Winter Hair Care

Winter can be the most wonderful time of the year, but it can also wreak havoc on your hair. Temperature extremes follow you from the super cold outside to overly heated homes and offices – and can suck the moisture right out of your locks, leaving you with dry, frizzy, static-prone hair. Add to this hat head and dry scalp? You’ve got a major hair situation in the works. Take control of the condition of your hair with quick, easy solutions to the worst hair dilemmas.

The biggest culprit in a hair situation is that your strands are dry. You’d be surprised at all the different ways you can get moisture back into your hair. Before bed each night, fire up a small humidifier. Bonus? Your skin will thank you in the morning, too! You can also look into adding flax oil and B-12 into your diet . Flax oil vitamins have been known to make hair and skin softer and more capable of drawing moisture in. B-12 can help your hair grow stronger. You should talk to your doctor before taking any supplements.

Start yourself off on the right foot this winter by regularly trimming dry, split ends. Famed NYC stylist Christo suggests increasing the frequency of your trims throughout the season. He believes that dryness starts with the hair’s ends; if you normally get your hair trimmed every six weeks, hop into your stylist’s chair every four. This will ensure that you have a healthy base to work with.

Keep your hair healthy longer by adding an ultra-moisturizing hair masque into your shower regimen. There are a number of really great deep conditioning masks on the market. You can create your own at home by applying a thick layer of your everyday conditioner all over your hair. Cover your head with a shower cap or plastic wrap, and then heat it with your hair dryer for 5-10 minutes. The heat will cause your hair follicles to open up and take in more of the moisture of the conditioner.

When styling your hair in the winter, make sure you add strengthening and protective products into your routine. If your hair is already fragile or prone to drying out, the last thing you want to do is subject it unprotected to daily heat styling. Before drying, using a flat iron, or curling, apply a repair cream, a thermal protecting cream or spray, or a leave-in conditioner. Doing so will ensure that your style looks fab, not fried.

One last hair dilemna? Dealing with hat head. It’s inevitable – the smushed, flat, static-y mess that comes from wearing a warm winter stocking cap. If you know you’re going to be putting a hat on before heading outside, use a root lifter while styling your hair. It’ll give some added oomph and volume to your style so your hair won’t fall completely flat when the hat comes off. Carry a mini bottle of hair spray in your bag so you can flip your head over, spritz, and revive your style. And if you’ve got some fly-away frizzies, smooth them away by rubbing a small amount of hand lotion on the ends of your hair.

Your hair responds to its environment – and in the winter, that means dry, dry, dry. With just a few small adjustments to your regular routine, you can make sure your hair looks healthy and feels soft all winter long