We’ve all heard of protecting your hair from the heat and even the UV rays of the sun. But protecting your hair from the cold? I have to admit that is new, even to someone like me. I love taking care of my hair. There’s nothing like having the perfect hairstyle to pull together your look. But did you know, the cold weather, the winter, could be as harmful to your hair, as the summer? Here are some tips and tricks to have healthy hair this winter.
Cut back on the hair color!
Coloring your hair is fun but you might want to avoid it in the winter. Why? Bleaching and coloring your hair essentially strips it of the fatty acids that actually work in protecting your hair strands. Fatty acids are what make your hair dense and it helps reduce or prevent hair loss.
Coloring your hair will make it brittle, removing its elasticity. Your hair is dryer during the winter making it difficult for your hair to repair itself. If you want healthy hair, try to avoid coloring or bleaching it during the winter months. Take a break! Tip: Use a shampoo and conditioner that’s more moisturizing during the winter.
Also, there are many color-depositing cleansers in the market. To freshen up your color, instead of visiting the salon, try Kera Color. My stylist recommended this cleaner and conditioner to me for my 6 month trip to Mumbai. I didn’t want anyone else to touch my hair and I wanted to lessen my trips to the salon. For a nice color refresh, Kera Color’s products were amazing! I was able to keep the violet highlights in my hair looking vivid and fresh as opposed to them turning green! Ew!
Cold showers are better for healthy hair
Because it’s cold outside, you’re going to be tempted to take long hot showers. Have you noticed how your skin feels dry after a hot shower? The same thing happens to your hair! Hot water strips your hair of its natural oils and dries up the hair shaft. For healthier hair, try being bold and blasting it with really cold water at the end. Tip: Try to avoid over-washing your hair. If your hair is oily, try using a dry shampoo between washes. Washing your hair daily is a big no-no! Constant hair washing will leave your hair dry and brittle. If you work out and feel the need to wash your hair, just try rinsing it between trips to the gym using conditioner.
Natural products for healthy hair
When it comes to using hair products to style your hair, always remember: less is more. There is nothing worse than weighing down those locks with products. Doing this will force you to wash your hair frequently and we’ve already agreed that that’s a bad idea. Change up your hair care and try out some customized, natural hair products to treat your hair in between washes. Tip: I’d recommend using Prose because they’re natural and personalized for your specific hair type. All of their ingredients can be read (without making those funny faces) easily, they’re cruelty, paraben, sulfate, GMO, phthalate, and alcohol-free!
Sometimes better hair products mean that you need to splurge a little. OlaPlex is a great brand that targets specific hair types and provides a system of haircare like Prose. But if you decide to try out the drugstore route, my favorite brands are Aussie and Garnier.
A healthy diet means healthy hair
According to Ryan Raman on Healthline, having a healthy diet helps keep your hair healthy. A diet with eggs, avocado, fish, and spinach–foods with iron, biotin, protein, and Vitamins A, C, D, and E promote hair health.
The tiny blood vessels by the root of your hair are what promote your hair to grow. Once the hair grows past the skin’s surface, it’s not alive anymore. The length of hair you see is actually dead.
Remember, for great skin and hair, it’s always the “inside, out.” What does that mean? As long as you’re healthy on the inside, your health and skin will always show it.
Tip: Exercise and maintain a good diet. You’ll see a difference in your hair.
I’m sure you’ve seen many Influencers talk about certain vitamins that promote healthy hair. My opinion and advice is to always ask your doctor if it’s needed.
Over-styling and heat styling kills your hair
No matter what any tool claims, using any sort of heat on your hair damages it. The reason the winter is harsh on your hair is due to the lack of moisture in the atmosphere. By heat styling your hair, you strip the hair of its natural moisture and oils. Using a heat protectant will help, but in the long run, you’re still damaging your hair. Heat styling makes your hair brittle and leads to split ends and breakage. Tip: Minimize heat styling during the winter. Your hair is going to be covered most of the time. The lack of moisture in your hair makes it static-y as well.
Hair Treatments
In my experience, oiling my hair once a week showed great results. Not only did it work as a deep conditioning treatment for my hair, but it stimulated blood flow to the hair follicles. As a South Asian “champi” or hair oil massage is a norm in our culture. In school, you weren’t allowed to experiment too much with your hair. You could even face being sent home for having your hair out of place! That’s why hair oiling is a must in India.
Tip: Don’t leave your hair oil over night and go out with it. Oily hair will attract a lot of pollutants and even face sun damage if not covered. Keep your hair oiled for about an hour and then wash out. After washing my hair, I love using the OlaPlex bonding oil to tame the frizz and protect my hair from UV rays. Remember, UV damage is possible all year round. If you’re someone that bleaches your hair, this is especially important for you to follow.
Winter can be as damaging to your hair as summer. Protecting your hair is key to keeping it healthy. The less is more approach works great when trying to minimize weighing down your hair with products between washes. To promote healthy hair, keep your hair care simple and treat it well!
For more tips and to learn how to keep your skin nourished and healthy this winter, check out my other posts!
