Most advice about split ends arrives too late — after they exist, aimed at a product that will supposedly mend them. Nothing does; a split strand does not fuse back together. What does exist is a short list of habits that determines whether new ones form. If you want to know how to prevent split ends, that list is the whole answer.

Why the ends go first

On shoulder-length hair, the tips are two or three years old. They have been through hundreds of washes, dryings and stylings, plus daily friction against collars and bag straps. The scalp's natural oils barely reach that far, especially on curly hair. The cuticle wears through, and the fibre begins to split lengthwise — at the tip first, then upward.

That answers a common question: do split ends travel up? Yes, which is why waiting costs you length.

The handling habits that matter

  • Detangle from the ends upward. A comb dragged down from the roots gathers knots and tears through them mid-length.
  • Never take a stiff brush to soaking wet hair. Wide-tooth comb only, ideally with a leave-in for slip.
  • Blot, do not wring. Microfibre or a soft cotton t-shirt instead of a terry towel.
  • Sleep with hair contained — a loose braid or a soft bun, on a silk or satin pillowcase.
  • Check your accessories. Metal-jointed elastics and stiff grips crease the strand at the pinch point.
  • Cover the ends under a collar in winter and use UV protection in summer.

Heat and colour, the two accelerators

Heat protectant is not marketing — it is a film that spreads the heat instead of letting one spot cook. Use the lowest temperature that does the job; fine hair rarely needs more than 150–170°C. Keep the dryer 15–20 cm away, on medium, pointed down the hair shaft.

For colour, bleach the regrowth, not the whole length. Monthly full-length lightening produces splits regardless of what you use afterwards.

The maintenance routine

  1. Shampoo the roots; the lather cleans the lengths on the way down.
  2. Conditioner every wash, on the lengths and ends.
  3. A weekly mask, alternating hydrating and nourishing.
  4. A leave-in cream or fluid on damp ends — the most-skipped, highest-value step.
  5. A drop of oil on dry tips after styling to cut friction.

How often to trim

Every 8 to 12 weeks, one or two centimetres. Trimming does not speed growth — the follicle sets that — but it stops splits climbing and keeps the length looking dense.

If you also notice thinning or heavy shedding, that is a different problem: see a doctor or trichologist for significant hair loss rather than reaching for scissors.

Faberlic's ranges include masks, conditioners and leave-ins for the lengths, including the plant-based Botanica line — see the current catalogue on faberlic.com. For related routines, see the haircare guide.