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Summer to Winter Transition: Hair Care

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Wisconsin chapter.

We’ve talked about the importance of changing your skin and makeup regimen during the winter months, but one thing often forgotten during the winter is your hair care! Hair dries out during the winter just like your skin, so moisturizing is key. Here are a few tips to keep those luscious locks looking great during these chilly months.

1. Washing

We’ve all heard how bad it is to wash your hair daily. Shampoo strips the hair of its natural oils therefore leaving it drier than usual. With your hair exposed to the winter elements every day, the drying can be damaging. It’s encouraged to keep washing at a minimum, only two or three times per week. Thank God for dry shampoo, am I right? At the same time, make sure your hair is completely dry when leaving the house. Moisture from your wet hair combined with the cold can make it more brittle and prone to breaking.

My favorites:

Suave Professionals Dry Shampoo Spray – Walgreens, $3 (it works the best and smells like lemons. Win.)

Batiste Dry Shampoo – Walgreens, $8

2. Deep conditioning

Deep conditioning treatments are great for dry hair, but most salons recommend only using it every other week. During the winter, it’s safe to use more frequently to boost that moisture. Leave-in conditioner is also a great idea for adding a layer of protection to your hair. I use a spray leave-in treatment on the ends of my hair every single day to prevent breaking.

My favorites:

Sexy Hair Concepts Healthy Sexy Hair Soy-Tri-Wheat Leave-in Conditioner – Walgreens, $11

Aveeno Active Naturals Nourish + Condition Leave-In Hair Treatment – Walgreens, $7

3. Smoothing

Because the wind in the winter is extra strong and annoying, it seems almost impossible to keep frizz and fly-aways to a minimum. This is where having a great smoothing serum comes in handy. Bonus! Serums have oil in them that add in that needed moisture to your hair! Focus on the ends and then smooth through the rest of your hair to add yet another layer of protection. Although I swear by coconut oil for everything else, unfortunately it isn’t very good for your hair. Stick to the argan oil.

My favorites:

OGX Penetrating Oil Renewing Argan Oil – Target, $6

Aveda Brilliant Emollient Finish Gloss – Aveda, $28

There are so many little things you can do to take care of your hair during the winter, but the main idea is to baby it as much as possible. An honorable mention goes to braiding your hair. Keeping it from whipping around in the wind as much as possible is such an important aspect of winter. Channel your inner Elsa, girls. 

Hillary (@hillarybautch) is an aspiring yogi, a writer, an amateur photographer, and the first to offer a witty anecdote. She loves curling up with a good book, but rarely allows herself the time. She is one of "those" morning people and has complete faith in the higher power that is Beyonce.
Madison is a senior at the University of Wisconsin pursuing a major in English Literature with minors in Entrepreneurship and Digital Media Studies. Post college, Madison plans to complete her dreams of being the next Anna Wintour. In her free time, Madison enjoys listening to Eric Hutchinson, eating dark chocolate, and FaceTiming her puppies back home. When she isn't online shopping, or watching YouTube bloggers (ie Fleur DeForce), Madison loves exploring the vast UW Campus and all it has to offer! She is very excited to take this next step in her collegiette career as Campus Correspondent and Editor-in-Chief for HC Wisco. On Wisconsin!