There’s lots of things we prepare for winter – our homes, our cars, even our wardrobes. But what about preparing your hair for winter? What steps should you take to ensure your hair can cope with the temperatures and weather conditions and still look great?
Create a winter hair care routine
At the core of a hair care routine is the shampoo and conditioner you use and if they are the right ones for your hair. The aim is always to make your hair look healthier while also ensuring it is easy to style and to look after.
One of the big risks in winter is that hair becomes dry and brittle. Therefore, look at shampoos that have natural oils in them that penetrate into the shaft of hair and replenish moisture levels. These special formulas will help your hair look great and stay healthy.
You may also want to use a treatment to help boost those moisture levels if your normal shampoo and conditioner don’t seem to be doing the job. You can get deep moisturising masks that are used alongside other products and give your hair a deep boost of moisture. Consider using something like this every week during winter.
Winter hair care tips
While building a routine for normal hair care that is specific to winter is a start, there are other tips that will help you ensure your hair copes with the season and the demands put on it.
Don’t always go high with temperatures – When it is cold outside, a hot shower or bath is an automatic favourite, but this isn’t always the best for your hair. The hotter the water, the more natural oils are stripped from the hair so when washing your hair, aim to lower the temperature a bit. If you can cope, a cold rinse at the end is a brilliant way to smooth hair cuticles to keep hair looking shiny.
Give hot styling a break
Winter is a good time to take a break from your normal hot styling products and go natural for a while. If you normally straighten or curl your hair, it can be a good time to take a break from this. Even cut back on hairdryer use where possible. This gives your hair a chance to recover from the stress the winter puts on it and stay in healthy condition.
If you style, protect
If you do want to style your hair, make sure you use a heat protectant to help minimize the damage. This is a bit like adding an extra jumper on top of your t-shirt and under your coat – it adds a layer of protection to your hair in addition to shampoo and styling products. These products hydrate the hair and seal in moisture so the damage from styling is reduced.
Help your hair with your diet
Finally, don’t forget that good quality hair comes from within. By giving your body the nutrients, it needs, it can produce strong and healthy hair to style as you want. (You can also get an IV nutrient boost for hair health from our sister clinic – Koha) Drinking plenty of water is also very important at this time of year both for your body and your hair.
The best advice you can get about your hair condition is always from a hairdresser, and the team at Alchemy & I are experts in keeping your hair in tip top condition all year round!