How to Manage Your Hair During Winter

Friday, 04 January 2013 19:54 Written by  Dana Weems

Have you ever noticed with the onset of winter or summer, your hair texture seems different? Feeling brittle or dry, less full or lack of body, or you’re noticing a lot of split ends? If you answered yes to any of the aforementioned, it could have been a result of your hair care regimen.

Ladies, hair care is essential. As the seasons change, your hair needs change. Certain seasons require different hair care methods. Especially winter when hair is more prone to breakage and other damage.

Having a good or poor hair care routine is not determined by how often you trim, going au-natural, or how long your tresses are – it’s about your daily routine.


Here are a few tips on how to manage your hair during winter:


Don’t go outside with wet hair.

In general, cold and hot climates strips hair of it’s moisture. Cold air is extremely harsh to wet hair though. If your hair is wet and you go outside when it’s cold out, it’s that much easier for your hair to dry out and break. You can no longer risk the summer “wash n’ go” hairstyle favorite. Opt to drying your hair completely before leaving the house.

Always condition...and deep condition.

Because winter is very dry, you want your locks to stay luxurious, conditioned and moisturized. When hair is moisturized it has a natural shine and it’s also less likely to dry out. We’ve covered going outside with damp hair, but even being cozy inside under the fireplace or heated furnace poses a risk to your tresses.

Though indoor heating is not the same as blazing a hair dryer directly on your head, you have to take protective measures to prevent burning and drying-out your hair. Moisturizing your hair by using deep conditioners or deep condition techniques once to every two weeks is a great way to combat dryness.

Use the right shampoo.

Shampooing your hair at least once a week is a great habit to have year round. But what kind of shampoo do you use? It’s a given that hair products are made of chemicals but some shampoos are made with harsh chemicals or harsh sulfates that are very damaging to the hair. Your shampoo determines how your hair will react to conditioners, etc. So start with a good shampoo as your base to good healthy hair care. Sulfate-free shampoos are good alternatives. Just make sure you’re conditioning so your hair is ready to face the weather in good health.

Find a protective style.

Protective styles are hairstyles that don’t require much maintenance. Most importantly, protective styles cut down on using heat and gives your hair the opportunity to grow and be healthy. This could be a sew-in, up-do or braids. Take this as your opportunity to try a new style.

Watch what you wear.

If you’ve ever experienced breakage at the nape of your neck, your hair care routine more than likely had nothing to do with it. Sometimes breakage is a result of what you wear. Pea coats, wool hats and wool scarves are particularly damaging to African American hair. Wool has a tendency to pull and snag on hair. Instead of not wearing a hat at all, sew a silk or satin lining inside. For your scarf, move your hair out of the way. And you don’t have to fear your pea coat as long as you drape a scarf made of a softer material around its collar.

For color treated hair...

If you’re thinking about switching your color or adding color to hair that is not already color-treated, wait until spring. Bleaching or lightening causes the most damage to hair. Along with the stress winter puts on your tresses, tinting your hair now isn’t the best idea. But if you must, choose a color that is closer to your hair color because the lightening process will be less intense on your strands. You can also look for conditioners and other products made especially for color-treated hair.

 

Do you have any tips to managing your tresses during winter? We’d love for you to share! Add your tips to the comment section below.



Image from Carols Daughter. Purchase the products shown at Carolsdaughter.com.

 

Dana Weems

Dana Weems

Dana Weems is a contributing writer and a fashion/beauty columnist for GMO. A Chicago native, Dana earned a MA in journalism from Columbia College Chicago and a BA in broadcasting with an emphasis in broadcast news from Grand Valley State University. She’s interned and worked at WLS-TV; ABC 7 Chicago’s entertainment show Windy City LIVE. Still freelancing, Dana has written for news sites, public affairs-based publications, fashion websites and other organizations.

She can be contacted at dana@glossmagazineonline.com and danaweems.com.