Hair Dusting might be the secret to 'expensive hair' but what actually is it?

I don’t know one person that hasn’t experienced that sinking feeling when you look in the mirror after a run in with a scissor-happy hair stylist.  

'Just the ends’ never quite seems to translate the same way when you’re in the salon chair. 

The truth is, it’s a tricky balance between maintaining your hair health and keeping your hair length. More often than not when we are trying to achieve one, we end up sacrificing the other. 

With expensive hair trending we are all looking for ways to improve the appearance of our strands. Whether it’s gaining length, adding shine or reducing frizz. Luckily, this TikTok hack can help with all three. 

If you find yourself in fear over your next appointment or worse still, putting off a visit to the stylist while you grow out your locks, then 'Hair Dusting' might be the best solution...

What is Hair Dusting? 

The art of ‘Hair Dusting’ is all about skimming the strands of your hair with a sharp pair of scissors to get rid of any split ends. You can request this in the salon but the good news is, you can easily give it a go yourself at home. 

Zoe Irwin, creative director at John Frieda Salons, often provides the service to her clients  and says it’s one of her favourite techniques as it allows them to keep their length, while still focusing on keeping the hair healthy.  

While hairdressers probably do this at your appointment without you even realising, giving yourself an at-home hair dust in-between appointments might help your hair to grow in the long run. 

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What are split ends? 

A few split ends might seem like a harmless common occurrence but they’re actually a sign of damage and if left for too long they will travel further up the hair shaft, weakening it and eventually causing it to snap off all together. 

Generally you can see split ends with a naked eye. You might notice a small white dot at the end of the hair shaft or a single strand that has split into a Y-shape. This is what you’ll want to get rid of for strong, healthy hair. 

Removing the frayed ends of hair not only helps to preserve length but makes your hair look visibly shinier and less frizzy thanks to a more uniform finish. 

© Delmaine Donson

How to 'dust' your own hair

While we’d usually always recommend sticking to the salon for any big changes, if you’re feeling confident, giving your lengths a little love in between trips can help to keep your hair healthy. 

For ultimate precision you’ll want a pair of super sharp hairdressing scissors, just don’t be tempted to use the blunt pair in the kitchen.  

Tackle a section at a time, twist it and snip off any split ends just above the split to stop it from spreading further up the shaft of your hair. Make sure you do it while your hair is dry so you can really see all the individual strands.

The great thing is that you can try this hack on all hair types. Word of warning, don't get too carried away - the more precise the better!