Taking Care Of Your Hair In Winter

It is definitely winter in many places in the United States.  The temperatures have dropped so it's cold outside, the wind may be up, and there is snow on the ground. Winter can be a challenge for hair, especially if it drys out easily.   Winter weather can be quite damaging to your hair, the indoor heat can dry it out, and static electricity loves to play havoc with it.  Fortunately, there are certain steps you can take to protect your hair from winter damage, so it stays soft and healthy.

One easy thing to do, to protect your hair is to wear a hat whenever you go outside. By covering your hair, you are protecting it from the dry air, snow, wind, and rain. All of these can rob moisture from your hair causing it to become dry and easily break. In addition, make sure if your hat is made out of wool, cotton, or other such fabrics, you line the hat with satin or silk to help protect your strands because the wool, cotton, etc can cause breakage. We all know you often experience static electricity when wearing a hat, so apply a bit of dry oil spray before putting it on. 

If you do not own a humidifier, buy one and use it during winter to add moisture to the air.  The air tends to dry out due to indoor heating and the humidifier really helps with keeping your hair hydrated.  In addition, keep up with regular trims.  It is recommended you get a trim every four to eight weeks so the ends don't develop split ends.  Once the ends split, there really isn't much you can do to have them return to normal other than trim them.

Even though we love nice hot, steamy showers in winter, do not wash your hair in it.  When you wash hair in super hot water, it can take moisture out, making the hair more brittle.  Instead, choose to wash your hair in lukewarm water so your hair stays more hydrated.  Instead of blow drying it or using hot temperature tools, let your hair air dry.  Unfortunately, blow drying your hair can suck moisture out and make your hair prone to breakage, so air dry it.  If you are used to washing it in the morning, wash it at night to give it more time to air dry.  Furthermore, never, ever go outside with wet hair because the cold temperatures can possibly cause the water on the hair to freeze and make the hair break off.  

Winter is a great time to use oil on your hair to keep it soft and hydrated.  Look for a light weight oil such as argon to leave in so the hair instantly improves and apply a good oil to the ends to keep them hydrated and so they don't split. If you are out and want to use something, keep some anti frizz sheets with you.  Just run them over your hair to tame flyaways from static electricity.  Don't forget to give your hair a deep conditioning at least once a week to help return moisture to your hair.  In addition, use leave-in conditioners as an extra layer of rehydration.  

If you suffer from dry hair no matter what, use a rich hair mask at least once a week because it can help reverse the effects of dry hair and keep the damage to a minimum.  Furthermore, try to wash your hair less often because washing your hair can strip the hair of its natural oils and make it dryer.  Instead of washing every day, do it every three to four days.  If you feel your hair needs washing more frequently, look at using a dry shampoo between washes to refresh your hair.  Speaking of shampoo, look for a shampoo that moisturizes or hydrates your hair to help keep it healthier.  If you feel as if your hair products are accumulating in your hair, use a clarifying shampoo to remove the residue like once a month.

Follow these suggestions to help your hair stay beautiful and healthy throughout the rigors of winter.  Let me know what you think, I'd love to hear.  have a great day.