The cold, dry air of winter causes all sorts of havoc on your hair. It can dehydrate your hair, making it more prone to breakage. This may be the season to be jolly, but this is also the season to be extra careful with your hair. Your hair will be fighting off static, frizz, dryness, and struggle with a lack of that smooth, healthy-looking luster.
Luckily, there are ways to keep your hair looking its best even as cold weather sets in. Here are 10 tips to keep your hair looking healthy during the winter:
- Home Temperature Shouldn’t Be Too Hot
Coming in from the cold to a much warmer house can irritate your skin and scalp. Exposure to the cold air and then shifting to heated indoors could result in dry, brittle hair. So, make sure your home temperature’s setting isn’t too high, especially when you’ve just come from outside.
- Shower With Lukewarm Water
Nothing feels like a hot shower on a cold day. It might feel good, but hot water on a cold day washes the oil and moisture from your hair, leaving it frizzy, and static. Your scalp would dry out as well. Use lukewarm water to wash your hair instead.
- Shampoo Less Often
Limit your shampoo use to not more than two times a week during winter. Using shampoo for more than that could cause dry hair and flaky scalp. While it’s essential to maintain your hair’s health by shampooing regularly, your hair’s needs might differ, though, so find out what works best for you.
- Oil Your Hair And Scalp
As the cold weather does its best to dry out your hair, fight back to restore moisture by applying an oil-based treatment. You should never be too busy to neglect your hair’s needs. Always moisturize. Coconut or olive oil is good; massage either one of these oils onto your hair and scalp, then leave for about 20 minutes. Rinse your hair out with shampoo and conditioner.
- Use Conditioner Generously
Conditioning your hair after shampooing should be routine, especially during winter when moisturizing is important. It’s also recommended to use a leave-in conditioner once a week to replace lost moisture.
A common occurrence during cold weather is static hair; using a leave-in conditioner to keep it hydrated is good hair maintenance. To get rid of hair static, you could try lightly swiping your hair with a dryer sheet.
- Dry Your Hair Properly
While a blow dryer is great for styling, it can be harmful to your hair—the heat could dry out your hair and scalp. It’s best to leave your hair to air-dry, as it can keep your hair looking healthy. Your hair is vulnerable during the cold months; using heat on it exacerbates the loss of moisture during the season.
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- Don’t Go Out With Wet Hair
Going out in winter with wet hair could freeze and break your hair. Make sure to dry your hair before going out, as the cold could really do a number on your wet hair. If you don’t have time to naturally dry your hair in the morning, use your blow dryer on a lower setting. Going out with wet hair is worse for your hair than using a blow dryer on it.
- Get Your Hair Trimmed
Expect the cold weather to turn the ends of your hair dry and brittle, whether you have short or long hair. It’s a good idea to have it trimmed every four to eight weeks to keep it in good condition and looking fresh. Taking a half-inch off should prevent your hair from developing dry, split ends.
- Wear A Hat When Going Out
It’s preferable to have that dreaded hat hair than exposing your hair to moisture-sucking wind, snow, and dry air. Coarse fabrics, like cotton or wool, can also add to the damage, causing static, breakage, and split ends. You can avoid this by lining your hat with silk or satin. A piece of either fabric sewn onto the insides of your headgear will do the trick.
- Have A Healthy Diet
Ultimately, hair quality is determined by genetics, age, and diet. You can’t do much with the first two, but you can do something about your diet. Eat a balanced diet of proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, and minerals. Don’t forget to always keep yourself hydrated. If your whole body is healthy, your hair is healthy.
Conclusion
Winter can be unkind to your hair, but with a little work, you can protect your hair from the cold weather’s more damaging effects. Follow these tips so that your hair will stay healthy throughout the cold winter months.