I will be honest, as a resident in sunny southern California we do not get much of a winter. We do not experience snow blizzards or below zero temperatures, but our winters do consist of cooler weather and rain and I modify my hair care routine accordingly. Here are some techniques I use to weather our storms and chilly weather so that my tailbone-length (TBL”> hair is not a mess.
No wet hair outdoors
First and foremost, I avoid going out with wet hair. When it is already wet outside, there is no need for me to go out with wet hair. More importantly, I like to seal the moisture that I have into my hair before leaving the house, and if I go out with wet hair, my curls are frizzy and dry hair at the end of the day. Therefore, dry hair is a must.
Since I do love a good wash and go year-round, I will often do it the day before when I know I will not being going anywhere. This allows me to wear it out the next day, if it is going to be cold rather than rainy.
Avoid loose styles, wear protective styles
Loose styles and ponytails do not last for me in the winter. Even on dry, cold days, they tend to get frizzy and puffy—and not in a good way— so I like to reserve certain styles, such as these for other seasons in the year. I love protective styles in the winter. They are perfect for that time of the year. My favorite protective styles for the winter are side braids, buns (all kinds”>, and twists.
Wear hats
I love a good hat and I wear more hats in the wintertime. I usually pull my hair back into a low bun or ponytail and wear a hat when the weather would otherwise mess up any decent hairstyle or it is just too wet. It is the perfect accessory to wear if you still want to look good without having to do much to your hair.
Use butters
I use hair butters more often to keep my hair moisturized in the winter. I love Carol’s Daughter’s Hair Milk Nourishing & Conditioning Style Pudding! It is thick in consistency and packs supreme moisture. I use butters for my twists outs and other updos in the winter because it keeps my hair moisturized for longer periods of time.
Increase co-washing
I co-wash more in the winter. Some would say, “just put it in a protective style and leave it alone” but my hair still gets soaked from the rain even when in a protective style. Here is the bottom line: the air is drier in the wintertime and my hair needs more moisture, so I give it that. My hair is happier being moisturized and refreshed, so I would much rather co-wash more than to leave my hair in a stale protective style for too long.
How do you protect your hair in the colder months?
