Long and curly or short and coily, every hair type has succumbed to split ends and no one likes it. Though they may not be completely unavoidable during your hair journey, there are things that you can do to make them as preventable as possible.

Here are eight ways to keep those pesky split ends at bay.

Get regular trims.

Although it may be tiring to hear, getting regular trims is something that every natural should plant into their memory. Not only will it help you to prevent having those awful split ends, but it will help you to retain length and ultimately get you to a healthy head of hair.

Rinse your hair with cool water.

Rinsing your hair with cold water may seem like a way to put yourself through torture, but for curly hair cuties, it can be a saving grace. While washing your hair with warm water will help the cleanser penetrate the hair shaft, when you’re ready to rinse your conditioner out, cool water is the better option. Using cooler water will remove the excess product without stripping the moisturizing ingredients and close your hair cuticles.

Use argan oil.

It’s no secret that oils can do wonder for both your hair, skin, and nails, but did you know that argan oil specifically can help to alleviate split ends? Containing essential fatty acids, Vitamin E, and antioxidants, the oil can be both a protector and nourishing agent for your tresses. Our Repair My Hair Argan Natural Growth Oil Blend is a great version to use.

Avoid drying your hair with a towel.

Though it may be easy for you to just grab a regular towel after washing your hair each time, in order to avoid split ends, you’ll want to knock this part of your routine out. Since ordinary towels can be rough on your mane and create brittle strands, using a t-shirt or a microfiber towel will be much more beneficial for you.

Use the right hair accessories.

Just like when you try to avoid tangles, you’ll want to use the right accessories to also avoid split ends, too. Not only will accessories that exclude metal pieces and those that can rip your hair prevent your hair from breaking, it will also keep your hair healthy. Satin scrunchies are always good options to use.

Try to avoid daily manipulation.

As tempting as it may be to give yourself a new style every day, one huge way to avoid split ends and hair breakage is to cease daily manipulation. And yes, that does include detangling, twisting, brushing, and even simply touching your hair. Hair damage builds up over time and the more frequently you manipulate your hair, the quicker the damage will occur.

Try not to wet your hair every day.

Any curly cutie knows that retaining moisture is probably one of the most important factors to having a healthy head of curls. That doesn’t mean, however, that you necessarily need to soak your hair every day. Water may be a natural moisturizer for our hair, but it can also affect the strength of your hair shaft and in turn, cause your hair to weaken, break, or split. Products like our Quench Moisture Intensive Leave-In, Butter Creme Intensive Moisture Sealant, or the Seal It Up Hydrating Sealing Butter are all great options for keeping your hair moisturized.

Switch up your diet. Just as the right diet can help keep the inside of your body healthy, it can also do wonders for your mane, too. Be sure to consume plenty of water and eat things like peanut butter, avocados, walnuts, brown rice, oily fish and flaxseeds to get the strong, thick, and healthy hair that you crave. And, you can even check out our Flaxseed Recipes line for some additive nutrients.