10 best split-ends treatments that protect and repair your hair

When you’re testing a product from a brand that has such a staple hair mask that’s already part of your Sunday self-care ritual – yes, we’re talking about the Elasticizer deep conditioning treatment – you expect very big things. And we’re so pleased this didn’t disappoint.

It claimed it would seal and smooth split ends instantly, which we were amazed at how well it did. Our dry ends looked more fresh-cut than they had in weeks. After the first use, we also found our strands not only looked well-nourished but felt amazingly soft too. We preferred using it after every wash for optimum results, but if you just use it every three washes, you’ll still be amazed.

When it comes to a celebrity client list, it doesn’t get more prestigious than New York colourist Rita Hazan. She’s transformed the strands of Beyoncé, Jennifer Lopez and Mariah Carey to name just a few. Her haircare line, just as her customers, contains some talented stars too, and that includes this serum.

We saw immediate results after first use on our split-ends, as it targets breakage by working like a glue to bind ends together. You’ll need to give it longer with continued use for best results, but we loved how strong and durable our hair felt after two weeks.

You’ll have already heard of this brand, thanks to its affordable and effective skincare range, but have you tried any of The Inkey Lists’s scalp or haircare? This recent launch is already making beauty waves – being compared to Olaplex. It’s perfect for parched hair or those that may have had a DIY colouring disaster in lockdown.

The light spray uses next-generation bond technology to repair damaged areas, and by sticking to use after every wash hair does feel stronger, much more manageable and shiny. We also want to give the brand major green points, as the packaging is 100 per cent recyclable (even the pump).

More of a hair oil than a serum, this is a rich formula with chia seed oil and macadamia oil to name a few.  The key to use is to warm the product in the palm of your hand before massaging it on to dry ends. We used it overnight (just be careful as it can transfer to your pillowcase), or as a finishing product after blow drying and loved the results of both. It provides a purse-friendly moisture boost to dry and damaged ends, leaving them looking much healthier. It’s also great value, as a little goes a very long way, so use it sparingly and the bottle will last a very long time.

This uses clever micro-encapsulation haircare technology, where tiny beads rich in omega fatty acids, antioxidants and nutrients, seek out the damage in strands in need of repair. And because it only targets the areas that really need it, we found it doesn’t weigh hair down or cause any greasiness, and that’s on fine hair types too.

Mid-lengths to ends looked noticeably smoother and stronger after just one use. It worked so well that results last up to three washes, as promised. It’s pricey, but worth it for the complements alone – we had more than one comment over Zoom on how healthy our hair was looking.

Whether your hair is suffering with split-ends or not, you’ll want to apply this after every wash because it smells like a luxe perfume that lingers all day long in your hair. Aside from its heavenly fragrance, we also loved how it made our hair look. The nourishing formula was an instant smoothing fix for strands, as well as hair-splinters. Ongoing use made our mane feel so much stronger too, with less breakage and hair shedding in the shower. It was also the formula that promoted the most gloss.

This is designed for people that want to grow their hair, helping you get past that awkward stage where you usually end up giving in and getting it cut. It boasts hair strengthening ingredients, mainly soy protein and biotin (part of the vitamin B family that plays a vital role in maintaining hair health) that toughen up strands and promote  a healthier head of hair.

After two weeks of applying this to damp towel-dried hair after every wash we saw real results. There was less fall out to hair that has had a tendency to break more and more.  Lengths looked smoother and fresher on the ends too, and we were super impressed with the shine.

Reach for this tube if you can’t live without your straightening irons, as the formula is activated by the heat of your styler. The repair cream reinforces weakened strands leaving them looking well-nourished after it’s been combed through wet hair and blow dried. For us, the real magic happened after we’d gone over with irons too, as it tamed frizz and our hair – which is in desperate need of a trim – looked salon-cut and polished. The pick for those that like their hair super sleek.

This is a go-to brand for those with particularly damaged hair types, as the core ingredient in all Virtue’s haircare is a keratin protein identical to the one found in our strands. It has the power to bind and repair the broken structure, and is the main ingredient in this treatment, too.

After just one use, we found it smoothed the mid-lengths of highlighted and dry strands well, but the key with this serum is continued use, as we saw our broken ends transform after around five applications. As a bonus, the coconut fragrance gives us serious beach holiday vibes – something we could all do with right now.

From the signature argan oil haircare brand, this serum works a little differently than the rest, as it’s a finishing product that should be applied on dry hair after styling. It works as an instant-fix on brittle and damaged ends, transforming them to silky, softer-looking strands. We like to think of this as a concealer to split ends, as you can apply as much as is needed to cover up damage until you get the desired result. And don’t worry about build-up, there’s no tackiness or stickiness you may get from other styling products.