5 tips for winter haircare
When the temperature falls and the air turns crisp, we know to stack on the layers and keep ourselves rugged up. But unless we think to grab a beanie on the way out, we often leave our scalps vulnerable to the chilling air.
While it’s easy to convince ourselves that our full head of hair is protecting our scalps (and to some extent, this is true), our scalps are more sensitive to the seasonal change than we realise. And besides that, there’s only so much our hair can take before the cold air changes its texture and starts to destroy it.
Keep these five tips in mind to keep your hair protected as the winter weather starts setting in.
Tip #1: Wash your hair with cool or lukewarm water
While it’s extremely tempting to have a steaming hot shower on those cold winter mornings, having the water at a high temperature will do your hair more harm than good.
Firstly, it can cause irritation and damage to the scalp and secondly, the steam of the hot water will strip your hair of moisture and cause your hair to become dry. Since the harsh winter air already dries your hair out enough, showering under hot water is the last thing it needs!
Tip #2: Stay away from intense cleansing shampoos
Some clarifying shampoos can contain harsh ingredients that can over dry the scalp and leave you vulnerable to flakes and dandruff.
Whilst you could probably get away with using these in the summertime, limit your use of these shampoos in the cooler months and opt for something more moisturising.
Tip #3: Use a highly moisturising conditioner
Easily the most important thing when it comes to winter haircare is using a moisturising conditioner.
If you have very oily hair, concentrate your conditioner on your mid-lengths to ends rather than skipping conditioner all together. Your hair needs the nourishment on those chilly days, particularly if you use a lot of heat-styling products.
Tip #4: Choose a cream-based treatment over a leave-in serum
A thick cream-based treatment is a better option than serum during winter. Not only because your hair needs that deep, thorough conditioning, but leaving wet product in your hair will cause damage once the cold air hits it, leaving it vulnerable to breakage and splitting.
Tip #5: Don’t leave the house with wet hair
This stems from the previous tip. Wet hair plus cold air does not equal favourable results, from causing hair damage to leaving you with a nasty chill.
Be sure to dry your hair before you leave the house and for extra protection, throw on a beanie before you head out for the day.
