How to Care for Dry Hair in Winter

By Raybryana Dasher

Have you ever noticed that once the winter weather starts to set in your hair starts to get dry, rough and unruly. Why does this happen you ask? Well when the temperature starts their becomes less moisture in the hair. Thankfully, this is only temporary until the weather starts to warm up. Still, it’s also nothing that a few changes to your haircare routine, as well as a good hair moisturizer, can’t help with. Here’s a closer look at how and why dry skin in winter is so common — and what you can do about it.

How Winter Leads to Dry Hair

Aside from lack of moisture in the air, dry hair can also be caused by central heating, hot showers, hair dryers & flat irons which are all common things we tend to gravitate to in the colder months.

What to Look for in a Hair Moisturizer

There are three important things to look for in a hair moisturizer. The first are humectants. Humectants are an ingredient that helps prevent moisture loss in the hair. Humectants attract water molecules from the air and bind them to strands of hair, which increases moisture retention. A great humectant is glycerin its derived from vegetables and it deeply conditions the hair & prevents hair damage.

Next, you have oils, oils help repair the hair, keep the hair & scalp healthy, strengthen the hair shaft and prevent frizz and dryness.

Lastly you have butters, a great example is shea butter shea butter is a natural emollient that contains essential fatty acids and is great for softening the hair and sealing in moisture to prevent moisture loss. 

How to Moisturize Dry Hair in Winter

Step 1: Before you begin applying your products to your hair, its best to start on a clean surface. After you have washed your hair, make sure that your hair is still wet or damp before applying a moisturizer. This will ensure that the moisturizer gets properly absorbed into the hair shaft.

Step 2: Section hair and apply your moisturizer

Step 3: Lastly seal it all in with an oil

References: 

1. Dry Winter Hair Is the Worst

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/20/style/dry-winter-hair-solutions.html#:~:text=The%20main%20cause%20of%20dry,of%20moisture%20in%20the%20air.&text=Akhavan%20suggested%20using%20humidifiers%2C%20avoiding,get%20the%20same%20effect%E2%80%9D).

2.) How Humectants Keep Hair and Skin Moisturized

https://www.healthline.com/health/humectant