It’s cold, it’s blustery and it’s frosty. While the winter months bring festive cheer, mulled wine and cosy knits, it also brings harsh conditions for your hair.
Many people notice changes in their hair over the winter months – including dryness and hair loss – so you aren’t alone! We spend more time than ever indoors with the heating on in winter and when we venture outside, we’re battling with the elements.
We’ve brought together a list of our absolute essentials when it comes to haircare in winter, share our top tips for healthy hair in winter, and discuss the common winter hair problems people face.
Tips for winter haircare
We all know that our skincare routine needs to change in the winter months to accommodate for the icy air mixed with the central heating. But the same is true for your hair. From dry and static hair to frizzy hair and hair loss, winter is a tough time for your locks.
We’ve included our top tips for healthy hair in winter to help you to keep your locks shiny and moisturised in the cooler months.
1. Avoid washing your hair too often
While washing your hair cleans away the dirt and build up in your hair, it also strips your hair of its natural oils in the process. These natural oils help to protect the hair from day to day wear and tear by protecting the hair follicles.
Stick to washing your hair just two or three times a week rather than daily or every two days in the winter months.
2. Don’t have the water too hot in the shower
We know how comforting a hot shower can feel when it’s frosty outside, but overly hot water is known to strip the scalp of its natural oils, dry out the scalp and cause dandruff, make your hair overly porous leading to brittleness and weakening your roots.
Contributing to breakage, dryness and frizziness, the hot and steamy shower just isn’t worth it if you’re wanting to look after your hair.
Turn down the temperature a few notches – you’ll still be in nicely warm water – to reduce the effects of hot water on your hair. Depending on how brave you feel, you could even go all Wim Hof and opt for a cold shower.
3. Use a hair mask to nourish your locks
Using a nourishing hair mask or treatment once or twice a week in the colder months can help to add life back into dull hair. Hair masks contain a wealth of concentrated moisturising ingredients that can help to repair your locks and add shine.
4. Use an oil treatment to keep your roots happy
As moisture is sapped out of your hair in winter by the cool weather and central heating indoors, your roots and scalp take the brunt of the damage. Using an oil treatment on your hair can help to repair this damage by adding a hit of much-needed moisture and sealing the gaps in your hair strands.
Choose products that contain deeply nourishing oils such as argan oil, jojoba oil and coconut oil. Hair oils can be used before washing, on damp hair and on dry hair – so there’s no excuse not to use it!
5. Keep up to date with your trims
It might be the last thing you feel like doing in the cold weather, but heading to a salon and getting your hair trimmed regularly is a great way to keep your locks in tip top shape. You’ll remove the split ends that can cause further damage to your hair and your locks will feel thicker too.
6. Conditioning is the name of the game
Like oil treatments and hair masks, deep conditioning treatments are a great way to soothe dry and itchy scalps and add moisture back into dry hair. Make sure the deep conditioner you choose is packed full of nourishing oils and moisturising ingredients.
Common winter hair problems and how to help
Now that we’ve explained how you can look after your hair in winter, it’s time to address some of the common concerns that people face with their hair in winter. From dryness and frizziness to hair loss, many people experience some kind of difficulty with their hair in winter.
1. Hair loss in winter
If you typically only experience hair loss in winter and not in any other season, it’s likely to be due to the harsh cool air taking away the moisture and drying out your locks. Dry hair is more prone to damage, breakage and ultimately hair loss.
Hair falling out in winter can massively impact a person’s confidence and the way they see themselves. If this is something you’re dealing with, it’s important to know that you certainly aren’t alone and that hair loss solely in winter isn’t permanent.
To combat the dryness that leads to hair loss in winter, the moisturising treatments we discussed earlier are a great place to start. Whether you opt for a hair mask, oil treatment, deep conditioner or all three at different times, moisturised locks are less likely to become damaged and break off.
2. Frizzy hair in winter
Many people find that their hair becomes frizzy in the winter months. If you aren’t used to frizzy hair but find yourself with frizzy hair in winter, it’s important to remember that frizz is often caused by dry hair.
Slather on your deep conditioner and make sure you are using a moisturising shampoo and conditioner. Winter also might be the time to lay off the heat styling if you find yourself dealing with frizzy hair that is hard to control. While heat helps to style your locks, it also contributes to drying them out.
3. Dry hair in winter
Dry hair is probably the biggest hair woe in winter, with the icy air then centrally heated buildings sapping all of the moisture from the hair. While it is a common winter haircare worry, dry hair can be rejuvenated with the right products.
Deep conditioning treatments will be your best friend if you suffer from dry hair in winter.
Top tip: wear a hat in winter to keep your hair protected from the harsh conditions and yourself warm.
Discover our full range of haircare products at Reliked to help heal your hair in winter.