Keeping hair healthy is difficult no matter what time of the year it is. But in the dead of winter? It can almost feel like your hair has given up on you!
If you find yourself tying your hair back more during the winter months because of how dry and damaged it is, you're not alone. It's common for hair to dry out during this time of year, but it's certainly not healthy.
You may think that the only option is to wait for summer to come around, with its heavy, humid heat to keep your locks nice and hydrated. However, there are some things that you can do to help combat the winter blues besides just saying "to heck with it" and chopping it all off.
Scroll through below to see 10 things you should stop doing to your hair during winter. With these simple tips, you'll surely notice a huge difference in how strong your hair is, despite the blistering cold outside.
Did we miss anything from our list? Let us know in the comments.
And please SHARE with family and friends who struggle with maintaining healthy hair in the cold!
Thumbnail sources: Flickr 1, 2
1. Use Scalding-Hot Water
Yes, it feels so great to come in from a cold day and hop into a steaming-hot shower.
However, when it comes time to wet your head, you might want to tone the temperature down a bit, lest you scorch your hair and dry it out, causing even more breakage than if you were to use lukewarm water.
2. Bleach It Platinum Blonde
Winter isn't the time to go blonde, as it's incredibly damaging to the hair. For minimal distress, stay darker for the winter months and wait for the more humid months to process your hair so heavily. Your follicles and your stylist will both thank you.
If you're a die-hard bleached blonde, maybe look at the winter as an opportunity to explore a transformation to brunette. Who knows — it could be fun!
3. Rush Out The Door Without Drying
If you've done this before, you know that your wet hair can actually freeze pretty quickly. When this happens, your hair cuticles can actually freeze too, and that causes damage and breakage.
Make sure that you have enough time to properly dry your hair before you step outside.
4. Get A Cut That Requires A Lot Of Styling
If you're going for a new look this winter, try one that requires little to no upkeep. The more you fuss with your hair, the more it will get damaged and break, which already happens way too much in the cold.
Hassle-free cuts are the way to go in the wintertime!
5. Straighten Or Curl It Daily
It's no mystery that styling tools damage your hair, but it's even worse in the winter months, when your hair is already lacking moisture and strength.
Try letting your natural texture out a couple days each week, at least. Maybe you will even learn to love your natural tresses!
6. Choose The Wrong Hat
If you wear a hat to shield your hair from the cold and the wind, then you might stand a better chance against breakage.
However, you should line your cotton and wool hats with a material like silk, because harsher materials can rub against the strands of hair and make them more susceptible to damage.
7. Skip The Protectant
If you do use heat tools, even just a hair dryer, you should be using heat protectant on your hair. It coats each follicle and shields it from some of the damage of your styling tools.
This is important all year long really, but it's extra crucial during the cold months when your hair is even more delicate. You should also make sure to give your hair extra oil treatments and masks in the wintertime to combat the dryness.
8. Over-Shampoo
Shampooing every day can result in a dry scalp, and in winter, the repercussions are even worse than in the rest of the year.
You'll get itchy and dandruffy if you shampoo more than every three days (give or take, depending on the individual). Some even think you should stop shampooing altogether, but that's a bit extreme for my personal taste.
9. Keep The Humidifier In The Closet
This may not seem like a harmful thing for your hair, but keeping a humidifier running in your home can help rehydrate your tresses while you sleep or do chores.
It's really a wonder that they don't sell humidifiers in the hair section during the winter!
10. Use Static Guard Or Dryer Sheet Hacks
If you try to treat the static in your hair that comes from wearing hats or hoods with temporary fixes (like with static guard or a dryer sheet), you could be doing a lot of harm. Static is an indicator that your hair is too dry.
Instead, double up your protective treatment with some leave-in conditioner after you've already conditioned in the shower.
Do you do any of these things to your hair in the winter? Did we miss anything from our list? Please SHARE with family and friends on Facebook!
