Are you continually slicking your hair back into a tight bun or crafting sleek braids just to control the frizz? And that’s not just when you go to the gym. It’s more than likely you have a terrible case of the dreaded split ends.
Split ends indicate that you’re not caring for your hair in the best way possible to minimize damage. And that doesn’t have to mean weekly trips to the salon. There are a lot of simple split ends-reducing hair care routines you can do at home.
Read on to learn how hair towels (and other tools and tricks) can help you keep your strands silky smooth.
What Exactly Are Split Ends Anyway?
The ends of your hair strands are the oldest parts of your hair. And they’ve been with you for months or even years in some cases. Think about how long it takes you to grow your hair, even just a few inches!
These ends get exposed to everything from the salt spray of the sea when you go surfing to the harshness of that bleach when you decide to dye your hair hot pink. And all those factors slowly degrade the quality of the most vulnerable, oldest parts of your hair: the ends.
Over time, the hair cuticle splits away from the inner cortex of your strands, creating what we know as split ends. These damaged ends take the form of:
- A full-length split all the way up the strand
- A frayed break—looking like a broom or tree roots
- A tiny division right at the very end of your strand
Whatever type of split ends you have, it’s not because you’re unhealthy or unhygienic. Split ends are a normal part of a hair’s lifecycle—though, thankfully, we can do things to reduce them.
What Causes Split Ends?
Split ends usually develop over time, unless you’re doing something drastic to your hair, like perming it regularly. Anything that rubs, heats, pulls or dries out your hair has the potential to cause split ends.
Some of the most common factors include:
- Environment: humidity, windy weather, too much sun, dry climates
- Heat: hairdryers, heaters
- Health practices: diet, water intake, vitamin and mineral deficiencies, hormonal imbalances
- Rubbing: the wrong bedding, scarves and hats, clothing
- Hair treatments: dying, styling, brushing, straightening, perming
This list might sound exhaustive: you probably do or are exposed to most of these things every day. But fret not. There are just as many solutions as there are problems when it comes to split ends.
How Do Hair Towels Help Minimize Split Ends?
A hair towel is an affordable hairstyling tool that reduces the number of factors causing split ends. They are gentle, frictionless, and fast-acting, and work in combination with other hair products.
Your Hair Dries Faster
Do you end up waiting half the day for your hair to dry—if you let it dry naturally, that is? This is more of a problem for those with long hair than short hair. But still, no one likes to have to go to bed with water still dripping from their locks.
A hair towel, especially one made of smart fabrics like microfiber, quickly absorbs the water. This means you won’t have to get out your hair-damaging hairdryer or sit around waiting for your hair to dry. The towel keeps your hair out of your face, too, meaning you can actually get stuff done while it dries.
A Hair Towel Is Gentle
Friction is one of the leading causes of split ends, and you cause friction when you vigorously rub your hair dry or use a towel made of a rough fiber like cotton. To use a hair towel to dry your hair, you simply wrap it gently around your head. There’s no need for damaging rubbing.
For even better results, try to touch your hair as little as possible during the day and pair your use of the towel with regular trims to see results even faster.
This reduces frizz and works wonders for those with curly hair, too.
Lock in All That Healthy Moisture
If you suffer from dry skin, you likely have the same problem with your nails and hair. Maybe it’s due to dietary or health issues, the climate where you live, or it’s simply genetic. Whatever the reason, you need to get moisture into those locks if you want to reduce split ends.
When you wrap your damp hair in a hair towel, it locks in the moisture as your hair dries. Boost the effect by applying a leave-in conditioner or other moisturizing hair product (ask your hairdresser for recommendations) before you wrap.
Works Well With Other Hair-Helping Products
As we just mentioned, hair towels pair well with other helpful hair products. You battle split ends, pair your hair towel with:
- Moisturing hair products
- Satin pillowcases and bonnets
- Turban towels
- Shower caps
- Soft hair ties like scrunchies
Remember, every head of hair is different. Don’t be afraid to experiment with pairings to find out what works best for you.
Suffering from Split Ends? Try Turbie Towel
From using a hair towel to dry your hair and sleeping on a satin pillowcase to eating a healthier diet and drinking more water—there are all kinds of things you can do to stop those strands from splitting. Now that you know how to minimize the damage that causes split ends, it's time to tear out that tight bun and wear your hair out with pride!
The original Turbie Twist hair towel revolutionized the hair care industry and today, there is an entire range of Turbie-crafted products to choose from: bath wrap, hair towels, and satin pillowcases, and more. If you’re keen to try out the Turbie Twist or other Turbie hair products for yourself, shop our store now.