Winter is COMING! But what does this mean for your curly hair care routine? Let’s figure out how to winterproof our curls.
We know it’s cold – but it’s also DRY inside!
As the temperature drops, we’re more inclined to be using air conditioning/heating in our homes and offices and we are much more likely to blow dry (or diffuse) – because who wants wet hair in the winter time?
Air Conditioning can be drying for our hair (and skin). It will be important to increase hydration levels in our hair on wash day by using moisturising conditioners, applying quality leave in or cream products and Deep Conditioning regularly.
Try these moisturising stylers:
Or these Deep Conditioning options:
If you’re diffusing more regularly (or with more heat), try adding a heat protectant into the mix.
It’s the Rainy Season
Most places in Australia receive increased rainfall in Winter. Whilst the air inside our homes and offices can be dryer than usual, the air outside carries more moisture, so when you’re spending time outside (at school drop off, your morning walk or standing on the soccer field sidelines) your hair is exposed to the moist air. If your products are high in humectants, the increased moisture in the air can bring with it ALL the frizz – this is because products with humectants in them pull moisture from the air into our hair (and as useful as they are at other times, sadly they don't know when it's too much of a good thing, so they'll keep pulling moisture as long as there is moisture to be pulled!) This can cause the dreaded “glycer-frizz”.
Commonly used humectants are glycerin, aloe vera, honey, panthenol, glycols, sorbitol, collagen, silk keratin.
Try using products with limited humectants in the top half of the ingredients list and consider a final layer of glycerin free (or low humectant) styler such as:
It’s Dry Scalp Season
According to The Mayo Clinic, dry scalp is far more common in winter. Dry scalp can cause small white flakes and possibly minor itch and tightness (though excessive itching is more likely to be eczema, psoriasis or other skin conditions – best consult your medical professional if you're unsure).
If you experience Dry Scalp in winter, be sure to pay special attention to your scalp and keep it moisturised. Soothe the symptoms with quality scalp elixirs and gentle scrubs.
Reach for Accessories that don’t mess with your hair
In my humble opinion, the best part of winter is the outfits and accessories > I’m partial to a knee high boot, cute coat and my scarf collection grows with each winter that passes! I used to avoid winter head accessories but thanks to some lovely curly companies creating products especially for us, I'm reaching for Majesticurl Beanies, Ear Warmers or a streamlined bonnet (as opposed to an oversized loose one) to tuck the curls away safely under the regular (not curl friendly) hats, beanies or hoods that I have in my closet!
So, there you have it! Your curls will be winter-proofed and ready for the snuggly season!
Enjoy!
Jen x