12 Natural Ingredients to Prevent Split Ends (That You Probably Have in Your Kitchen)

We're big proponents of the saying, “prevention is better than cure.” Keeping your hair in sound condition is the best way to prevent the formation of those dreaded split ends, the bane of every woman's existence.

Unfortunately, excessive use of the chemical treatments, hair styling tools and hair cosmetics recommended by “experts” and hair salons for that purpose, actually contribute to making your hair brittle and dry which in turn leaves it susceptible to splits and damaged ends.

12 natural ingredients to prevent split ends

We're here to offer an alternative. These all natural products will keep your hair healthy and strong, and most of them can be found just by rummaging through your kitchen cupboard or fridge.

Say goodbye to expensive salon visits and commercial hair care products and try out these super cheap home remedies

1. Oil

The protective sheathing that covers your hair and acts as a barrier against mechanical, chemical and environmental damage is actually oil-based. Oil also keeps your hair well nourished and moisturized.

Any oil

So whether it’s olive oil, coconut oil, castor oil, argon oil, almond oil, jojoba oil, mustard oil—or some combination of whatever you've got lying around at home—treating your hair with an all-natural oil is a sure way of preventing split ends and dullness, keeping your hair nourished, soft, and well moisturized.

Grab your oil of choice and gently massage it through your hair and scalp. Leave for 30 to 45 minutes before rinsing with shampoo. Do this regularly, and you will see a huge difference in your hair's health and appearance too.

Pro tip!

After you let the oil sit for a little while, coat your hair with a chemical-free dish soap (like Dr. Bronners) before you rinse. Then follow up with your shampoo. This way when your hair air dries you'll be ready to go.

2. Egg

Here's one straight from the refrigerator! There are many ways you can apply the humble egg to your hair in order to treat general dullness and dryness. Here's one such concoction:

Egg hair mask recipe

Mixing the contents of an egg with olive oil and a touch of honey, creating an all-natural hair mask.

Massage the mixture through your scalp, leaving it for up to an hour, before washing and rinsing.

Another recipe for an excellent egg based hair mask is to mix two eggs with some orange juice and bananas. Again, apply the resultant mixture to your hair and keep it there for 30 minutes before washing off with warm water.

In some cases, simply mixing a beaten egg with a tablespoon or three of water makes for an effective all-natural shampoo for your hair. The humble little egg really is a great way of treating your hair and preventing the formation of split ends.

Make use of this unexpected little hair care product at your place today.

3. Avocado

Go out and get some avocados from the store, take them home and mash them together, then massage the paste your hair. Leave it for an hour then rinse it out.

This is another super simple home based remedy for split ends. No artificial chemicals or ingredients, just straight up avocado and healthy-looking hair!

4. Honey

You heard right! Honey is a fantastic treatment for split ends, honey.

Mix a tablespoon full of honey with some curds gleaned from milk or cream. Massage the resultant mixture through your hair, let it stand for half an hour, then rinse it out. Honey will keep your hair shiny, strong and healthy, whilst giving it a sweet smell to boot!

5. Papaya

Another fruity remedy for split ends, is a ripe papaya fruit. Take your papaya and blend with some yogurt to create a paste-like solution. Gently apply to your scalp to form a hair mask, then wash off after 30 minutes to one hour.

This is a sure fire way to give your hair luster and sheen, and prevent the formation of splits and damaged hair ends.

6. Banana

Similar to the aforementioned papaya treatment, mashing a few ripe bananas and mixing them with egg, honey and milk makes for an effective hair mask that through regular application to your scalp, helps prevent split and damaged ends.

Leave it in place for an hour before rinsing out. Repeat twice a week to replace your shampoo routine. This home based hair care product is so easy to make it's addictive!

7. Cream

Yes cream! Whisk together a bowl of cream with a cup of milk. Apply the mixture to your hair, gently massaging for your scalp. Leave it for 45 minutes, then wash it out. Another useful all-natural hair care product, straight from the shelf in your kitchen.

8. Shea Butter

Apply a little bit of this butter to your hair after washing it, it keeps your hair well oiled and moisturized, and provides an effective preventative measure against split ends and dry brittle hair. Cocoa butter, or clarified butter, are two more equally effective options here.

Note: This tip depends on your hair type. Some of us with finer hair would only be able to leave this in if we were using it on just the tips. Others with drier or courser hair might be able to use it everywhere for soft, luscious locks.

9. Lentil or Dal Pack

Another unlikely hair care product! Grind a pack of lentils into a smooth power. Add fenugreek seeds and mix together with yogurt. Apply to your hair as a mask, taking care to massage thoroughly into the scalp, then wash off with shampoo and water. Aside from smelling awesome with the fenugreek, this feels incredible while you're hair-masking.

10. Mayonnaise

Yes, the humble mayo in your fridge is also an effective treatment again dry, brittle hair! We struggled to believe it at first as well, but it really is true.

Slap some mayonnaise on top of your scalp for an effective treatment against dry hair plagued by split and damaged ends. Apply to your scalp a couple of times per week, and watch the improvement in your hair's health and sheen!

11. Chamomile Tea

As well as making a refreshing beverage, another unexpected use of chamomile tea is as an effective treatment against split ends. Regularly rinse your hair with a strong chamomile tea solution to bring split ends and frizzy hair to heel.

12. Vitamin E Capsules

Extract the oil from several Vitamin E capsules and mix with lukewarm water, then massage it through your hair to treat split ends. Again, it will help rebuild the protective sheathing coating your hair cuticles, and help keep your hair properly nourished and moisturized.

Prevention is better than cure indeed. Once they are there, those pesky split ends are really hard to get rid of, unless you want to go all the way and chop them off with some hair shears. We certainly hope you don't have to resort to that extreme a measure! Your best option for treating splits is to take proper care of your hair and prevent split and damaged ends from forming in the first place. Another way of achieving this is by understanding the benefits of vitamin C for hair which can help reinforce hair resilience and prevent breakage.

Lock in luscious locks

These all-natural home remedies will do just that, applying one or several of them to your scalp on a regular basis will keep your hair well nourished and help lock in essential moisture and oils, ensuring your hair is better equipped to stand up to the elements and the mechanical or chemical pressures it encounters.

Try out some of these remedies today, and watch the improvement in your hair take place before your eyes. Alternatively, you can try our shampoo and conditioner – crafted with gentle, yet potent, natural and organic ingredients to help your hair stay healthy, strong and radiant.