Keep your hair healthy during chilly winter weather.
It seems like just the other day, people were sporting flip-flops and shorts. No, literally—it was only last week. The weather here in Texas, at least, changes drastically, and now everyone’s bustling around in scarves and peacoats.
But no matter where you’re located on the map (except maybe Hawaii”>, the colder winter months always mean paying extra attention to our coily tresses. The dry air, the cold wind—it can all affect the health and appearance of your hair. Just like you would battle the frizzies during humid summer months, you want to prevent any damage to your hair from Thanksgiving to Valentines Day.
So NaturallyCurly.com asked stylists skillful in all things curly to provide some quick but useful tips to maintain healthy hair, even when you’re “dashing through the snow.”
Stacy Hill, Southern Accents Salon & Spa in Augusta, Georgia
1. Winter hair thrives on moisture. You can’t have too much.
2. Honey is awesome when used in conjunction with a conditioner fortified with olive oil, and avocado oil. (If you are worried about the hair being too oily after the deep condition, do a topper, which is a light shampoo.”>
3. Trim off what is dead so you are not choking the life out of your hair. When ends are split and frayed, nutrients don’t know where to go.
4. Drying shampoos that contain too much protein and not enough natural oils are not what winter calls for.
5. Be ingredient-conscious and not hung up on brands. Natural oils are so important: jojoba, rosemary and lavender—these oils keep the scalp in good condition as well as the hair.
Cindy Herrera, Ystylo Cindy Gallery of Salons in Austin, Texas
1. No towel after shower (EVER”>. Always start with wet, wet hair.
2. Wide-toothed comb is your friend; do not use your hands.
3. Scrunch with a liquid-y gel to ensure equal distribution of the product.
4. Listen for hair to squish, to make sure there’s enough product in the hair. Remember, most curly hair is dry so don’t be afraid of product.
5. Also don’t be afraid of the diffuser. As long as it has prongs, it is designed to bring out the best of your curly hair. Set it on high heat, low speed. This may take a while but if you are patient you’ll love the way your curls look.
Bonus tip from Genevieve Rosemary, owner of Lather A Salon in greater Denver (a place where people know a thing or two about dry, cold weather!”>:
To battle the dryness, it is essential that curlies stick to a strict deep-conditioning regimen. Deep condition, at the very least, once a week (twice if you already tend to be very dry”> with a conditioner that provides moisture only! Not one that is protein rich, as too much protein can cause more frizz. A few great ones to try are: DevaCurl Heaven In Hair or Bumble and bumble Curl Conscious Nourishing Masque. You can’t control the weather, but you can deep condition, adjust your product routine, and do your best to keep the dry frizzies away.
