Winter — whether you delight in cold weather or find yourself dreading the deep freeze — it’s coming. As the temperature drops and the environment changes, our hair reacts and has different needs. I would know — my hair is like a toddler. If my hair’s not happy, she throws tantrums of frizz, breakage and poor curl definition. If the hair’s not happy, nobody’s happy. Everyone’s hair is different and therefore has different needs. Still, the most important gift you can give your hair this season is surprisingly universal: moisture.
For many of us, cold winters mean our radiators are putting in serious overtime. As the temperatures go down, the heaters turn up. But, as much as we all love pulling on a thermal, a quilt and chilling by the fireplace, all of that heat can seriously dry out hair. When dry hair seeks moisture in the surrounding air, that equals frizz. Thankfully, the solutions are simple.
1. Stop washing your hair every day.
You might not realize it, but your body is full of defense mechanisms — it’s always repairing and restoring itself. Your hair is no exception! Hair produces natural oils that nourish the hair and hair shafts. Instead of washing it every day, let your hair tell you when you need to wash it. [Trust me, you’ll know!] When your roots begin to feel greasy, it’s time to wash. Personally, I have dry, coarse hair, so I wash my hair twice a week. Your wash frequency will depend on your hair type and the kind of torture you subject it to. Heat styled hair will be drier and therefore requires less washing. Additionally, you might consider lightening up on your curling iron usage, but if you just can’t go without beachy waves use a protectant like CHI’s Infra Thermal treatment — your hair will thank you.
2. When you do shampoo, do it right!
When washing your hair, focus on the roots first and work the shampoo down the hair shaft. Try to avoid shampoos with sulfates that strip your hair of natural oils. Paul Mitchell’s Tea Tree shampoo is a miracle worker — it smells great and stimulates the scalp to encourage hair growth. After shampoo, use liberal amounts of conditioner and leave it in for as long as possible. Avoid silicones in conditioners because these will weigh down the hair. Shea Moisture’s Jamaican Black Castor Oil Conditioner is a wonderful choice, full of minty, muddy goodness.
3. Get good at multi-masking!
Hair masks and deep conditioners are other steps to achieving moisturized, frizz-free hair. Brigeo’s Don’t Despair Repair is more than just a cute name — its formulation comes jam-packed with natural oils, vitamins and antioxidants. This mask is the co-worker you WANT to share a shift with — it’ll do exactly what it says and even pick up your slack. [I know, I know, I should drink more water, but three liters? I’m more greasy pizza on a Tuesday than I am Gwenyth Paltrow.]
Macadamia Natural Oil also makes a great deep conditioning mask and it doesn’t hurt that this stuff smells AH-MAZING. After showering, put a little bit of the conditioner in while the hair is still wet. This stuff is as rich as a sugar daddy. [Or a Splenda daddy because, let’s get real, who doesn’t have college debt?] Seriously, a little goes a looooooong way.
4. Switch Schools!
I’m only half joking! If none of the above worked, the issue could be the school shower and not your thermostat. Most likely, the water in your dormitory isn’t being filtered properly. When your hair comes in contact with mineral heavy water, it retains the residue and becomes limp, dull and unresponsive. Fear not! Put down that transfer application — there’s another way to solve your water woes and that answer is a clarifying treatment! Christophe Robin’s Purifying Scrub with Sea Salt is a cult favorite, leaving your locks weightless with shampoo commercial shine. However, if Robin’s $50 price tag leaves you wincing, there are other, cheaper alternatives. Neutrogena’s Anti-Residue Formula is just as cleansing, can be yours for the price of a latte and comes in all-too-adorable packaging!
Hopefully, one of these suggestions helped! Winter may be long, but we can get through it together with a little resolve and a lot of conditioner!
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