Ever considered what your hair goes through every time the seasons change? It’s often easy to understate how harsh winter can be on your hair with cold and artificial heating. While gloves keep your hands warm, grease or static-charging is the best your hair gets from the hats. The result is dry hair, frizzy hair, a dried-out scalp, hair breakage and split ends. Just as you keep your hands soft and moisturised in winter, your hair needs as much attention too. Tailoring your hair care to the season will help keep your hair luscious and healthy throughout the coldest of the winter months.
Why Changing Your Hair Routine in Winter Matters
As soon as the temperatures begin to plummet, so will your hair’s ability to hold onto moisture. This explains why your hair looks and feels drier than usual. Things don’t improve when you go indoors either as the indoor heating wreaks havoc on your locks. Symptoms of suboptimal hair include a dry or flaky scalp, greasiness and static flyaway strands. Don’t let the winter cold dull the sparkle of your hair. These winter hair care tips will help make sure your hair shines all year round.
What’s the best way to keep your hair healthy in winter? Make changes to your hair washing and styling to suit the season. Just as you pull your warm jumpers and gloves in winter, adapting your routine helps you get your hair ready for winter too. Alright, let’s get right down to it.
#1. Show Your Scalp Some Love
If you have naturally long hair, you may not be able to see your scalp easily through it all. Even though you can’t see it, your scalp needs your care and protection. The extra heat you apply to your scalp will strip away the natural oils from your scalp, resulting in a dry and flaky scalp.
If you are experiencing a dry scalp, choose a hair care product containing ginger or aloe to soothe the discomfort. Turn to a gentle shampoo to help keep your hair and scalp clean, while avoiding stripping it oil vital oils. Seal the deal with a mild conditioner that will calm and rebalance your scalp while leaving your hair smooth to touch.
As a bonus, give yourself a scalp massage (or ask a loved one) 3 times weekly to soothe your scalp and encourage blood flow. A scalp massage is great for your hair follicles too, and encourages healthier hair.
#2. Say Goodbye to Heat Styling…For Now
Using heated curlers, hairdryers and straighteners may help you tame your unruly curls in the summer, but they can cause more damage in winter. During the cold months, your hair is naturally drier than normal and using heat styling will make it worse.
If you want to prevent straw-like hair strands with fizz, and prevent lasting damage to your hair’s cuticle, choose less damaging styling methods. Choose twists and buns instead or better, still simple plaits. Also, a glossing serum will help lock in moisture and give your hair a natural sheen while preventing split ends.
#3. Mask Your Way to Beautiful Hair
You might be a fan of sitting by the fire or have your central heating on for a cosy evening during the worst of winter days. A combination of the heat inside and the cold outside will dry your hair out. One way to restore the moisture is to use a hair mask at least once a week (you are treating your face weekly after all aren’t you?). Pick a nourishing hair mask that you can leave in for about 10 minutes before rinsing out. The result is beautifully smelling hair that feels soft to the touch and is free of tangles.
#4. Get Your Shower Temperature Just Right…Not Too Hot or Cold
Suppose you’re like me then your bathroom is like heaven. And if you’re like me, you enjoy hot showers too. Choose to wash your hair in lukewarm water instead of too hot or too cold. Extra hot water has an uncanny effect of stripping out the protective oily barrier from your hair and scalp.
Cutting back on the number of winter hair washes is another way of reducing the damaging effects of hot washes on your hair. Both freezing and scorching temperatures affect your hair so take care when turning that temperature dial.
Getting to the Root of Hair Issues
So, hopefully, this article gives you some ideas on how to look after your hair better this winter. If you’re struggling with sudden hair fall, your part is widening, or you notice your hair is thinner than normal, you may need professional help. Book a free consultation with Vinci Hair Clinic and the hair specialists will help you get to the root of your hair issues today.
