As the weather gets colder it seems our hair and skin immediately feel the impact. Cold air outside and heated air inside means there is less moisture in the air. This dry air draws moisture out of our hair and can make our hair brittle and prone to breakage. Rather than bury our hair in a ski cap from now until spring, we talked to experts who gave us five easy steps to keeping our hair healthy and strong all winter long.
Rejuvenate Your Hair
Dry hair equals static, so treating your hair with an oil or serum nourishes your hair right at the scalp. Kashish Golani, founder of Ovviovita, a plant-powered beauty brand inspired by the ancient science of Ayurveda, recommends doing a pre-shampoo head massage using a botanical hair oil, or you can opt for an electric scalp massager. “This will boost your circulation and make your follicles stronger,” advises Golani.
Hair masks and deep conditioning treatments restore needed moisture, particularly for those who frequently style their hair with hairdryers, curling irons and flatteners. For those on a budget, coconut oil can do the trick, advises Danielle DeVico, founder and stylist at Cloud Nine Hair and Nail Design in the Hudson Valley. She recommends any hair masks or deep conditioning treatments should be done at night, “to give your hair ample time to fully absorb the treatment, protecting it for the long day ahead.” She recommends sleeping with a humidifier on winter nights to hold fast to moisture all night long. “With that said,” adds DeVico, deep conditioning can be done any time that it’s convenient for you. “Any time of day is better than no time of day!” she says.
Becca Raziuddin’, multi-state licensed cosmetologist and stylist at Blo Blow Dry Bar in New York City says she loves Olaplex No. 7 bonding oil for deep conditioning hair during cold weather months.
Cleanse and Condition
Be sure you are using the right product for your type of hair, advises DeVico. For oily hair, choose a normalizing shampoo to regulate the healthy balance of sebum production all season long. Gray hair is coarser and requires extra moisture and conditioner. Curly hair needs product with smoothing properties while curls are more enhanced with a shampoo that protects essential lipids. She loves milk_shake, a line of hair care products touting natural ingredients like milk proteins and fruit extract in salon-grade formulas.
Change Your Hair Habits
Stylists recommend that you should wear a hat when you will be out in the cold for long periods of time, to prevent damage from cold air. Also, avoid over washing your hair in winter months, says Golani, and select a deep nourishing botanical conditioner to lock in moisture and enhance manageability. She recommends her Olio Divina hair growth ayurvedic shampoo and conditioner set.
“You can also try wearing your hair in a protective hairstyle such as a loose bun or tying your hair up with a silk scarf to reduce friction, breakage and frizz,” says Raziuddin. She loves sleeping with a silk or satin pillowcase, like the Kitsch, to protect her hair from damage while she sleeps, and choosing a silk scrunchie for a soft daytime updo.
Visit the Salon More Often
Many of us like to wear our hair a little longer in winter so as to keep us warm when the weather chills, but that doesn’t mean we can skip our haircare routine until spring. In fact, stylists say getting at least a trim more frequently in winter is critical for maintaining the health of your hair. “Friction from sweaters and scarfs can damage your hair,” says Nozomi, stylist at Warren Tricomi in Greenwich, CT. She also says a salon administered moisturizing treatment, like the Milbon Protein treatment or the Kérastase Oleo Fusion treatment, can protect hair from damage. She also recommends at-home hair masks like the Ultimate Reset Extreme Repair Hair Mask from Shu Uemura, and hair serums like the Milbon Brilliant Shine Spray between appointments. Golani recommends the Diamante Hair Repair Treatment Mask or the Olio Elixir Leave in Hair Serum from her line of hair care products, while Razziudin likes Color Wow Dream Coat Supernatural Spray to keep frizz to a minimum during hat season.
Treat Your Hair From Within
Most importantly, adds DeVico, nourish your hair from within by maintaining a healthy diet and drinking lots of water to stay hydrated. “Our hair is primarily made of protein called keratin,” adds DeVico. “Lack of protein in your diet will cause weak, brittle hair or even loss of hair.” She recommends making sure your diet consists of proteins, iron, and omega 3 fatty acids to nourish your scalp and hair follicles. Foods such as salmon, spinach, eggs, nuts and seeds, and avocados are all rich in these needed vitamins and minerals. “I also recommend collagen and biotin (10,000 mcg) for those with damaged or thinning hair, although you should check with your doctor before consuming them because biotin is not recommended for people with a thyroid condition,” says DeVico. “These supplements are not an instant fix, so be mindful it may take a month or two before noticing the results.”
