Momma Told Me: It's just a trim!
If I've failed to properly relate the precise trauma those words have had, echoing from my childhood, let me elaborate once more. When I was about 5 or 6 I had long dirty blonde locks down to my bum. Momma, who preached independence above all other lessons, was determined to enforce a strict code of personal hygiene. Of course, at this age, one of our biggest goals as little girls is to avoid the entire process of washing our hair. Most mother's will institute an 'every-other-day' schedule, or lay down the law when those curls begin to look a little greasy. Regardless of the agreed upon plan or schedule, it's a form of game to 'pretend' to wash as fast as possible so one can immediately return to TV time, or whatever pre-bed ritual is had. It turns out that I, as smart as I thought I was, was fooling nobody with my slightly damp hair, and my days of tangles. In a day that will forever live in infamy, in the storybook of my life, Momma marched me into our neighborhood barber proclaiming the entire time, 'It's just a trim!' Content to believe her, you can imagine my horror as my beautiful, girly, locks were hacked off to swiftly reveal a horrendously traumatic bowl cut; her way of teaching me to groom myself properly.
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It goes without explanation that I have since, as an adult, avoided 'trims' for the remainder of my life, thus far. Unless you have a regular, and trusted, hair stylist, going to a salon for regular maintenance can be quite stressful. We've all had a bad haircut, or two, and hardly ever do we go in coming out with the exact length we had envisioned. And ladies with long hair know the pain of parting with 'just a few inches' off the bottom. But trimming the split ends and dead hair is essential to the overall health of one's hair, and the uniform beauty of each strand. As someone who dyes their hair for touch ups every other week, and in entirely every other month, I put my hair under a lot of stress. And the daily blow drys don't help much either! I'm very fortunate to have healthy ends with minimal damage, even some 4 years removed from my last visit to a stylist. Unfortunately, the last time I bleached my hair, to allow for my trademark Pink coloring, I left the bleach in a little too long, causing some of the hair to become brittle and break, leaving the exposed split ends prone to frizz and continued damage.
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When I discovered the Split-Ender, an As Seen On TV innovation, I was immediately in love with the concept, but understandably hesitant. I was unsure how much more trusting I could be with a device in my own hands, over a human professional at a salon. The Split-Ender Maxi kit was put together and conceptually designed by a real life stylist with a history of long hair. His intent was to eliminate the tedious trimming of damaged ends throughout the entire head (not just the ends), and save valuable length often lost in generic 'trims'. The result was the Split- Ender tool, a battery operated device that treats your hair from root to tip, carefully trimming no more than 1/8-1/4" of length with each pass. This allows those even with sharply layered styles to keep their volume and length between visits to the salon, saving length and money over time. The Maxi Kit includes the actual Split-Ender device and some basic tools to aid in the treatment of your hair; Cleaning brush, 4-in-1 Styling Comb, Quick Styling Clip, and Base Stand. Those who order now will also receive a complimentary bottle of Silk Salon Restoration Caplets for deep conditions of follicles from root to tip.
I won't lie, this device is a bit overwhelming at first, with a 3" rotating blade at the heart of it. Thankfully, anyone who's ever used a curling iron, or straightener will quickly acclimate to it's operation. Simply release the lock to allow the guiding comb to fall open, then clamp the comb shut with the metal handle, processing thin chunks of hair, no more than 2" wide, at a time. Starting from the scalp, gently slide the Split-Ender down to the tips. If any tugging is felt, open the guiding comb clamp and lessen the amount of hair in the section. The device should move freely when in proper operation. For those who work left handed, the direction of the 'swipe' can be set via a simple indicator switch that rotates the blade in the appropriate direction for the movement. For someone who has hair to their mid back, like me, expect the entire process to take near 30 minutes. While the Maxi Kit includes a styling clip, you may also want to pin the entire tip layer of hair and begin working around the head in sections, releasing hair as you move up the scalp.
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The Split-Ender does make a bit of mechanical whirring while trimming, less than my actual hair clippers, but more than an electric razor. So long as the user is mindful to be patient and work in thin sections, as to avoid any 'tugging' in movement, the system is virtually foolproof and can be repeated multiple times. Naturally, you will lose 1/8-1/4" each pass, but that's still much less than the 2-3" my stylist tries to talk my into while sitting at the salon in a chair. With the before and after photos above you can see the immediate difference from just two swipes. My hair sits much more even, and is visibly healthier. Just as any stylist would suggest, I recommend using the
Split-Ender after coloring one's hair, rather than prior; and to use the device on a regular schedule as part of one's beauty maintenance. Of course, if damage is visibly incurred in one particular section of hair during a beauty crisis, this device can truly be a lifesaver to help even out the devastation as well.
While the device is simple enough to learn and operate within a few minutes, there is a large blade at the heart of it, and cleaning allows for the exterior casing to be removed. Do not allow this to be kept within the reach of children, and always use it on younsters with strict supervision. (The unit is a bit weighted with the 4AA batteries in the base, so it really makes sense for adult exclusive operation anyhow). While operation was a breeze, and the results were instant, the plastic frame of this device, minus the metal handle, is a bit on the cheaper end of commercial manufacturing. The Split-Ender retails under $60 USD, so don't expect something that will hold up to excessive traveling or falls. In my opinion, though, the one true drawback with this device is the difficulty in disassembling it for cleaning. In order to get the blade guard compartment open I have to entirely remove the top casing. A reassurance for those with curious kids, but a cause for extra caution when pulling it apart- there is still a blade in there, folks! To summarize, I am quite happy that I found the Split-Ender Maxi Kit, and feel it will save countless inches and dollars over the next several years, though I'd love to pay a little extra for a more durable, and stylish, model.
What Daughter Says: Now you can truly 'just trim the split ends,' thanks to the Split-Ender's precision at home treatment.
One Momma Told Me follower will win a Split-Ender Maxi Kit, plus Silk Hair Treatment!
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