Split ends are a common problem that can occur in both long and short hair — be it dry, oily or normal. Hair tends to spilt when the hair shaft loses its natural moisture. The ends mostly split due to dryness, over exposure in the sun, frequent use of intensive hair care products like hair sprays, hair gels or hair colour. Lack of proper diet also tends to cause dryness in hair which might result in split ends.
No matter how well you take care of your hair, some breakage and split ends are bound to happen. Trimming the split ends is not the only solution for getting rid of them. Listed below are some natural remedies and medicated ways to prevent split ends from occurring:
nMix a small amount of castor or olive or almond oil into the oil you regularly use. If you wish to add all three of them you could do that as well. Make sure you oil the ends of you hair strands as well. This mixture not only helps your hair grow but it prevents your hair ends from discolouring. Massage your hair and scalp with warm oil and wrap your head with a shower cap and leave overnight or for 8-10 hours if you have time. Rinse well in the morning with a mild shampoo. Use this mixture to oil your hair at least twice a week.
nAlternatively, take half cup of oil in half cup of boiling water in a bottle and close it tightly. Shake vigorously. Massage this mixture thoroughly on your hair from root to tip and cover with shower cap. Leave it on for half hour, then wash. Be careful with your hands and head as the water is supposed to be hot.
nPrepare a hair mask by adding a tablespoon of yoghurt in a mixture of 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 1 tablespoon honey. Massage on your hair thoroughly and then wrap your head with shower cap for half an hour. Wash using a mild shampoo.
nA papaya pack is a great natural care for split ends. Take two big slices of ripe papaya. Remove the skin and the seeds of the papaya and blend it in a blender. Add to it half a cup of yogurt and apply thoroughly to your scalp and hair. Wash after 30 minutes with warm water. If you don’t have papaya you can used a ripe banana instead.
nGrind one tablespoon of methi (fenugreek) seeds with half a cup of urad daal to a coarse powder. Add half a cup of yoghurt and mix well. Apply generously all over the scalp and hair. Wash after two to three hours with warm water.
nTake four cups warm water and add one tablespoon of honey into it and mix well. After regular shampoo and conditioning, apply this mixture all through your hair. Do not rinse again. This mixture not only makes your hair soft and gives a shine to them; it also retains the moisture content in your hair so that your hair does not look dry or frizzy. This is a home-made remedy that acts as a serum/conditioner for your hair.
nAnother home treatment for hair especially to counter split ends is a simple home-made shampoo . For this treatment, all you need is an ounce of rosemary, preferably fresh, a pint of hot water, and one tablespoon of yoghurt. What you need to do is steep your rosemary in the hot water for about 20 minutes, then let it cool. Once it’s cooled down, add a tablespoon of yoghurt into it and massage the mix into your hair and rinse, just as you would with a regular shampoo.
The author is the founder and chairman of Blossom Kochhar Products Pvt. Ltd