Yes, you can get rid of split ends - here's how

Getting rid of split ends isn’t as hard as you think. This is our expert advice for what to do now.

But firstly, what are split ends and what causes them? Split ends are basically when the ends of your hair are brittle and dry, and they look like they are splitting.

What causes split ends? The most common causes are chemical treatments and styling including blow drying, heat styling, perming, bleaching and all types of hair colouring as well as infrequent hair trims. Environmental elements such as the weather can and often do result in split ends, too. But don’t worry as split ends are normal and it doesn’t mean they are your fault.

How to prevent split ends First up, regular trims removes the damaged ends and prevents them from traveling up the hair shaft. Aim for a haircut every 6-8 weeks to prevent split ends. Other things that can help is showering with cooler water than usual, and finishing your shower with a cold blast to seal your cuticle at the end.

When your hair is wet, it’s also at its most vulnerable - it can stretch up to 50% when it’s wet. So put any leave-in conditioners before combing your hair, and try to avoid sleeping with wet hair.

Using a microfibre towel, as opposed to a standard cotton one, straight out of the shower can also help protect hair. This is because microfibre causes less friction on hair especially when it’s fragile. Cutting back on heated styling can also reduce damage.

How to fix split ends When it comes to repairing split ends, treat your hair like you would your skin. So that means use products that add moisture and that are deeply hydrating like a leave-in conditioner or serum.

Get more volume in your hair by doing these three things

Invest in a volumising shampoo and conditioner 

Volume starts in the shower (or bath) so find a volumising shampoo and conditioner for your hair type and make it part of your haircare routine.

Part-dry your hair upside down

Start off your drying journey with your head flipped upside down - this lifts hair at the root and will rough up your cuticles for maximum volume. When your hair is almost dry, flip back to upright and blow-dry the mid-ends to smooth and soften them.

Don’t put conditioner on roots

Tempting as it might be to slather conditioner all over our heads, this will actually make your hair look flatter! When you clean your hair with shampoo, your cuticles open up looking for nourishment and moisture, but when you whack loads of conditioner on the scalp (a natural oil source) it will make your roots appear heavy and greasy.

Get salon style hair at home by doing these three things

Want to get that salon look from home? Try these three tricks.

Use your straighteners as a curler

Learning how to curl your hair with your straighteners is great especially when you’re going away and don’t want to take loads of different styling tools with you.

First, grab a small section of hair. Then, hold your straighteners vertically with the open end pointed upward. As you clamp the hair, begin rotating it away from your face. Don’t slow down or stop - the key to getting consistent curls is to keep the movement fluid.

As you keep rotating the straighteners away from your face, allow your hair to slowly slide through the clamp until you reach the end. For looser waves, lower the heat on your straighteners and brush them out after you’ve finished curling.

Make your own sea salt spray

If you love the tousled beach look, and are already a fan of sea salt spray, did you know you can make it at home?

Simply mix together 500ml of sparkling water and a teaspoon of sea salt in a spray bottle. While your hair is damp, spritz the mixture onto the ends of your hair, and use your fingers to scrunch them up.

Level up your ponytail

This ponytail trick is the fastest way to make your updo look professional. After you’ve secured your ponytail, grab a small bit of hair from the pony and wrap it around the base of your ponytail to cover the hairband. Coat the very end of the section with hairspray, and smooth it against the base to seamlessly secure it.

Winter hair care: five easy tips you can do at home

Cold weather can play havoc with your hair and cause it to be brittle, dry and damaged. The good news? You don’t need a whole new routine or expensive products to keep your hair healthy. Try our simple, budget-friendly tips at home.

1. Turn down the heat
Hot showers and high heat styling can strip moisture from your hair so in the winter try turning the shower down a bit. Using warm (not hot) water and lowering the temperature on your straighteners or curlers when you can will protect hair.

2. Don’t over-wash
Washing your hair too often can dry it and your scalp out even more in the winter. As a general rule, two to three hair washes a week is enough. If your roots get oily, try a little dry shampoo in between.

3. Add moisture with what you already have
If your hair is dry, leave your conditioner on for an extra few minutes in the shower or use it like a mini hair mask once a week.

4. Be gentle when drying
Hair is at its most fragile when wet. Avoid rough towel-drying and instead gently squeeze out excess water instead. If you can, let your hair air dry for a while before using a hairdryer.

5. Protect your hair from the cold
Hats and scarves are great for keeping warm, but they can cause friction and static. Try wearing your hair loosely underneath and avoid tight styles that pull on dry, winter-stressed hair.

A few small changes can make a big difference during the colder months. If your hair still feels dry, flat or unmanageable, pop into the salon — we’re always happy to help you adjust your routine for winter.

How often should I wash my hair? The experts wade in

How often should you wash your hair? It’s a question we get asked a lot at the salon, and the answer depends on a few different things.

What happens if I wash my hair too much?

If you wash your hair too much, you can remove the sebum (the natural oil your scalp produces). This is vital to healthy, shiny hair. But don’t be scared of oily hair, because despite what shampoo brands want you to believe, washing your hair a lot can turn your good hair day into a bad day.

Most people don’t need to wash their hair every day or even every other one, and how often you do it depends on quite a few factors. The simplest answer is that you should wash it once it’s oily and feels unclean to the touch.

What other factors influence how often you should wash your hair?

Sebum (hair’s natural oil)

Oil is probably the biggest culprit behind what most people consider dirty hair, and it can leave hair limp and clumpy. How much oil you produce will depend on your age, genetics, sex and environment. Children and older adults don’t produce as much sebum as teenagers or 20-30 year olds.

Hair type

Straight and thin hair will need to be washed more often than thick or curly hair. This is because straight hair is easily coated by sebum, so it’ll look greasy faster. Thick, wavy or curly hair tends to be dry because the oil doesn’t coat the strands as easily. Sebum is actually a crucial part of well-defined curls, because curly hair needs more moisture to stay soft and prevent frizzing.

Sweat

As you might expect, a sweaty workout does your hair no favours. How much you sweat is a big factor in how often you ought to wash, or at least rinse, your hair. Sweat can spread sebum and make your hair look and feel dirty. It can also cause your hair to smell.

Bottle blonde? Here's how to keep your hair healthy

Bleached blonde hair needs some special care and attention to prevent it from getting dry and damaged. With our expert backed styling tips, below, you can keep your colour and your hair healthy.

Sleep on a silk pillowcase

If you’re not familiar with silk pillowcases, they are a great way to maintain hair’s integrity and prevent breakage. They also help to prevent split ends.

Invest in purple shampoo

Purple shampoo can help take the brassiness out of bleached blonde hair, just don’t use it too much - every few washes is enough.

Use weekly hair masks

Alternate between a protein and moistures place of your normal conditioner. We recommend L’Oreal’s Professionnel Absolut Repair Mask (£36, 500ml), which boasts a nourishing and reparative formula that leaves hair feeling soft and looking shiny.

Prioritise regular haircuts

Ideally have a haircut or trim immediately—or at least within a week—after getting your hair coloured to seal the ends. Then if you can, every eight weeks.

Do these three things to get salon style hair, say the experts

Want salon style hair at home? Here are three of our salon-approved tricks.

Trick one: Make your own sea salt spray

If you love the tousled beach look, and are already a fan of sea salt spray, did you know you can make it at home?

Simply mix together 500ml of sparkling water and a teaspoon of sea salt in a spray bottle. While your hair is damp, spritz the mixture onto the ends of your hair, and use your fingers to scrunch them up.

Trick two: Ue your straighteners as a curler

Learning how to curl your hair with your straighteners is great especially when you’re going away and don’t want to take loads of different styling tools with you.

First, grab a small section of hair. Then, hold your straighteners vertically with the open end pointed upward. As you clamp the hair, begin rotating it away from your face. Don’t slow down or stop - the key to getting consistent curls is to keep the movement fluid.

As you keep rotating the straighteners away from your face, allow your hair to slowly slide through the clamp until you reach the end. For looser waves, lower the heat on your straighteners and brush them out after you’ve finished curling.

Trick three: Level up your ponytail

This ponytail trick is the fastest way to make your updo look professional. After you’ve secured your ponytail, grab a small bit of hair from the pony and wrap it around the base of your ponytail to cover the hairband. Coat the very end of the section with hairspray, and smooth it against the base to seamlessly secure it.

Four simple tricks to have a good hair day all the time

How do I make my hair look good all the time? If you want a good hair day every day, these are the three things you need to do.

Want to know how to make your hair look good all the time? These are some of our salon-approved tricks for glossy, healthy hair every day. Which one is your favourite?

Tip 1: Use a hydrating shampoo twice a week

Tip 2: Invest in a hair oil

Tip 3: Pick the right product for your hair type

Tip 4: Avoid over-styling your hair

For healthy hair this autumn you need to do these four things

Now the weather is getting cooler, our hair takes a hit. But there are a few things you can do to help protect your hair this autumn. Here they are:

Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate!

Deep condition your hair with a mask or leave-on conditioner once or twice a week in autumn. Just 10 minutes a few times a week is all you need to keep hair healthy.

Avoid tight ponytails

It’s cooler to wear your hair up in the summer but this can cause breakages and scalp stress some come the autumn consider wearing your hair down more often. Avoid tight ponytails so that it puts less pressure on the hair follicles.

Protect yourself

Heated styling tools can cause all sorts of damage, especially during the colder months. Add a few protectant products like spray, serum, mousse, or cream to your winter beauty arsenal.

Go for the chop

Regular haircuts promote growth and keeps hair healthy. The longer your hair, the more susceptible you are to breakage so give us a call to book your next appointment.

Ultimate shiny hair tips - by the experts

One of the most common questions we get asked is how to get shiny hair. If you’re after the ultimate gloss, we’ve got your covered….

What’s one thing I can do for healthy hair?

We all have different needs so the best thing to do is talk to your stylist about the correct product for your hair. This will save you money on products that aren’t right for your hair.

Is hair shinier when you rinse it in cold water?

Hydrating products like hair masks and deep conditioners are best for shiny hair, but there’s no harm in a lukewarm rinse. This closes down the cuticles, the outer protection of the hair, making hair appear smoother and look shinier.

Which is better for hair - oil or serum?

Depending on what your hair needs, oils penetrate your hair, giving it nourishment while serums are more cosmetic and are for taming and smoothing your hair. This can get confusing as some brands call them serums ‘oil’, like like Olaplex No7. These are dry oils and for soothing your hair.