How to Protect Your Hair This Winter

If you are lucky enough to have long hair, or even a short bob, you are all too aware of the damage the harsh winter weather can do to your hair.

Rain, freezing temperatures and strong winds can play havoc with even the strongest hair and leave it looking limp and lifeless. The change in seasons seems to happen quicker and quicker each year – leaving us with less time to prepare for the colder weather.

As anyone who has faced this problem knows, there are so many things that can lead to your hair looking less than perfect through the cold, dark months.

Cold winter weather can make your hair feel incredibly dry and brittle. The lack of humidity not only causes split ends and generally bad looking locks but it can also dry your scalp and lead to dandruff. You know how your hands and lips feel dry and chapped through the winter? Well the skin on your head is no different – even if it is mainly covered by hair! Cold pulls all moisture from the air and this mixed with increased heating indoors can lead to a serious bad hair day.

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Just sticking a hat on your head won’t help either. If you pull a hat over your hair it might protect the bits tucked under the woolly protection but if you have long hair then the cold and wind can still get at the ends of your long locks.

The absolute worst side effect of winter has to be split ends. The dry, frizzy look with static hair sticking up everywhere makes you look messy and ungroomed – even if you’ve just stepped out of the salon.

Wet weather doesn’t help hair at any time but if your hair is wet and is then exposed to freezing temperatures it can actually start to freeze. This will not only break your hair but leave it damaged – sometimes long term.

Moving from hot to cold, when you leave the house to go outside in the morning for example, can cause your hair to rebel. Any sudden change in temperature is not good for your hair follicles and can cause it to dry out and become unmanageable.

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Windy weather is always a pain when you have long hair in particular. Even with the best of intentions, your hair will always become a knotted mess if it is whipped about in strong winds. And getting home to attack it with a brush will just matt it more and rip your delicate strands of hair into a frizzy mess.

If you’re washing your hair every day, you could be damaging it even more when winter arrives. Washing your hair too often will strip away the helpful oils and natural serums that keep your hair fresh. Styling with straighteners or hot curling irons will also add to your hair’s general lifelessness.

The Best Ways to Protect Your Hair This Winter

Conditioner

Conditioner is your friend and a great treatment! Make sure you are using conditioner every time you wash your hair and try to leave it on for up to five minutes so it really has time to soak into the hair follicles. If you find your hair gets greasy quickly, then focus on running conditioner through the mid to ends of your hair and avoid your scalp completely. In winter, you can switch to a more intensive conditioner than you would normally use and also use a milder shampoo. It makes sense as in the summer your hair will be subjected to a lot more moisture and will need less putting back into it whereas in the winter your hair will soon look dry and frizzy unless you get some moisture back in.

Argon Oil

After washing your hair, use an oil like Argon or even coconut oil to run through the lengths of your hair and clam down any split ends. This will seal the hair follicles as well as providing a natural barrier to any harmful weather conditions. You can put oil in your hair when it is wet straight from the shower and then style normally. If you’re finding your hair is still very dry after you’ve dried it, then take a tiny about of oil, spread it evenly between the palms of your hands and use it to smooth down your dried hair and tame any fly-aways.

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Cold Water

Use cold water. This might sound like torture in cold winter months! But it is one of the best tips to keep your hair looking shiny. Wash and condition your hair as normal, then when it comes to the final rinse, turn your shower head on as cold as you can stand it. This closes the cuticles of your hair and makes them lay flat – eliminating frizz and creating shine! It also prevents your hair becoming damaged when you venture outside as it will be sealed shut.

Properly Use a Hat

Cover up with a hat. Now I know we mentioned hats were bad, but they can be a great protector if you use them the right way. Tie your hair in a high bun or ponytail and cover it with a hat completely. This will protect it from the cold air and wet weather completely.

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Regular Trim

Getting your hair cut regularly will also help you keep your hair looking fresh all through winter. Take yourself to the hairdressers and get those split ends seen to every six to eight weeks to make sure your hair stays healthy. It doesn’t mean you have to have inches taken off at a time, just removing the split ends will help your hair survive this winter.

Brushing

Brush your hair gently to avoid damaging it. It can be tempting to rake your hair with a hard brush when it is full of knots from a day in windy weather. But you can actually be damaging your hair. Try to use a spray in conditioner when you brush your hair or dab a little oil on the bristles of your brush to help you de-tangle without damaging.