Cold weather is upon us again and as much as you may love cold, balmy air, there is no way to ignore the fact that this weather can be especially harsh on your hair. Often referred as the ‘crowning glory’, hair is definitely an important part of a person’s individuality and expression of style and is treasured and taken care of quite religiously. The cold temperature and crisp, dry air can make your hair look lifeless, dull and damaged reverting the year long hair care progress. However, before resigning to dry, dull hair days, try some of these tips and tricks to preserve your hair’s glory and give you shiny, healthy mane even in dry, biting cold days.

Oiling

Oiling your hair regularly is very important in general, but in the colder months the dry air can zap the moisture out of your skin as well as the scalp leaving it dry and flaky. Oiling your hair once a week deals with the dryness and helps prevent flakiness and leaves your hair shiny and soft after the wash. While there are a variety of hair oils available in the market, the basics do the job just as well. Some of our favorites are coconut oil and olive oil.

Shampoo a little less

Over-washing your hair can lead to drier hair and scalp as it sucks out the moisture and vital natural oils from the hair which keep the hair healthy and hydrated, which is vital for the winter weather.

Try to avoid washing the hair every day, instead try to extend the gap between your hair washes- if you usually wash your hair 3-4 times a week, try to bring it down to 2-3 washes or even less if possible. To avoid your hair from looking dull in the gap days use dry shampoo to lift your hair.

Say No to Hot Water

While hot water baths may feel heavenly in the freezing weather, they are definitely not good for your hair. Hot water strips the moisture and essential oils from the hair leaving it drier and dull looking and prone to breakage. So, it’s better to opt for lukewarm water to clean your tresses to maintain their health and shine.

Conditioner

We all know that conditioner is important for our hair and should be used with every wash but it becomes even more important to use the right conditioner in the winters as the cold air makes the hair dry and dull. A good conditioner can work wonders on your hair especially in the dry weather. Shampoo your hair and rinse thoroughly. Apply the conditioner from mid-lengths to the tips of your hair, focusing on the tips as they are more prone to split ends and damage. Leave the conditioner for a few minutes and then rinse it off with cool or lukewarm water. It is best to end the wash with cool water as it will lock in the moisture in the hair, leaving it shiny and smooth.

Just like weekly skin care is necessary for healthy, radiant skin, weekly hair masks are also important for the hair. They can reverse the effect of dryness and protect your hair from the damage.

Avoid heat and hair styling

While styling hair might be fun and it looks beautiful, its also true that heat styling is a major reason for damaged hair. And when winter is already harsh on your hair, heat styling in this weather causes even more stress on the already fragile hair by sucking the moisture from the hair. Choose to air dry your hair instead off picking up your hair dryer. Try to stay away from curlers and straighteners for as much as possible.

Dry your hair before heading out

Let your hair air day at home before heading out as the moisture in the air can cause your hair to freeze at the cuticle and cause hair fall. It is also important to not comb your hair while its wet as your hair is even more prone to breakage.

Combat the Static Hair

A tell-a tale sign that your hair is suffering from winter dryness is the static. Those fine hair strands lifting like you’ve just been electrocuted is a sure sign of lack of moisture in your hair. An easy way to deal with the issue is to carry an anti-static laundry sheet in your bag. Simply swipe it over your hair to get rid of the static.

It is however, only a temporary fix, it is much more important to tackle the root cause of the problem- the dryness. It is important to condition your hair regularly and going a step further by locking in the moisture with leave-in conditioner.

Keep up the Hydration

Hydration starts from within and drinking enough water encourages hair growth and stimulates healthier scalp by preventing problems like flakiness, dryness itchiness and dandruff. It also deals with brittle hair, split ends and other such problems.

We hope these care tips will help you combat your hair woes this winter season and keep your hair looking healthy, shiny and smooth.