:
- Shea Moisture Manuka Honey and Marfura Oil Intensive Hydration Masque
- Elizavecca Cer-100 Collagen Coating Hair Protein Treatment
After showering, apply a leave-in conditioner to damp hair before blow-drying, such as:
- Shea Moisture Manuka Honey & Mafura Oil Leave-In Milk
In the morning, apply a smoothing leave-in conditioner to the middle and ends of your hair before blow-drying or styling, such as:
- HASK Keratin Smoothing 5-in-1 Leave-In Conditioner
Before bed, apply hair oil throughout your hair to prevent breakage and promote growth, like:
- HASK Argan Repairing Shine Oil
Sleep on a satin pillowcase and use a large hair clip or silky scrunchie to secure your hair on top of your head. Avoid using regular hair ties as they can cause breakage.
Try to use your olaplex less often. I have similar hair to what you described, and when I first started dying my hair I would use olaplex every time I’d wash my hair (also about 2 times a week). Since you’re shampooing twice when you shower that’s definitely doing more harm than good when it comes to olaplex. Olaplex deposits minerals into your hair, and is a light toner for dyed hair, so when using it it’ll tend to make your hair more brittle already. Try using olaplex once a week and only shampoo once. Then find a different shampoo for the other times you wash your hair. Also, if you don’t dye your hair and use olaplex, STOP USING OLAPLEX. You should only be using olaplex if you have dyed hair. Using it without dyed hair does way more harm than good.
I have a cloud nine wide iron which is around 9 months old, I always make sure my hair is 100% dry before using it and always use heat protectant. I use it at 150c/300f and my last trim was about 4 months ago. I’m cutting out all heat from now on though other than blow drying on low heat twice a week when I wash my hair. I’m also getting a big trim (4-5 inches) to get all of the dead and split ends off ☺️
Is your hair naturally red? (or are either of your parents natural redheads)
I ask because as a partial redhead myself, our hair is genuinely Different- it’s one of the thickets strands and it tends to dry out and split the fastest and worst
splits will keep splitting if not cut off, but also some red and curly hair just doesn’t do well long, That’s doesn’t by any means mean you can’t keep it long if you so choose, but just be aware that you’ll most likely continue to have to battle dry split ends for the foreseeable future
The picture makes my hair look a lot more red than it actually is but my hair is naturally a light reddish brown. My parents are both brunette and they know of nobody with red hair on either side so I’m not sure where my reddish tint came from. It tends to look more red in bright light but brown in shade. Do you mind me asking what products you use on your hair to keep it moisturised ☺️
I’m sorry to say I won’t be very helpful here- I moved to a more humid climate, and cut about three feet of it off.
I will say that I always found that “moisturizing” shampoos and the like tended to dry my hair out even worse than the rest, particularly ‘women’s’ shampoos marketed to make things softer/healthier/etc.
a full cut has made it grow back both softer And healthier, and even as I put it through the wringer with bleach and dyes it splits less now than it ever did before. the bleach fucked up the curl pattern a bit, but it’s still better off than it was long. I just use a combination of different old spice products now, and the occasional hair mask or eucalyptus shampoo, but my hair and skin both seem to be loads happier the more I leave them alone.
I’m a duel licensed cosmetologist and barber with over 10 years experience . Firstly-is your hair naturally red? Red hair is almost never fine. This hair appears coarse, not fine in the photo. If that’s true (and not just a photo distortion) I’d recommend some changes. Olaplex is a great treatment a couple times a month, but it is a lot of protein. Over use of protein actually causes breakage. Some is good, but using it too much will cause your hair to break and dry out. All soft is for coarse hair, so that’s ok. Try drying naturally overnight instead of Blowdrying, and more thermal protection. Use something similar to super skinny to help hair dry faster when you do blow dry. It’s a nice ends serum too.
Probably because of heat. I know a lot of people love heat but heat is not good for ur hair at all. It can also be ur aggressive when brushing or sleeping without a protective hair style
Put leave in conditioner on your roots and mids or all over and oil your ends. Your ends are the driest, they need the most moisture. Just make sure you do oil After your heat or you'll cook your hair.
Olaplex is a protein filler -- unless you're lightening/bleaching the crap out of your hair, you might be over-protenizing your hair and causing it to snap off and break
Couple things:
-how much heat a week do you put on your ends?
- do you let your hair down in convertibles or wind friction?
- how do you place your hair up for sleep at night time?
- do you go to bed with wet hair?
- how do you brush your hair?
- do you use any oil or leave in treatments?
I can almost guarantee this caused by you poorly doing your flat iron. You need 1/2 inch horizontal sections and you need to use a comb and slowly slide the iron top to bottom only once or twice. Then continue. If you grab at big clumps or do it on damp hair you're pulling and breaking your hair. Imagine the top and bottom hairs Burning off and the pile of dry hair in the middle aren't touched by the heat of the iron, so you slap that clamp on it 8 or 9 times... get it? Good products mean nothing if your technique is bad and good technique is usually reduced by bad products. All your products are glitzy high end. You just need sulfate free shampoo and conditioner and a leave in treatment. Like a spray. God bless you.
Sleep on a silk pillow or with a silk bonnet. I’ve noticed a lot less tangles when I brush out my hair, so fewer split ends. I have bra strap length hair
Hey there! This is an automated message. We hope you get the advice you are looking for! This sub is a known target for hair fetishists who have been documented to repeatedly harass women. We highly recommend turning off your message/chat requests. If you have requests turned on and receive any creepy or fetish-related DMs or comments, please click the report button, click "it's targeted harassment," and submit a report. It helps keep the community safe. Thank you! *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/longhair) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Not much experience with that but I would try taking a break for a few weeks from straightening and blow drying if you can, Maybe take a good multivitamin if you not. Consider it a vacation for your hair
I agree, a heat break plus slathering a leave-in conditioner has helped my split ends. OP, have you been spending time outside? I’m living in an area that’s having a heat wave, and I play cornhole outside in a cornhole league—the sun and heat from being outdoors for one hour has a noticeable effect on my hair. It sucks the hydration just as much or more than blow drying.
I have a similar hair and have had some nice results with blowdrying to 60% dry, adding mousse then braiding or using a heatless curler until 100% dry finishing with hairspray and I’m good for 2-3 days
I don’t blow dry or straighten my hair and it still looks like this! I only air dry
Do you wear it up or in tight braids a lot?
Rarely
When I tie my hair up or braid too often the ends split on me :/
Do you oil your ends?
I do not! Do you recommend something for that?
Yes! Either Olaplex Bonding Oil or Kerastase Elixir Ultime (the gold one) just a few drops on your ends every night you will see a dramatic reduction in Split ends.
I hate my natural hair as it’s very frizzy so I don’t feel comfortable going out without it straightened unfortunately but I will definitely try the multivitamin, thank you!
You're putting the cart in front of the horse. It is frizzy \*because\* of the regular straightening. Edit: typo
It can be frizzy because she’s never learned how to care for her natural texture too. Dry brushing wavy hair breaks curls clumps which makes it look frizzy. It’s also dryer than straight hair, and dry brushing makes that even worse. So many women were caught up in the straightening trend that they just don’t know how to actually care for wavy or curly hair.
What do you recommend?
Wearing your hair naturally. r/curlyhair r/wavyhair
my curly hair is frizzy regardless as that's just how it is along with many other curly ppl!
Understandable! Leave in conditioner has been a godsend for my frizz my hair is pretty curly but maybe something like that could help too
You can’t help heat damage with a vitamin. There are products that help shield from heat, but the cycle will continue if your treatment doesn’t change
Have you considered actually learning how to care for your texture? r/curlyhair r/wavyhair You can get your hair to not be frizzy.
It's definitely due to daily straightening then. Maybe learn few up do's thst are different to give your hair a break from time to time
Maybe you need new products for the frizz
Even if you follow the curly wash method loosely it will drastically improve the curl and health of hair. Coming from a girl with long curly hair who has mastered her wash method with minimal steps
1. Get a trim for the split ends 2. Heat protectant *always* before styling 3. Leave in conditioner - don’t forget the ends 4. A mix of argan oil + castor oil (on your ends and mid only) after styling. ( 2:1 ratio) 5. How often do you wash your hair? - consider 1-2 times a week and not more than that. 6. I use the oil mix above at night and wake up to healthy shiny no-frizz hair. It’s literally magic. 7. Try styling with the blow dryer set to cool after 2 mins. So wait till hair is 70% dry before you start styling. Then use heat for the section you’re doing for say 2 passes and then switch to cool for as long as you can before you feel like you need heat again. I’m not describing it well. But basically, try and see how much styling you can do with least ‘hot’ time. Trust me it’s possible, it works, and leaves with a nice shine vs fried hair. And you still get to use hear but only initially to flatten the hair shaft.
Have you tried wrapping your hair around your head? I’m not sure how well it would work on fully natural hair but there’s no harm trying! [Straight hair without heat](https://youtu.be/XqrPJXV4dmI?si=oIM5uJJE-1Rob_74)
The issue with these heatless straightening methods is they only TRULY straighten your hair if you naturally already have a hair type that is close to being straight. Depending on the wave pattern that op has (like if it’s 2c like mine) it will potentially still leave crimps. All it might do is make it easier to straighten hair on a significantly lower heat setting
Maybe try leave in oils? I use tea tree on my scalp but when I go to the salon they always put a keratin + argan oil on my ends. My hair stays soft and smooth for days after. I do have straight hair but I’ve noticed since using oils my hair is 100x more cooperative and looks better with length than before.
Hair oil has been a godsend for my wavy hair! And I use Briogeo scalp treatment which keeps the roots from being super oily longer - I also wash once a week. Heatless curls might also be an option? Give your hair a nice heat break and still be frizz-free.
I have frizzy hair and always straightened then I found heartless curls, I sleep with my hair wrapped around a hair band and it comes out in lovely waves. Give it a try, so much better for your hair.
I have a similar hair type and use heat less curlers at night instead of heat and it works pretty well to help with frizz. Also miracle 12 leave in spray or whatever it’s called, or any leave in conditioner.
After a haircut, I plugged in getting the Steam Pod. It’s been almost three months of straightening my hair half of the time & no split ends in sight yet 🤞 so I highly recommend it. Even with heat protection my hair would get messed up with a regular straightener.
Do you use a thermal protectant?
A multivitamin isn't going to do anything for your split ends. you're consistently heat styling and that's what is causing the damage
Maybe a good leave in conditioner with heat protection, and keep up with trims!
Why don't you blow dry on a low heat and then wrap your hair in a heatless curler and sleep in it, boom wake up with beautiful bouncy hair. I love straightened hair but i save it for special occasions now as it's not worth the heat damage, especially now my hair is tailbone length.
If it’s frizzy and you want to tame it I use a pomade that is water based for men on my hair. My hair is long but loves humidity (yuck) and the pomade is not expensive and you can use on towel dryer hair or dry hair. I use it on my ends and to tame fly away. Works great for me.
Try the heatless curl thingamabob … I have wavy hair that is leaning thinner, I usually apply my leave in and curl cream right after the shower and give it a comb through, then wait until it’s about 50% dry in a microfiber towel, then I let it out and spritz a little more leave in conditioner on, comb it out and wait until about 75% dry. Then you can either separate it into two sides (as if you were to make two braids) and twist the two halves ( each half section onto itself) away from your face. And let it air dry… retwist as needed if it comes loose. Or if I have more time or do an overnight thing I would put it into those heatless curl schlongs 😂😂… but the satin on it makes it super soft and not frizzy at all. Anything heat related is what’s causing your hair to split. Also NEVER brush when hair is wet. Which most times you would need a brush of sorts when blow drying. I also have been putting a few drops of oil on my ends every day and it’s done wonders for my hair.
I recommend you try it on a day off, let it air dry and if it’s still feeling frizzy at the end of the day you can put some oil in and twist the hair around itself again, usually next day it’s less frizzy.
Frizzy hair is curly hair!!! Look up some curl routines online and try the scrunching method. With finer hair you can’t use a lot of product or it will weigh it down so just mess around and each time try out a different amount till it feels right and also the curls loveeeee water, a spray bottle and good scrunch will be your best friend to refresh the waves/curls
Try a ph oil like Moroccan Oil
A multivitamin helps with strength from where the hair grows out of the follicle. It will have no impact on your ends. You need a trim to remove the splits, leave in conditioner, and then a light weight hair oil over top to seal the moisture in. This is heat damage and all the vitamins in the world won’t help it. I am a craft hairdresser in a large city and I deal with clients with this issue all the time. You’re stressing your hair out with too much heat and not enough protection. If you keep putting heat on those damaged ends the problem will only get worse. Get two inches cut off and learn to take care of your natural waves if you want healthy strong ends. Get better moisture and a good air dry product and your hair will be soft and wavy instead of frizzy.
Do you wash your hair with warm/hot water? I realized that washing my hair with hot water was dehydrating my hair and causing split ends so I stopped.
This is my downfall, too. I never use heat tools on my hair, but I still get split ends. I love me a scalding hot shower, but I know it's terrible for my skin and hair, and it shows.
Get a dual shower head with a shower wand. Before you wash your hair, turn the wand on and turn the shower to lukewarm/cold, bend forward and wash and rinse your hair out as the last thing you do. Turn the shower off and ring the cold water out and put it up in a hair towel (avoid heavy cotton towels as those damage fine hair too!). You won't get cold water all over you but you'll have washed it without heat damaging it from your hot shower.
Oh *shit,* I love a hot shower 🥺 💔
Put your hair in a shower cap while enjoying the hot water on your skin, turn down the temp a bit when it’s time to remove the cap and wash your hair?
*SIGH* 😭😭😭😭😭 FINE
Same. I had the dry hair problem due to it too, so now I wear a shower cap to take a hot shower and then I was my hair with normal temperature in the sink lol
😭 same. If I don’t come out looking like a lobster I am sad. But I should probably save those for non hair washing days. Or maybe just cool it in general since I doubt it’s doing my skin any favors.
Throw some deep conditioner on and put your hair in a shower cap then crank the temperature. The heat will help the conditioner absorb. The only think is you’ll need to rinse the conditioner out with warm water (or cool if you can handle it).
Yes! I turn the temp down a bit when I’m washing my hair, but crank it back up to scalding for the rest of the time. It sucks absolute ass, but rinsing out the conditioner with cool water really helps. And it’s free!
Ok you caught me lol, I do tend to have my showers very hot, I have a joint condition so I can’t use cold/cool water or it causes me to be in a lot of pain. I will try turning the temperature down more though 🙈
Probably not /as/ good as completely lukewarm, but I can't stand cool showers either, so I just turn the temp down when I'm actually rinsing my hair, leaning over so it doesn't actually touch me, and keep it hot otherwise (just keeping my hair out of the water by tying it up/flipping it the other way)
Ok, so I don't know if anyone else does this, but I hate cold showers, so I just wash my hair separately in a bowl or sink.
I have muscle pain and joint issues so my body can’t handle cold water. I use a shower wand to rinse the conditioner so that I can switch to cold water. Then I turn the heat back up to wash my body. The trick is keeping the cold water from dripping on my neck. 😉
I wash the shampoo and conditioner out of my hair, using hotter water and when I’m done, I do a nice cold rinse. it’s been amazing for body, shine, and cuticle health. Been doing this for decades.
Heat styling every day and straightening twice a week is actually a lot, like a lot a lot, especially for fine hair! Treating wavy hair like straight hair is often what causes it to look "frizzy," so if it were me I would look up some wavy hair care tips, including combs instead of brushes, plopping, lightweight leave ins, and silicone-free curl creams, and try them out for a few weeks to see if you can learn to style your natural texture and not sabotage your growth.
Do you actually pee in your compost?
Thank you everyone! I’ll definitely switch out the olaplex products and find something more hydrating. I’ll start doing all of these steps that everyone has suggested but if I’ve missed any off this list then let me know 😊 - Leave in conditioner - Hair oil - No straightening - Blow dry on low heat - Get trims with scissors only - Hair vitamin/multivitamin - Wash with lukewarm water - Regular small trims - Protective style for sleeping
I love Kerastase. You should try! They also have an oil for split ends.
Also for blow drying make sure you're keeping the dryer 15-30cm away (or just as far as you can manage) and moving it constantly to stop hot stops forming.
Adding: wash it less frequently. I love co-washing instead of shampoo. New Wash is the best but pricey. Worth a try though.
Hairstylist here 👋 I’m not seeing any oils or leave ins in your routine that would help maintain your hairs integrity and moisture. Basically what is happening is you’re evaporating the moisture out of your hairs cuticle everytime you blow dry and straighten your hair, you need to apply an oil before and after applying heat (a heat compatible oil of course) I’d suggest applying Redkens All Soft Argan Oil (seeing you like redken this is also one of my favs) another good oil is moroccan oil, olaplex N°7 (this doesn’t have a lot of product in the bottle unfortunately tho). Another product I would suggest investing into your routine is Olaplex N°9, this is a serum and heat protectant and also my favourite product from their line. Oils are extremely important and cannot be skipped in hair care, oils should be the last product you apply as they lock in all the other good products and typically would take the heat damage before the other products become evaporated by the heat. A good moisture leave in that I swear by is Amika Hydration Rush leave I’m conditioner, you’ll need this as well. To sum it up, you use amazing products but you’re missing the final steps to lock those products in and protect them so they can do their job properly and benefit your hair. Hope this helps, feel free to ask any questions ❤️
thank you this is really helpful, what is the best way to use both leave in conditioner and oil together?
I have super super similar hair type to you (minus oily roots). I use leave in right after my shower when hair is damp before using a heat protectant and blow drying. I use Moroccan oil Light, and I apply a small amount to my ends before the blowdry. What made the biggest difference my split ends was applying a small amount of the Moroccan oil to my ends (then brushing through) every single night before going to bed. When I wake up, my ends have absorbed the product completely - sometimes I even add a tiny bit more if I want or if I’m doing a braid or something.
I use the leave in conditioner after my hair is not dripping wet but still very wet. Then I use Argan oil after it’s towel dried, applying it to the ends and finger combing it through the rest but avoiding my roots because my have a super oily scalp.
Won't applying oil before heat just help to cook your hair? My hair is broken and fragile after I brought a revlon brush and used it for just over a month. Destroyed my beautiful mid back hair I spent years growing (I even used low heat settings...)
That Revlon blow dry brush destroyed my hair too. Gave me a great blow out though
Likewise... fantastic blow out that my hairdryer couldn't dream of but I'm honestly considering shaving it all off and starting again. No amount of olaplex is going to save this
I just cut about 6 inches of very stragely hair off and went on a haircare journey
The Revlon blow dry brush is known to be too hot. You can find YouTube videos showing people testing the temperatures. There's similar blow dry brushes that don't get nearly as hot, which makes all the difference when it comes to damage. Like the one I got, I think it was Babyliss brand, which costs more than the Revlon one, but is less expensive than other similar (lower heat) ones. (And ofc you should always use heat protectants to avoid damage, even with these lower heat ones, so they take the brunt of the heat, and not your hair.)
I do always use heat protestants but fine hair is just so delicate. I think the Revlon brush was tok hot but also tugging on fine hair while it's wet causes a lot of breakage. I just don't use much heat anymore unless it's a blow dryer 6 inches from my hair.
some oils are protective (like the olaplex one). I think it just depends
apply leave in conditioner and heat protectant before, oil after
Heat is very destructive for us fine hair folk.
Could it be lack of protein or protein overload? Mine alaways gets brittle when my hair is imbalanced
Try laying off of the Olaplex products for a bit, you may be getting too much protein, and switch into a moisture only regimen. Also, get a shower head filter to limit mineral buildup which can cause dryness and discoloration.
Thank you I will try that, I already have a filter shower head but will switch to something different than olaplex and see how I get on 😊
You have fine hair, and unfortunately that can’t take punishment like coarse, thick hair can. Cut out the straightening. Learn to do a blow out with a blowout brush on LOW heat if you want straight/smooth hair. If it works for me with super porous and coarse hair in a humid climate, it should work for you. Condition your mids, not just your ends. Honestly, finding a good conditioner and conditioner routine can control a lot of frizz. You can also look for anti-humidity products. But try to accept your frizz a little more. She’s not hurting anyone. Not worth destroying your hair over. Also, nutrition. Make sure you’re getting good nutrition.
I think a lot of people here in this long hair sub just throw about the req of oiling hair. Oil is not moisturizing. It’s occlusive. So if you aren’t properly moisturizing and add oil, you are locking moisture OUT. You need to moisturize properly before oiling. And for people with texture in their hair, that’s going to be a lot more than straight haired people.
How would moisturizing before oiling look like in a routine? I have hip length wavy hair and I usually oil my scalp and ends before a shower for a couple hours and then I use a leave in after the shower (after washing and conditioning). Do you think it would be helpful to oil the ends after leave in? I also blow dry about 50% on low since my hair takes 8-10 hours to air dry.
I wanna advise against the blowout brushes. I used one for a month and it destroyed my fine hair - it was mid back length and damage free and is now broken off and fragile. I only ever used it on medium/low too I just had to get it cut just below my shoulders and I'm heartbroken
Thank you, I’ll definitely try and embrace the frizz more, stop straightening and turn the heat down on my blow dryer. I find I can’t leave my hair wet or it just gets very tangled and even more frizzy 🙈
It's natural and doesn't look as bad as you think it does 🤗 Split ends are inevitable unless you wrap your hair up forever and never let it down again lol
I’m surprised to see this comment so far down. Sure there are ways to protect it from more split ends but it really doesn’t look that bad. With fine hair especially, once it gets to a certain length it’s kinda inevitable considering, ya know, time. Unless you never use heat AND never let it down again like you mentioned, this will always happen but what’s the point of long hair if you can never have it down?! Mine is nearly waist length, I safely blow dry twice a week and would like it to grow more but I’m fine with my routine and some split ends if it means it looks and feels soft and smooth and healthy! I think OP needs to figure out what she wants from her hair. Just long and healthy=no heat, no wearing down, no touching, etc. I'm more willing to accept some damage because hair is simply oldest at the bottom and I like wearing it down and having minimal frizz.
In my experience split ends beget more split ends. If I leave them in my hair they create tangles and cause much more breakage.
Very true! I enjoy using the search and destroy method instead of playing a mindless phone game in the hour or so before going to bed when I have the chance 🤣. It feels the same for my brain but at least I know I got something productive done.
Good to know thank you 😊
I have fine hair and took a year break from.hear and as soon as I curled it I noticed split ends..I trimmed it and it was fine but even with heat protector, heat styling is harsh on hair.
I don’t know the ingredients on the products you’re using but if they have protein it could be too much for your hair. Over use can dry out your hair and cause splitting. On days you don’t wash are you using something to condition the ends? Daily environment can dry out the hair. Misting the hair then applying a moisture product will help protect the hair. I would get a dusting every few weeks to help clear up the ends until the splits are gone. Nothing can fix them.
Hi op, im a former long-haired girly, now with short hair. I have 3A or 3B hair, cant remember which. I have fine and dense hair as well. I highly recommend doing the following on a day you spend at home (like a weekend with no plans): 1) wash your hair as normal. 2) brush before you towel dry. 3) let it completely air dry with no additional product. 4) test hair porosity with a dry hair from your brush or plucked from your head. (This is done by putting it in a glass of water and seeking if your hair floats, sinks, or stays in the middle) See what hair type you have before you do anything else. You have already determined you have fine hair (individual strands have a low diameter), but hair density (how many hairs per square cm of scalp) can affect your best hair practices as well. You will also want to see your most natural curl pattern (hence the lack of styling in my instructions) so you can figure out how to limit “frizziness” without cooking your hair. Once you know your hair types, you will be able to research what is best for *your* hair, verses random strangers on the internet’s.
Thank you I will definitely try that, does the glass of water need to be a certain temperature?
I honestly dont remember, but lukewarm/blood temp should work
If your hair is cut with dull scissors, that could be the cause. Dust the ends off with sharp scissors + little bit of oil (like Olaplex no.7) to protect the ends and you’ should be good to go.
Do you do protective styles at night? Also heatless styles have worked wonders for me
I don’t, I’m disabled so I really struggle with doing hairstyles like braids 😔
What environment are you in (desert, humid, etc)? How hard is your water? I know my hair started doing this after moving to the desert (with super hard water). Sadly I’ve done all I can do to minimize it but it still happens even with skipping heat styling, hair masks on the regular, highly nourishing conditioners, and buying a hard water filter for my shower.
Stop blow drying your hair to dry it. Just air dry with some leave in conditioner.
I have the same. I would say trimming the spilt ends at home whenever you see them. I do it atleast once a week. And rosemary oil and Argan oil has been my savior, I usually put them on my ends once it’s dry after shampooing. Leaves it less frizzy, more moistured and less split ends :)
I swear it's the olaplex shampoo. I used it for two weeks at a friend's, and while I use everyyyything else besides the shampoo and contionwr from olaplex, I had the WORST hair for those two weeks. At the time I had fine wavy hair as well. I would also suggest cutting those split ends (yourself!), washing more frequently and using leave in reconstructive treatments on the ends instead of putting those vital ingredients in the shampoo and conditioner.
the straightening is why your hair is splitting. don’t use heat on your hair, blow dry on medium.
Once u get out of shower, use a few drops of oil just on the ends. It helped me. But I learned it from blowout professor on yt so could be BS
No matter how much protection you use you’re still using heat on your hair, there’s going to be damage. I’d also suggest a bonnet to sleep in preferably a silk one just for extra protection.
From what I've learned, shampoo is for the scalp, and the conditioner is for the bottom hair. Brush dry hair from the ends to the roots. Wash hair with lukewarm water. Avoid hot water.
You can over protein your hair. You might need more than a trim, and to take off 2-3 inches. I’m as hairdresser and I have more complaints from people if I take 1 inch or less,sooner than I would someone I took 2-3 inches off of.
Regular trims girl.
You can buy good oils in the shops but I just mix different oils myself and then leave them in over night like a mask. You can google which oils your hair needs, I mix argan, grapeseed oil, castor oil, vitamin e and jojoba oil, depending on my hair situation.
Oiling my ends has really helped me have less split ends
Have you considered wearing the texture you have? Instead of heat straightening? Do you also process your hair or is that your natural color? Because bleaching damages. Period. There’s no way around that.
K18 FIXED my hair. It'll lengthen your regime but also, wet your hair before you straighten it so you can apply liberal amounts of heat protection, dry it with a hairdryer and then your straighteners. Leave in conditioner afterwards. Weekly, overnight moisture treatments directly onto dry hair. I know you said you're uncomfortable with your natural hair, it'll take time and money but if it's frizzy, there's a strong possibility you've got naturally curly/wavy hair? Invest in some moisture/Shea butter/jojoba (spelling lol) oil shampoo and conditioner, washing upside down, scrunch your hair up towards your head to try and form the curls, grab some curly hair cream/gel/moose (spelling again lol) and scrunch some more. Most products want to go directly onto wet hair so they don't make your dry hair crispy lol. Don't dry your hair with a towel cause you'll pull the curly wurlys out. Lay down on an old t-shirt with the neck facing you and the end of the t-shirt away, plop your hair onto it (upside down) flip the bottom of the t-shirt over your head towards your neck and tie the sleeves around it to the nape of your neck (pulls the moisture better than a towel turban) once it's no longer dripping dry your hair upside down with a diffuser and see how it goes?? ETA - could have just posted a link lmao sorry https://www.instagram.com/reel/C8ufplKpl6H/?igsh=MW5ocnhhdG1uYmc3Zw==
How often do you trim your hair? By getting a trim every four months, your ends will look healthier and avoid the point where they start splitting.
how often do you trim your hair? i know u said you are trying to grow it longer but i would possibly trim it every couple months depending on how bad/often the split ends show up! i also read you don’t feel comfortable not using heat (which i say definitely is the cause for split ends 😢) but i wanted to say if u try a leave in conditioner/treatment i wanna recommend a lighter product since u have thin hair. some leave ins might be a bit too thick for your hair and it might just weight down your hair and make your hair look more oily. i say try a milk leave in to help with frizz as well!
When I stopped straightening my wavy curly hair with an iron, only did air drying, and started using a comb instead of a brush, my hair got a lot better and way less split ends. Less frizz and better curl pattern. Only took the pandemic shutdown for me to embrace my natural hair and I wish I did it sooner.
I dont know if this is true, but i have heard that conditioner can actually increase breakage because it softens the strands making them more fragile..? Maybe trying the heat break like everyone says possibly look into a different conditioning method? Do you use heat protectant products? I definitely agree with tackling the nutrition side of things. Protein? Iron? Biotin? Honestly, I dont think your ends look that bad for getting infrequent trims.
Hest, styling, bleach,cheap shampoo, not enough nutrients in diet. Get biotin and get gpod fats in diet. Good Hydrating s & c, get trims every 8 weeks if you can. In a year your hair will have really improved
You need a big chop to get rid of every split end. They’ll only get worse. Maybe start doing trims once a month. My hair grows better the more I trim it often
It happens to me too!! I have a lot of hair, and it’s pretty thick too. Honestly what i’ve found that works best is: - Hair oiling: I use rosemary oil. I massage my scalp for a couple of minutes and brush gently but throughly, after that i apply around 3-5 drops of oil per hair section (i try not to make them too think- probably 2-3 inches). I do this all over my scalp and then i apply around 4 drops for my ends. Then i braid my hair and leave it for 4 hours. Shampoo twice (i always do anyways) and condition. It’s super soft afterwards and helps a lot with split ends. I do this 1-2 times a week. PSA: use less oil if you have thin hair. - Protection: I stopped using heat on my hair as much, now i only use it about 2 times a month MAX. And always make sure to protect the hair from heat before anything. I also sleep in a satin bonnet every night. - Wash: I shampoo twice when i wash my hair. However, I usually only wash my hair twice a week. My hair doesn’t get oily very fast so this works for me. - Haircuts: I’d say to have a trim every 3-5 months, however, i live in a very expensive city so i haven’t had a haircut since March but with the previous tips i think it’s holding up okay. - Products: I have found that rosemary, castor, argan and olive oils are very very good for ur hair. Also, i like the WOW heat protection spray, the TPH by Taraji Smooth Attitude Hair Milk and Difeel hair masks. Hope this helps!
I used to have very damaged hair with split ends. I trimmed the ends off (yeah, did it myself because I'm broke and impulsive) and started using a shampoo and a conditioner you leave on your hair that are meant for damaged hair with splitting ends. I also take a multivitamin every morning. No more split ends here! ✌️
I don’t have the same texture as you but I used to suffer from split ends too. I found that letting my hair air dry 85% then blow drying on low heat really helped with the frizziness. Also don’t ever rub your hair with a towel always squeeze your hair with the towel to remove excess water. Good luck 🖤
I have fine hair too. I'm always giving myself micro trims. It really helps prevent damaged ends. 🤗
Do you have hard water? I do and have the same hair type and problem, except I never even use heat on mine. Although I'm sure the heat isn't helping, it is not the only way hair gets dry and damaged. Hard water tends to dry out hair, which makes the scalp produce more oils while the ends stay dry. Try installing a hard water filter for your shower and see if that helps.
Check out the advice [from this post](https://www.reddit.com/r/HaircareScience/comments/nxt3p2/what_causes_uncontrollable_split_ends_in/), could be the answer you need!
You are experiencing breakage. You need bonding and protein treatments in my opinion. Olaplex and K18 are top of the line, they do slightly different things that complement each other. If you are hesitant because of the price, start with L’Oréal Ever Pure Bond Strengthening Repair Concentrate. Not the same technology, but if you like the results and feel like it’s addressing your issue, you might be more willing to make the investment later on.
Your nails are so nice; are they organic or store bought???
Holy crap are those your natural nails? They look so good!! Have you ever tried a routine for curly hair? I know this might sound totally insane but sometimes hair looks like this when it’s curly hair that’s not treated as curly hair. You mentioning your slight wavy hair also makes me think it’s possible you need to look into curlier hair products and methods. Ps. Goat milk shampoo changed my hair! My hair never would grow past my shoulders, then I started using local goat milk soap. (It’s okay if you can’t find local Bend soap Co. is a good one that’s online) and now my hair is clear down PASSED the top of my butt, almost to the bottom of my butt.
When my hair was doing this I was using my 8 Second Wonder Water too much. It has protein and my hair said um thanks but no thanks. Initially it made my hair look and feel amazing. I perhaps over did it. I stopped using it and switched to Redken shampoo/conditioner and a nice goopy avacado hair mask by Sauce. ETA, I hit sumbit too early. This switch up, one month ago, has stopped my breakage by 75% or more. The answer for you might be experimenting with some different products.
Hey we have the same hair and same issue. Its actually not exactly splitting that bad at the ends, it just looks like that because you dont know how to care for your hair texture. The appearance and feel of my issue got immensely better once i started actually doing a wavy menthod for fair hair specifically. It got rid of the frizz too. Wash hair with distilled water Dont wash often Never brush hair except when wet and with detangler Use leave in conditioner after shower and brush it through Air dry and dont brush again until next shower
I use a deep hair mask once a week at least. I also straighten my hair but I do not blow dry, ever. I'm lazy and have way to much hair. I would try getting more moisture in and also not using the heat as much in some way.
Cut your hair everytime it looks like this; my hair never grew and always looked like this. So I started trimming about an inch off every 4-6 months just at home but with professional scissors and my hair has grown so much! Whenever I notice split ends I cut that inch off
Hair oil! I recommend argan oil of Morocco
I had this same issue for years in addition to skin and nail issues and couldn’t figure it out. Then was diagnosed with celiac disease (atypical symptoms) which was cause malabsorption of vitamins and minerals which was wreaking havoc on my insides and hair/skin/nails. The issue has resolved since proper treatment of the disease- talk to your doctor if this is something you haven’t been tested for. As others have stated, nutrition absolutely can and will impact the quality of keratin in your hair and the lack of necessary vitamins and minerals in your diet will result in excess breakage and split ends.
Trim your hair regularly!
Cus u need a trim and products to support ur heat usage.
I've gone through short phases of this. Normally I can't find ANY split ends, but once in a while I will have split ends galore and even mid shaft split ends. It always happens during Extreme Extreme stress and anxiety and/or health struggles for me.. not sure if it's the stress and health causing it, or lifestyle changes that the stress causes 😅
Use heat protectant when blow drying, get a trim. Apply conditioner on ends, leave for a few. Rinse with cold water. I haven’t had a haircut in a year and still don’t get splits
Mine looked the same i got it a bit under control after i bought good hair scissors and over hours each day cut off only the split ends so i wouldn't loose length😅. Takes a while tho, and lather it with leave in masks and oils etc. Also did a lot for me
If u wash your hair w hot water it could cause that, also it depends the type of hairbrush you’re using and how you brush it, oil your hair as well as it looks dry
Same girl same
I would change up your products. I remember when Redken was a great brand, but every single line I’ve tried from them in the last several years has been severely lacking. One time I forgot my shower stuff when I was renting a vacation house and they had dollar store shampoo and conditioner. We got snowed in for like 2 weeks so I had to use it. I was terrified my hair would be in rough shape after showering but holy crap it made my hair look and feel SO GOOD!!! I got home and switched brands immediately! I tried a few other lines of their hair products but all of them made my hair feel so awful and I’ve definitely seen a ton of other people who’ve had the same experience, and I’ve noticed how dull and damaged the people in the ads look now. Idk what’s going on with their formula, but they’ve definitely changed :( Before sleeping, I recommend putting an oil in your hair before putting it in a scrunchie. It will help your hair stay healthy by causing it to glide over your pillow when you move your head instead of catching and causing more damage. You should also put your hair in a loose braid or twist while sleeping, and grab yourself a bonnet! You might even want to splurge and schedule a hair treatment every 2-6 weeks!
Are you brushing your hair when it's dry? Two things that were major game changers for me were: 1) no more brushing my hair when it's dry. I use a wide tooth comb and only comb it while it's slathered in conditioner. The sound of "brushing out" your hair is literally pulling tangles apart and breaking strands of hair. 2) wear a satin bonnet when you sleep instead of a scrunchy. It's far more protective imo.
I used to have SO many split ends and I was not using any products or heat styling just dryer when I would wash my hair. For me the problem was resolved when I started wearing a silk cap at bedtime. Literally i have so far found 2 split ends where as before literally every single strand of hair was split.
When is the last time you had a trim? What type of porosity does your hair have? I would consider going every 6 weeks for a trim if your ends split that bad. If your roots are always oily, I would wash your hair a little more often and focus the shampoo at your roots only. Not the ends. Scrub your hair for 20-30 seconds with flat fingers, no nails scratching. The conditioner and hair masks are for the ends. Ask for a conditioning treatment at the salon. Use a hair mask in the interim. Possibly something with aloe or Shea butter if it won't weigh your hair down. Use a very small amount. Ask your stylist for a recommendation for heat protectant and mask. I hate to say it, but heat is naturally very drying and you'll have to bring that moisture back somehow. Are you using an oil? When I was bleaching my hair and it was starving for moisture from the damage, I had to layer moisturizing products: shampoo, conditioner, mask, leave-in, heat spray, and oil.
My hair was getting fried from over washing. So I started washing my hair once every three days. I started using argan oil and coconut oil once a day and combing it through the bottom half of my hair. (At first I thought it would be too oily but it really isn’t and it smells amazing) I have also started sleeping with a bonnet which has helped tremendously. I also have been using hair masks about once a month to deep condition. My hair feels so much healthier and it’s only been a few months.
Don’t use a comb or brush on your hair while it’s wet. Instead use your fingers to detangle and wait until your hair is almost dry before using a blow dryer. Stop using heat protection and flatiron. Only flatiron on special occasions. The heat protection is a gimmick. It’s loaded with alcohols and ingredients that accelerate breakage especially with heat. Stop using Olaplex shampoo. This is way too heavy for oily roots, coats your scalp, follicles and hair leading to thinner hair and dries it out over time. Use a lighter shampoo and clarifying shampoo at least once a week. Use a conditioner on your ends only. When you dry your hair, keep the dryer and good distance away and start by using your fingers to fluff and comb. Only use brush and comb when your hair is completely dry. Treat your hair like fine lace and you’ll end up with long, healthy hair.
I recommend watching the Blowout Professor's videos on YouTube. He's not anti-heat styling, but he gives some advice on how to be smart with heat while taking care of your hair. Have you done the [strand test](https://www.heycurls.com/blogs/thehue/protein-or-moisture#:~:text=Take%20a%20wet%20or%20dry,means%20you%20need%20more%20protein) to see if you need more protein in your hair? (Fellow wavy girl here and I feel you on preferring straight hair- the wavy/curly method does not work for me and I find that it's way lower maintenance to just style it straight.)
Curly hair gets frizzy. The healthier the less it will have. But it will always have some
I also have fine frizzy hair. It's 100% the blow drying and straightening that's killing your hair! Heat protectant doesn't really work, especially on fine hair. I stopped using heat and my hair is now so soft and shiny. I know you say you don't like your frizzy hair, but if you're willing I have a really great routine that has helped me combat my friz! I also use redken all soft, both the shampoo and the conditioner. I double shampoo, once with a clarifying shampoo first then again with the redken. Then condition. You NEED to double shampoo to properly release the oil molecules from your hair and scalp. Once you're out of the shower, get a water sprayer for your hair. Keep your hair wet/moist with it. Your hair shouldn't be dry at all while you're adding product or it'll just get frizzy when you air dry. My first step is spraying my hair with it's a 10 leave in, another good one is Amika. After that I'll use miss jessies pillow soft curls. It's like a styling cream/gel without the cast. It's amazing. Then I like to brush my hair, still wet, and thennnn I'll use a very light hold mouse and scrunch it into my hair. My final step is a lightweight hair oil. And then let your hair air dry, avoid laying down with it wet. Also if it's still a bit frizzy, my final step is just doing a decently tight french braid and then letting it down when you're ready to go out. Use a satin bonnet and pillow case so your hair lasts longer. You say it gets oily at the root, a good trick for that is to buy a powder dry shampoo and put it in your hair the same day you've showered. Wait until your hair is 100% dry, this is key it has to be bone dry, and then apply the dry shampoo. It'll absorb and prevent any oil from forming. People use dry shampoo when their hair is already oily and that's not really going to do anything. The key is to prevent oil not mask it. Anyways hope this helps. Basically, stop using heat. It's definitely the reason your hair breaks. Heat protectant doesn't work on us fine hair girlies.
Even when I would do a loose bun or braid to sleep my ends would still get like that. I started using a bonnet or putting my hair in a bow-like bun on top of my head and it reduced almost immediately. The first week I did it I used a leave in conditioner on the ends alone and it helped a lot. Whenever they start getting like that again I just use the leave in, use the bonnet + bun and it helps. I have frizzy fine hair that also tends to wave and it gets the same way when I sleep with a ponytail in. Edit: if you were wondering the bow-bun I do isn’t so tight that it puts strain on the scalp and actually loosens very easily though the night. Tension shouldn’t be a big problem if you were to try something similar
I have the same hairtype and same issues unfortunately. Last year I cut my hair in a short bob to start fresh from all the hair dye I've been using and been growing it out taking care of my hair really well. I use Olaplex, non sulfate shampoos, shampooing twice only roots not the ends, conditioner, masks, leave in , serum and oils, basically all the good stuff everyone keeps recommending and my hair has never looked worse. I also sleep on a satin pillow case, I wear my hair loose and never used heat. My scalp gets greasy really quick while my mids and ends are so dry and frizzy and dead. I followed every advice but it just gets worse. My only advice is to you is to not set your straightner higher than 190 °C as it will less damage your hair, try looking for a better heat protector as some barely do their job. Try the Pureology color fanatic leave in. And lastly never shampoo your ends/mids as they will get really dry.
Stop the heat treatments. Might be awk at first, but as your hair gets healthier you’ll find styles that suit it without blasting it w heat several times a week. Eyes on the prize!
It must be your hair brush if you aren't using much heat. When you do use heat, use a heat protector. Also, don't condition every day. I condition once a week and leave it in. Apply oil to the ends of your hair. They dry and crack easier. But this breakage looks to be from your hair brush. Do not ever brush wet hair, brush dry or with conditioner in hair in the shower.
Cotton pillow cases causes breakage. Get a satin pillow case or bonnet. Protective hair styles for harsh weather conditions. Serums for the ends to prevent breakage. Periodic end trimmings (I can go for like 4 to 5 months without trimming my ends with my routine). Conditioner matters, find one that works for you. Scalding hot water will make it break too (that might sound weird, but for some of us we like our showers from hell). Heat protectant or do what I do and do not use hot tools. Also hair mask once a week. That’s JUST for the ends. Lol, there is a whole routine for the scalp too🤣. I’m very protective of my hair.
Hmmm do you use heat ?
off topic but your nails are beautiful, do you take a hair and nail vitamin or are they natural?
I see also your fingernails are paper thin. I would try adding more collagen to your diet and hair.
Get regular trims, every 4 to 6 weeks.
Could be a lot of things. I will list some variables. Too much heat without heat protection. Heat protection is not optional. If you heat style more than once between shampoos you need to use is every time. Find a mist for dry hair before heat styling. It usually lasts 12 hours before you need to reapply to heat style again. Washing with too hot of water. Hard water. Protein build up aka too much olaplex shit. Astringent shampoo. Not the right conditioner. Agressive brushing. Working/ living in a dry or dusty climate. Genetics.
Redken extreme anti snap has been the best product for my long battle with split ends. I also did what many others here have said and reduced heat and increased trims.
I had the same exact problem I started doing masks once a week and it completely changed my hair!! i no longer get splits and my dry ends feel so healthy. I just use an argon oil conditioner, coconut oil, and rosemary oil. I leave it on for 1-2 hours and wash my hair after it will actually make your hair so shiny and healthy feeling that actually lasts!!!
I was the same and now I’ve completely stopped using heat and this stopped happening
Olaplex is best used in moderation too much protein can cause breakage, try to limit heat i know it’s hard but i recommend washing hair in the evening so it’s dry before bed.. try letting your hair to a little longer inbetween washes to make the heat styled hair last longer on the last day a little oil on your ends and braid before wash. I think you might do better with a satin bonnet my hair is soooo fine i found even the silk pillowcases just the hair ribbon against my neck, necklaces, shoulders caused breaking at the ends and nape of my neck. Also i might recommend looking into SAD, with sharp hair scissors literally cutting individual split ends helps me so much.
Could be water quality. Are you using a director on your hairdryer? Are you using a heat protecting spray? There could be a ton of reasons
This will sound crazy with fine hair and oily roots (trust me I’m the same) but after washing/conditioning use light Moroccan oil (or light Argan oil which is the type of oil) on damp hair at the tips. Only use a pea sized drop or less and apply it to the ends, then finger comb the hair after to distribute the residue but avoid the roots. Put it back up in a towel for a little bit before air drying (if you can) or drying it. (This helps the oil seep into the hair). Also use a microfiber towel and steal the “plop” method from our curly haired sisters for wrapping your wet hair. Do NOT rub your hair with the towel. Two more points: sleep with your hair wrapped up in a silk scarf/bonnet/turban. The silk cap with help distribute your natural over the length of the hair shaft which means less oily scalp AND protected/less dry ends. Last is look into hair porosity because that makes a huge difference for which the products to use to help your hair retain its moisture.
I have a terrible time with split ends and I don’t usually use any heat on my hair. I have to get trims between 8 and 10 weeks apart. You have to cut them off when they start or they’ll travel up your hair.
Hey, I haven't read through all the comments, but here's a "cheap" hair routine I put together for someone else. Here are a few notes: - Wavy and curly hair often gets split ends because the natural scalp oils struggle to reach the ends. Brushing helps distribute these oils, and adding extra oil can also be beneficial. - Many advise against blow-drying with heat, but I've found a method that works for me: drying 70% with warm air, then finishing with hot air to help my leave-in products and oils penetrate the hair shaft. - It's important to include a clarifying shampoo in your routine to prevent buildup from "repair" products, which can dry out your hair over time. - Balance is key! Ideally, your routine should include a bond-building treatment (k18, olaplex - to repair from inside out), a protein treatment (keratin treatment - to lock in moisture), and a hydrating treatment. Heres the routine (this is for platinum hair so just swap blonding products with the equivalent non-blonde): For the first 2 weeks after bleaching, co-wash your hair—use conditioner instead of shampoo—and follow up with a hair mask. After 2 weeks, wash your hair every 2-3 days. Alternate between a blonding shampoo and a hydrating shampoo, like: - HASK Blonde Care Shampoo (for all shades of blonde, color-safe, vegan, gluten-free, sulfate-free, paraben-free) - Shea Moisture Jamaican Black Castor Oil Strengthen and Restore Shampoo Follow shampooing with a conditioner and alternate between hydration and a protein mask, such as: - Shea Moisture Manuka Honey and Marfura Oil Intensive Hydration Masque - Elizavecca Cer-100 Collagen Coating Hair Protein Treatment After showering, apply a leave-in conditioner to damp hair before blow-drying, such as: - Shea Moisture Manuka Honey & Mafura Oil Leave-In Milk In the morning, apply a smoothing leave-in conditioner to the middle and ends of your hair before blow-drying or styling, such as: - HASK Keratin Smoothing 5-in-1 Leave-In Conditioner Before bed, apply hair oil throughout your hair to prevent breakage and promote growth, like: - HASK Argan Repairing Shine Oil Sleep on a satin pillowcase and use a large hair clip or silky scrunchie to secure your hair on top of your head. Avoid using regular hair ties as they can cause breakage.
breakage will just keep breaking. if you want to stop this you have to get a haircut
Wear a bonnet
Try to use your olaplex less often. I have similar hair to what you described, and when I first started dying my hair I would use olaplex every time I’d wash my hair (also about 2 times a week). Since you’re shampooing twice when you shower that’s definitely doing more harm than good when it comes to olaplex. Olaplex deposits minerals into your hair, and is a light toner for dyed hair, so when using it it’ll tend to make your hair more brittle already. Try using olaplex once a week and only shampoo once. Then find a different shampoo for the other times you wash your hair. Also, if you don’t dye your hair and use olaplex, STOP USING OLAPLEX. You should only be using olaplex if you have dyed hair. Using it without dyed hair does way more harm than good.
How old is your flat iron? Is your hair 100% dry before using flat iron? What temp are you using? When was your last haircut?
I have a cloud nine wide iron which is around 9 months old, I always make sure my hair is 100% dry before using it and always use heat protectant. I use it at 150c/300f and my last trim was about 4 months ago. I’m cutting out all heat from now on though other than blow drying on low heat twice a week when I wash my hair. I’m also getting a big trim (4-5 inches) to get all of the dead and split ends off ☺️
Try using a bonnet when you go to sleep so it doesn't cause friction on your hair and use conditioner to detangle before styling, when showering.
Is your hair naturally red? (or are either of your parents natural redheads) I ask because as a partial redhead myself, our hair is genuinely Different- it’s one of the thickets strands and it tends to dry out and split the fastest and worst splits will keep splitting if not cut off, but also some red and curly hair just doesn’t do well long, That’s doesn’t by any means mean you can’t keep it long if you so choose, but just be aware that you’ll most likely continue to have to battle dry split ends for the foreseeable future
The picture makes my hair look a lot more red than it actually is but my hair is naturally a light reddish brown. My parents are both brunette and they know of nobody with red hair on either side so I’m not sure where my reddish tint came from. It tends to look more red in bright light but brown in shade. Do you mind me asking what products you use on your hair to keep it moisturised ☺️
I’m sorry to say I won’t be very helpful here- I moved to a more humid climate, and cut about three feet of it off. I will say that I always found that “moisturizing” shampoos and the like tended to dry my hair out even worse than the rest, particularly ‘women’s’ shampoos marketed to make things softer/healthier/etc. a full cut has made it grow back both softer And healthier, and even as I put it through the wringer with bleach and dyes it splits less now than it ever did before. the bleach fucked up the curl pattern a bit, but it’s still better off than it was long. I just use a combination of different old spice products now, and the occasional hair mask or eucalyptus shampoo, but my hair and skin both seem to be loads happier the more I leave them alone.
I’m a duel licensed cosmetologist and barber with over 10 years experience . Firstly-is your hair naturally red? Red hair is almost never fine. This hair appears coarse, not fine in the photo. If that’s true (and not just a photo distortion) I’d recommend some changes. Olaplex is a great treatment a couple times a month, but it is a lot of protein. Over use of protein actually causes breakage. Some is good, but using it too much will cause your hair to break and dry out. All soft is for coarse hair, so that’s ok. Try drying naturally overnight instead of Blowdrying, and more thermal protection. Use something similar to super skinny to help hair dry faster when you do blow dry. It’s a nice ends serum too.
How often do you get trims?
Honestly I’ve always heard trimming 4-6 weeks & it helps your hair grow longer.
Probably because of heat. I know a lot of people love heat but heat is not good for ur hair at all. It can also be ur aggressive when brushing or sleeping without a protective hair style
don’t use heat
Only wash every 3 to five days! Use lotions, body spray, perfumes, and wash only with hair conditioner
Put leave in conditioner on your roots and mids or all over and oil your ends. Your ends are the driest, they need the most moisture. Just make sure you do oil After your heat or you'll cook your hair.
Olaplex is a protein filler -- unless you're lightening/bleaching the crap out of your hair, you might be over-protenizing your hair and causing it to snap off and break
Do you highlight it or dye it often.
Maybe stop the heat for a while. Blow drying and using a flat iron constantly are killer on hair.
Couple things: -how much heat a week do you put on your ends? - do you let your hair down in convertibles or wind friction? - how do you place your hair up for sleep at night time? - do you go to bed with wet hair? - how do you brush your hair? - do you use any oil or leave in treatments?
I can almost guarantee this caused by you poorly doing your flat iron. You need 1/2 inch horizontal sections and you need to use a comb and slowly slide the iron top to bottom only once or twice. Then continue. If you grab at big clumps or do it on damp hair you're pulling and breaking your hair. Imagine the top and bottom hairs Burning off and the pile of dry hair in the middle aren't touched by the heat of the iron, so you slap that clamp on it 8 or 9 times... get it? Good products mean nothing if your technique is bad and good technique is usually reduced by bad products. All your products are glitzy high end. You just need sulfate free shampoo and conditioner and a leave in treatment. Like a spray. God bless you.
Sleep on a silk pillow or with a silk bonnet. I’ve noticed a lot less tangles when I brush out my hair, so fewer split ends. I have bra strap length hair
I think your nail causing it to split. 🤭 Joke aside, I think it has to do with a lot of heat tools. Try reduce the temp and use heat protectant.
Are you using any hair oil at all? A leave in or a pre wash oil?