November is here! Many across the U.S. have already seen snow, so it’s no mystery that winter is almost upon us. Dryer winter air and cold temperatures can have a serious impact on your hair. You know what I’m talking about – dreaded winter frizz, static, and breakage.
Turns out that the cold is not the only culprit of dry hair during the winter – it has even more to do with heat. We crank up the heaters in our homes, spend more time indoors, take long hot showers and baths, and use hot tools and hair dryers more frequently during frosty months. Let’s take a look at some tricks to keeping your hair looking great throughout this chilly season ahead.
Protect Your Hair Outdoors
Whipping winds at freezing temperatures dry out your hair just as much as your skin – we just don’t feel it! Wear hats and scarves to protect your hair as much as you can when you leave the house, and never ever walk outside in the cold if you have wet hair.
Protect Your Hair From the Heat
Wait, is that a typo? Nope, I’m serious. Make sure you are using heat protectant spray on your hair before you blow dry or use hot tools such as straighteners or curling irons. They make a huge difference in the strength and shine of your hair when you style. Heat dries out and damages your hair, making it prone to breakage and split ends.
Condition Like Crazy
During the winter, you hair tends to be dryer because of the heat in your home and the dryness of the air outside. Make sure you bump up your conditioning routine to keep your hair moisturized – do a weekly hair mask, add a leave-in conditioner to your routine, and even add conditioner to your ends before you shampoo to give them a little more protection when you wash your hair.
Cut Down on Washes
Washing your hair daily really strips your hair of moisture, so try to wash your hair with shampoo less, alternating with a conditioner-only rinse or using dry shampoo.
Use the Cold to Your Advantage
While blasting hot water in the shower seems like the best thing during these cold days, it definitely isn’t good for your hair. Rinse your hair in cold water after you wash and condition to lock in moisture and shine. Also, when your hair is not being tended to, try to keep your hair out of the hot water with a shower cap or ponytail if you love those toasty soaks too much (I know I do!).
. If you don’t carve pumpkins, canned pumpkin puree is easy to find (look by the pies in your grocery store!) and will work just as well as pureeing your own.
