Winter Curly Hair Care Guide: Keeping Curls Moisturized in Cold Weather
Introduction: Caring for curly hair in winter can be a challenge. The cold temperatures, low humidity, and harsh winds can leave your curls looking dry, frizzy, and brittle. But they don’t have to look this way. That’s why once the temperature drops, it’s important to change up your curly hair care routine, just the way you do with your skincare. If you’re struggling with dry, curly strands this winter, you’ve come to the right place. We’re telling you how to keep hair moisturized in winter plus breaking down the best curly hair products and hair care tips to care for curly hair in winter. Read ahead for the ultimate curly hair routine for winter.
How Does Winter Affect Curly Hair? Winter’s effects on your curly hair can be extremely harsh. When the temperature and dew points are low, the air is drier and humidity is lower. The result is drier-than-usual curls that are frizzy, dry, limp, and unpredictable. But these effects aren’t just annoying, they’re actually damaging to curly hair. The cold, dry air lifts the hair cuticle of the strands, resulting in moisture loss through the hair shaft. This leads to brittle, fragile strands that are susceptible to split ends and breakage. In addition, things like high winds and wearing protective gear like hats can cause your curls to tangle, snag and break. And winter can be especially harsh on your curly hair if it’s color-treated, stripping it further of its vibrancy and shine.
8 Tips for Winter Hair Care for Curly Hair: The most important change to your curly hair routine for winter is to amp up your hair’s hydration and add lots of moisture back into your curls. Keep your hair moisturized this season with these 8 essential tips to care for curly hair in winter.
Deep condition twice a week: The colder temps and lack of moisture in the air during winter will inevitably dry out your curls. Combat this by deep conditioning your hair once or twice a week. Add heat to help the hydrating ingredients penetrate your hair strands more deeply. Apply a hair mask before sitting under a hooded dryer or rotating a blowdryer on hot around your head.
Co-wash more often: If you’re not already co-washing your curls on a regular basis, winter is the time to start. And if you are, do it more! Co-washing is a curly hair washing technique that replaces your regular shampoo with a conditioner. Make sure that you rinse thoroughly after co-washing, especially at your roots.
Wash the night before: Curly hair can take hours to fully dry. During the winter, you shouldn’t go outside with wet hair as it’s especially vulnerable when wet. The cold, dry air can dehydrate it and cause unnecessary breakage. Instead of washing your hair in the morning, wash it at night. Diffuse your curls partially before you go to bed.
If you MUST go out with wet hair…cover it: If you absolutely must go outside with wet curls, cover them with a silk scarf or hat. This will protect your strands from cold, dry air and weather, helping prevent frizz, tangles and split ends.
Cut back on protein treatments: Protein dries out your curls, increasing their need for moisture. During an already dry season, this is a big DON’T. Cut back on protein treatments and avoid using anything with a high concentration of proteins like hydrolyzed wheat protein and silk protein during the winter months.
Use more product: To counteract the drying effects of colder temperatures, increase the amount of product you use in winter. This includes things like conditioner, curl cream, and gel. Your curls respond differently to products in different climates. When it’s especially dry, more product will be needed to keep your curls healthy and well defined.
Finish your routine with oil: Quench thirsty strands by sealing the ends with a hair oil as the final step in your styling routine; this locks in all the product used before it and prevents moisture from escaping. It also protects your curls from indoor artificial heat, dry air, wind, and snow. Use a lightweight oil that won’t weigh down your curly hair.
Use a humidifier: Indoor heating can make the air in your home very dry, which in turn dries out your hair. Using a humidifier in your bedroom or living space can add moisture back to the air, helping both your skin and your hair retain hydration. Regularly getting your hair trimmed and cutting down the use of styling tools will also help keep hair healthy. And while those winter coffees and hot toddies may be refreshing, they can also be dehydrating so make sure you stay hydrated by drinking water throughout the day.
Other Winter Curly Hair Tips: Protect hair from friction: Coats, scarves, and sweaters (especially wool) can rub against your hair and cause frizz or breakage, particularly at the nape of your neck. To prevent this, consider styles that keep your hair up and off your shoulders like high buns or ponytails or use a silk scarf as a barrier between your hair and your collar. You can also switch to a jacket with a silkier lining in the hood or collar. Silk-lined hats: We mentioned covering your hair with a silk scarf or hat when going out with wet hair, but even when it’s dry, wearing hats can cause frizz. Line your winter hats with satin or silk (you can sew in a piece of satin fabric or purchase hats that come satin-lined). This way you get warmth without the frizz and breakage. Avoid going out with damp hair: It was worth emphasizing not only can it cause hair to literally freeze and break in sub-zero temps, but even in mild cold it will dehydrate your hair quickly and make it more brittle. Plan your wash schedule so you have drying time indoors. Don’t over-wash: Curly hair is naturally dry, and winter makes it more so. If you were washing 3 times a week, see if you can cut to 2, or replace one wash with a co-wash. The less you strip oils, the better (as long as your scalp remains healthy). Hot oil treatments: Winter is a great time to do hot oil treatments. Warming up some coconut, olive, or jojoba oil and applying it to your hair (and scalp) as a pre-shampoo treatment can help fortify hair’s moisture and protect it from the drying effect of shampoo. You can do this once a week or biweekly. Just be sure to wash it out thoroughly (maybe shampoo twice) so you don’t have oil residue. Clarify occasionally: Even in winter, product buildup can happen (perhaps even more if you’re heavy on oils and butters). Once a month or so, use a clarifying shampoo to remove buildup so your moisturizers can actually penetrate. Follow immediately with a deep conditioning mask to replenish moisture.
Conclusion: Winter can be a tricky time for curly hair, but with the right adjustments, your curls can still flourish in the cold. The mantra is: moisturize and protect. By deep conditioning regularly, co-washing or using gentle cleansers, sealing in moisture, and shielding your hair from harsh cold and dry air, you’ll keep your curls soft, defined, and resilient through the winter months. Think of it as winterizing your curly routine just like you’d winterize a car or home. A little extra effort goes a long way. When spring comes back around, you won’t have to nurse your hair back from a dry, brittle state because you’ll have maintained its health all winter. Instead, you’ll be ahead of the game with strong, happy curls. Stay warm, stay hydrated (drink that water and use that humidifier), and give your curls the TLC they crave this winter. Your spring and summer hair will thank you for it!
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