Goodbye, Split Ends! What Is Hair Dusting?

At some point we’ve all struggled with split ends - they’re practically inevitable to avoid for extended periods of time without a trim every now and then - but not many know about hair dusting. Let’s see together what the hair dusting technique is and how it affects the shape of your haircut and your hair’s health!

What Is Hair Dusting?

In just a few words, hair dusting is a hair-cutting technique that gets rid of your damaged ends without affecting your hair’s length. Not only split ends but frizz and flyaways; trimming your mane with the dusting technique is a real lifesaver, especially if you’re looking for even, glossy tresses that stay put in place.

If you're unsure about what degree of damage your ends have, have a look at our dedicated blog about split ends and how to get rid of them.

Can You Do Dusting On Your Hair At Home?

The short answer is yes, you can. However, this depends on your hair’s length: can you easily reach and manage your ends all around your head? And, most importantly, how much time do you have?

Yes, hair dusting can be quite time-consuming (and strain your eyesight a little)! The best option is to probably book an appointment at the salon and let an expert work their scissors on your hair. Make sure that they know what dusting is and how to do it properly since the technique isn’t too diffused as of now.

Dusting vs Trimming: Which One Is The Best?

Trimming is often used to refresh the shape of an outgrown haircut and get rid of dry, brittle ends. Dusting targets the very tip of your hair strands to get rid of broken hairs, split ends, and flyaways. Length-wise, these two techniques are also quite different. Whilst trimming can usually chop off one or even two inches of length, dusting won’t make a noticeable difference. The truth is, only you know which one you need the most. Depending on your hair type and how often you style your hair, you may need more than a simple dusting.

Can You Dust Hair Extensions?

Well, although nobody is stopping you from giving a bit of a dusting session to your human hair extensions, the truth is that you should avoid this type of treatment in the long run. Once your hair extensions have been permanently damaged and they no longer blend in with your natural tresses, the only recommendable solution is for you to replace them.

Is Hair Dusting Good For Your Hair?

When done properly and with the right type of scissors, hair dusting is the key to a long, healthy and shiny mane (together with the right hair care routine and the right food to sustain your scalp and hair’s health). Trimming your dead ends is always a good option, and it can also help give you a subtle, light layered finish.

Is Dusting Hair Expensive?

This is a bit of a tricky question. Let’s start by saying that every salon makes their prices, so it’s hard to tell and generically speaking there’s no precise guideline or starting price that is universally shared or agreed on. 

How To Dust Hair At Home

If you’re still adamant you want to give this a try at home, grab your hair scissors and follow these simple steps to try and get rid of damaged hair tips.

1. Brush your hair, and use a wide-toothed comb if needed to detangle. Your hair needs to be dry for you to spot the damaged sections.
2. Divide your mane in small sections, of 1 inch max. The sections should be small enough for you to manage single-handedly (you’ll need the other hand to work with the scissors).
3. Twist the section in one direction, then proceed with the trimming. Remember to not go bananas on your cutting, and just take out flyaways and crinkly, broken strands.
4. Twist the section in the opposite direction and repeat step 3.
5. Once you’re happy with the results, move onto the next section.

How Often Do You Need To Dust Your Hair?

This is another question with no precise answer. A lot surely depends on how much stress can your specific hair type take. Generally speaking, a hair dusting check every 8 weeks should be more than enough. I personally get a trim every three months and don’t really need to go through the dusting process, as long as I don’t get flat-iron happy. Other people need to set their trimming goals closer, others stick to dusting and can leave the bigger trims to once every six months. To each their own!

In order to prevent damage from showing up again any time soon, there are a few things that you can do. First of all, make sure you deep condition your tresses once a week. You can either buy a premade product from the shelves or craft a recipe at home, tailored to your needs. If you need some inspo, check out our list: the 10 best hair masks of 2022.

Conclusion:

Although it’s labelled as a generally safe practice, I must say that hair dusting isn’t for everyone. Your hair type alone makes a huge difference in how effective and time-consuming hair dusting can be. It works best on straight or slightly wavy medium to thick hair. It can work on thin, fine hair, but in some cases, it can leave your ends looking a little “empty” - something that a blunt trim will avoid instead.