Winter is my favorite season, and it’s probably yours too. Nothing is better than curling up on a cold day with a cup of hot chocolate or sitting around a BBQ fire with your friends and family. However, although the season is associated with coziness and fun times, one thing that can ruin the winter vibe is dryness. Dryness of the skin, dryness of the air, and perhaps worst of all—dryness of the hair!
Your hair can benefit from a good hair routine during all times of the year, but it’s a particularly important practice during winter. During the cold season, hair is more easily damaged, and that damage is also more visible. Not only does dry hair result in weaker hair which can break or fray more easily, it can also cause dandruff. When dry, your hair is also more likely to look rough and unkempt.
For these reasons, dry hair requires deep conditioning from root to end in order to remain healthy during this notoriously moisture-less season. A completely oil-based hair routine can ensure proper nourishment of dull, rough, and tangled hair. We recommend coconut oil due to its deeply moisturizing and nurturing properties. For best results, apply coconut oil one hour before shampooing; this will have a conditioning effect that can protect your hair from dryness in both the long and short term.
You can also consider doing oil massages before bed, and leaving the oil in overnight. You can also add almond oil and vitamin E to coconut oil to make the massage more effective. This is a great idea for those of you who are too busy to follow through with a haircare routine during the day. We recommend washing the shampoo off in the morning since you don’t want your oily hair to attract dirt. That said, shampooing should also be done in moderation as excessive shampooing can rob your hair of its natural oils and damage it further.
You might be unwilling to practice oiling your hair if you regularly struggle with an oily scalp. However, contrary to popular belief, oil doesn’t actually worsen an oily scalp; rather, your will respond well to an oil massage, as it boosts blood circulation. This also has the added benefit of boosting hair growth!
If you have some extra time and want to treat yourself to a mini spa experience at home, why not whip yourself up a protein hair mask? All you need is some yogurt, amla, coconut oil, and egg yolk. Mix it up, apply it to your scalp, and leave it on for 30 minutes before gently washing it off with water. Follow that up with a mild cleansing shampoo. Do this once a week for best results.
To extend your at-home spa day, try the hot towel treatment. Dampen your hair towel, heat it up, then wrap it around your head for about 15 minutes before you wash your hair. In that time, your scalp will absorb the steam, which has a moisturizing effect. This, in turn, prevents dandruff and guards against hair fall.
Beyond haircare, it’s also important to cultivate healthy eating habits, drink enough water, get enough sleep and trim split ends regularly to lessen the problems of dry hair. Furthermore, if you use a portable heater to warm yourself up, think twice. Space heaters are known to rob moisture from the air, which can in turn cause your hair to be dehydrated if you’re in the same room. On that note, don’t be so quick to reach for electric hair styling tools, either. Hair dryers, straightener, curlers, and blow dryers, are all responsible for causing the user’s hair to look lifeless, dull and rough.
Winter haircare is important for everyone no matter their hair type, be it thick, thin, straight, curly, long or short. If your hair is unhealthy, it will show. So don’t be lazy. Get out from under the warm covers and show your hair the love it deserves!
