Your ends flip where they hit your shoulders.
You can work with the bend, or around it.

Find where it touches

Look at your dry hair in the clothes you normally wear. See whether the ends turn at the spot they meet a shoulder, a collar or a bag strap. Lift the hair clear and compare. That’s the bend showing you where it comes from.

Decide what shape you want

A soft kick outwards, ends tucked under, and a half-up shape are different looks, and none is wrong. Pick one before you reach for tools. If keeping the shape you want is turning into daily work, show your stylist where your ends sit normally.

The flip shows up once you’re dressed

• Pull any hair out from under your neckline before you fix the ends.
• Check the side that rests against a higher collar or a bag strap.
• A smoother neckline is easier to live with than straightening every end that turns out.

Only the ends feel rough

• How the ends feel and which way they point are two separate things.
• Conditioner can make them feel better, but it can’t move your shoulders or change the cut.
• If the tips keep splitting or catching, ask your stylist about a trim.

You just want it off your shoulders

• Try a loose half-up with only the top pieces, if they’re the only ones that reach the clip.
• Leave the shorter pieces underneath down rather than dragging them up.
• If the clip pinches or pulls, take it out.

Smooth the ends, lightly

If rough tips want a finishing layer, use a small amount, just on the tips, as the label suggests. Judge the feel on its own. More product won’t stop the ends turning out where they touch your shoulders.

Browse leave-in conditioners. Tell the consultation which leave-ins felt useful or heavy, and how much you used.

Keep the movement you like

If your hair waves or curls, decide whether you want defined groups or a softer shape, and pick a hold for that. Don’t try to make every end point the same way.

Browse styling products. The consultation uses your hair details and styling habits to compare creams, mousses and gels.

1. Finish only the tips that need it

Use the amount the label suggests on the tips that feel rough, and stop before the hair feels coated. This is a finish for feel. It won’t repair a split or reshape the cut.

2. Clip up only what reaches

Fold the hair into the clip only if it gets there without pulling. With a shorter cut, gather less and leave the rest down. Open the jaws all the way before you take it out.