I Only Had One Haircut in 2020, But This Product Is Keeping My Hair Healthy

From trimming my own fringe to learning to embrace my ever-increasing grey hairs, 2020 was a real journey of self-discovery when it came to my hair—with plenty of lessons learnt along the way (namely that it isn't possible to cut your own hair into a sharp, sleek bob using just a pair of kitchen scissors and without a mirror). Thankfully, I quickly realised that dramatic restyles weren't my area of expertise and instead turned my attention to finding the best at-home hair products to keep my strands feeling healthy when they're well overdue for a haircut. The result of my search? It turns out I've been neglecting an entire category of haircare until now, and these underrated products have been making a big difference to my hair, especially since I've only managed to visit the hairdresser once in the last 12 months.

Disclaimer: Pre-2020, whenever a product claiming to seal split ends or prevent hair breakage would land on my desk, I would totally disregard it. After all, everyone knows that the only way to get rid of split ends is to cut them off, and so in a world where we could visit a salon whenever we wanted, letting a professional deal with mine was my chosen method of maintenance. However, that all changed last year, and I found myself digging through my beauty stash to find anything that might give my frazzled, split end–strewn strands the tiniest new lease of life. Spoiler: Hair products for split ends actually work, or at least, some of them do.

I'll be honest. There are still many products out there marketing themselves as split-end treatments that are nothing more than a glorified serum. Sure, they'll add a little gloss to your strands, but they don't actually do anything. However, there's a whole new wave of split-end treatments on the market that work by bonding themselves to the cuticle of your hair to create a seal that not only leaves your strands feeling smoother but also prevents further breakage. Genius.

Of course, none of these products for split ends replace the importance of a great haircut at the hands of a professional. After all, they don't actually remove split ends. They just seal the split cuticle in the short-term. While they can't reverse the damage that has already been done, they can prevent it from getting worse and offer a temporary dose of softness, smoothness, and shine. Think of them as your haircare stopgap when you can't make it to a salon. Trust me—I haven't reached for the kitchen scissors once since adding one into my weekly hair routine.

Ahead, keep scrolling for eight of the best products for split ends.