New Year, New Haircare Strategy
Compared to past years, we’ve had a very tame winter. But even without the intense snowfalls, we still experience winter woes when it comes to our hair.
Remember: the key to haircare is tailoring your routine to fit the season. In the fall, it was all about preventing breakage. In winter, it’s a mix of preventing breakage and restoring moisture to dry brittle strands. Revamp your winter haircare strategy by following these easy tips to keep your hair strong, happy, and healthy all season long!
Shampoo Less Frequently To Combat Grease
Some girls can go days with a little dry shampoo and a quick tousling to loosen up tangled curls, and other girls shampoo daily to combat greasy hair. Greasy hair looks and feels bad–which can be a major blow to your self-esteem–so it’s easy to reach for the shampoo bottle. Wait! Overwashing and excess scrubbing can actually irritate your scalp and strip strands of natural oils, causing your scalp to produce more oil.
Too much oil leaves hair limp and lifeless, especially fine and straight hair. Some with excess oil may also experience itchy, flaky hair and dandruff.
Combat oil by shampooing less frequently. By spacing out the number of times you wash your hair, you can actually train your hair to be less greasy. It will take time but try going 2-3 days between washes, and experiment with dry shampoos that are designed to soak up oil without stripping your strands of their natural oils.
Moisturize Hair To Defeat Static
Static is every girl’s enemy. Sometimes, especially in winter, it can’t be helped. Static is a sign of dry hair. Less moisture = more static. But please don’t rub your head with a dryer sheet! While it can work for some, there are better ways to defeat static.
Instead, use a daily leave-in conditioner that moisturizes and hydrates hair. Spray your strands and then comb through to evenly distribute from roots to ends.
Do A Weekly Deep Clean To Repair Damaged Hair
Deep-conditioning treatments or hair masks can replenish lost moisture and restore shine, smooth, and lift strands to give your hair more body. While a leave-in conditioner is lightweight enough to use daily (mostly to detangle and smooth), a deep-conditioner or hair mask contains oils and emulsifiers to repair hair at the source. Start with a weekly “deep clean”. For fine or straight hair, leave it on for 10-15 minutes. For thick or curly hair, leave it on for closer to 30 minutes.
Use a Heat-Protectant to Reduce Moisture Loss
Reaching for a hot styling tool like a hair straightener or curling iron may feel like second nature but if you haven’t applied a heat-protectant first, stop! Heat is one of the worst things for your hair because it threatens the integrity of your strands and it contributes to dry and damaged ends.
Heat-protectants add a protective coating to your hair to reduce the amount of moisture lost–a very big problem during these long months of cold, dry air–but remember to apply it all over, not just your roots. Grab small sections of damp hair and mist each one from root to end. Then comb your hair to evenly distribute it along the entire shaft. Now it’s safe to dry and style!
Reduce Use of Hot Styling Tools and Give Your Hair A Break
Again, dry, dull hair is more prone to breakage so it’s important to periodically set aside the hot styling tools and give your hair a break. With dozens of protective hairstyles–braids, buns, twists, ponytails–there are endless ways to have a good hair day without the need for heat.
Prevent Breakage and Skip The Wool
Remember: Cold air takes the moisture out of your hair. When combined with dampness from snow (or hair that’s half-dry), it causes damage and dryness. Reaching for a hat before walking out the door is a habit. However, when wool rubs against your strands it creates friction, leaving your hair susceptible to breakage. This is because wool has a tendency to deplete hair of necessary moisture. Opt for gentler fabrics like silk. You can wear a silk scarf in lieu of a hat or line your hats with silk or satin.
At LJ Hair Design we want your hair to always look its best. Contact us today to schedule your next appointment!
