A new season often means a new hair care routine. The summer months can take their toll on your locks, which is why it’s essential to give your mane a little TLC as we head into the heart of winter. With winter approaching, it’s a good time to start thinking about how the season can affect your hair. Here are some tips to keep your hair in tip-top shape:
Drying hair without using heat
As the weather gets colder, you might be looking for ways to cut back on your morning routine, especially when it comes to your hair. While we love an easy bun or ponytail as much as the next person, sometimes you want that extra volume or color pop, but blow drying your hair takes too much effort. The good news is that there are plenty of ways to dry your hair without using any heat, such as air-drying after washing; you could use a microfiber towel for drying hair without heat, among other things.
Cut out the hot showers
While it may be tempting to step into a hot shower after coming in from the cold, it is not always a good idea. Hot showers may feel great on your body, but they are not great for your hair. They cause the cuticle to open up and make your hair more vulnerable to damage. Instead of hot showers, opt for lukewarm ones during winter. Also, you’ll want to avoid washing your hair every day as much as possible during the winter months because it can strip away natural oils that help keep strands healthy.
Get regular trims or haircuts
You might be tempted to hang on to those long locks, but if you’ve got split ends or weak strands, your hair is going to be more susceptible to breakage caused by the harsh weather. Getting regular haircuts every six weeks is crucial to keeping your hair healthy and looking its best year-round. Getting rid of split ends will help prevent further damage to your hair and make it look healthier overall.
Use moisturizing product
If you have thick or curly hair that’s prone to dryness, use an oil treatment before shampooing to lock in moisture and protect your hair from split ends and frizziness. The key with hair care in the fall and winter is moisture. In cold weather, your scalp tends to get dryer, which can lead to dandruff and brittle hair. Use shampoos and conditioners with moisturizing ingredients such as shea butter or almond oil to combat that. Deep conditioning masks are designed to deeply moisturize your locks — kind of like how you might use a thick body cream on extra-dry skin.
Use heat protectant products before using heat styling tools
People love styling their hair with hot irons or blow-dryers, but these devices, when used daily, can cause severe damage to your hair’s cuticle and shaft, leaving it looking dry, damaged, and frazzled. If your hair is dry, brittle, or damaged, heat styling tools should not be used without first using a thermal protection spray or serum. The solution is to use heat protectant products before using any heat styling tools on your hair. The right product will add moisture and prevent further damage to your hair. Spray evenly over clean, damp hair before styling with heat.
Go darker with your hair color
If you’re a fan of dying your hair, consider some things regarding the color change. Because you spend more time indoors during the winter months, you may be able to get away with a shade darker. Lightening your hair up is the most popular coloring choice for women. And that’s fine for summer, but when fall hits and winter settles in, it’s always best to go darker with your color choice. This will give you a richer look that contrasts beautifully with the snowy backdrop you see outdoors. And not only does it look chic for the season, but it also helps protect your hair from getting dry and brittle during the colder months.
Avoid over-drying
The heat from indoors combined with the dry air outdoors can quickly strip moisture from your hair. To combat this, take shorter showers and use cooler water to wash your hair when possible. It would be best to throw out any old shampoo and conditioner leftover from last year. Also, hair oil helps restore and lock in moisture – both in your strands and on the surface of your scalp. It’s an excellent way to protect color-treated hair from fading in harsh weather conditions, too!