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The winter months usually bring about a ton of changes in the way our body functions whether it be our emotional state, eating habits, or lack of tan (so pale, so so pale), but the cold can also mean lackluster hair.
Here are our top 5 tips for combating the cold and keeping your hair healthy all season long, even if the weather is bleak.
1.) Find a Deep Conditioner
Cold, dry air and high winds can mean extreme dryness for your strands, which why you need to step it up from your standard conditioner.
Get a deep conditioner that is ultra moisturizing, use it two to three times a week, and give it time to soak in before washing out. If you’re really struggling with dry and breaking hair, find a leave-in conditioner you can use a couple times a week as well.
2.) Invest in a Natural Boar Bristle Brush
With your hair being more dry due to the cold, that also means your hair is much more prone to breakage during the winter months.
Using a natural boar bristle brush not only helps to detangle your hair safely with less risk of breaking strands, but it also helps to naturally condition hair by carrying the oils from your scalp down the hair shaft, helping to condition and add shine.
3.) Cover your Locks
In the same way we protect our hands from the cold to prevent cracking skin and well, cold hands, covering your head is more than just keeping your head warm.
Using a hat could help save your strands if you have year-round dry hair or very thin strands, which are more prone to breakage. The only catch here is that any plain wool cap won’t do. You’ll want to spend a little more on fabrics like silk, angora or cashmere. These fabrics are softer and won’t cause your hair to get caught up in the fabric like a rough wool hat would.
4.) Don’t Overheat
No, we’re not just referring to styling tools like blow dryers and straighteners (which you should control your use of year-round), we’re talking about the heat of your showers.
It’s really easy to overdo it on the hot water in an effort to actually warm up in this frigid weather, but in the same way your skin drys out from taking super hot showers, your hair will do the same. Make sure to keep your shower to a normal “warm” temperature and not scalding hot, your hair will thank you.
Added tip: When you’re done conditioning, rinse your hair with cool water for added shine.
5.) Give Yourself a Massage
Cold weather usually means less blood circulation in the body, including the scalp.
By giving yourself a scalp massage you’ll help to stimulate circulation, which is beneficial for hair growth and natural oil production, and you’ll in turn help your hair stay naturally conditioned.
