3 Ways to Protect Your Ends From Breaking Off
Last updated on June 20th, 2020 at 10:15 am
As you know, your ends are the oldest part of your hair and the most fragile. This makes your ends vulnerable to breakage. That’s not to say that your hair can’t break off in other places. It’s just more likely to take place at the ends of the hair shaft.
Here’s 3 easy ways to protect your ends from breakage:
Keep your ends well moisturized – Not with just water. Water evaporates and must be sealed into the hair. I find that using a butter based moisturizer (with water as the first ingredient), helps keep my ends very soft and moisturized. While you want to moisturize your entire head of hair (how often depends on your hair type), you want to pay special focus to the ends. You can moisturize your ends only right after styling your hair and still maintain your do. Simply, apply the moisturizer to your hands and scrunch it in.
Keep your ends sealed with a heavy oil – JBCO (Jamaican Black Castor Oil) is my favorite with Thirsty Roots Apricot Castor Oil following closely behind. I don’t care to seal the entire length of my strands with castor oil but for the ends, it’s thick enough to keep them nice and fused together.
Tuck them away – Aside from hiding your ends away in buns and other pin up-dos, if you are rocking twist outs or braid outs, a great way to protect your ends from breakage while maintaining the style is to re-twist/re-braid all of the hair loosely into one (or two) twist/braid and then take the ends of the twist/braid and tuck it up into the twist/braid. This is what I’ve done in the photo above.
I first learned this method from reading Teri Laflesh’s book The Tightly Curly Method. I found it to be very helpful but it’s important to note that consistency is required.
How do you protect your ends from breakage?
I pretty much use the same routine. After three or so days of a twist out I will put my hair in a loose bun. I put Jamaican Black castor oil with Lavender on the ends and pin.
and your hair is beautiful and long 🙂 I’ve yet to try the JBCO in anything other than original. I may try that Lavender. I’m not too interested in the one with coconut oil now that the temps are cooling
Cool tips, Michelle. My ends have always been a problem. I’m now using shea butter on the ends, and that has worked well. I also try coconut oil, but that depends on the time of year.
You’re welcome! Coconut oil is def better for the summer when it can stay pliable. I hate that crunchy feeling in my hair in the winter time when it gets cold and turns solid