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Why does your hair become dry in winter?
During the winter the air lacks moisture, and this makes it hard to keep your hair well hydrated. In addition, the cold temperatures can dry out your skin, leading to a dry, irritated scalp.
How do you prevent dry hair during winter?
The best way to prevent dry hair during winter is to adjust your hair care routine. Washing your hair less often, switching to a less drying shampoo and using a good, thick conditioner will all help to keep your hair hydrated, no matter how dry the air is.
In this article I’ll go through 7 tips to prevent dry hair during winter, so read on if you want beautiful, healthy hair all year round.
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7 Ways to Prevent Dry Hair in Winter
1. Wash your hair less often
Washing your hair too often is drying, particularly if you use harsh shampoos. Shampoo strips your hair of its natural oils, which your hair needs to protect itself from the outside world.
You may even find you need to wash your hair less often in winter than you would in summer – the colder weather means you’re not sweating as much, resulting in less build up. So try skipping a hair wash every now and again and seeing how your hair reacts.
2. Avoid hot showers
When the weather gets colder it can be tempting to turn your showers up to high. But a lot of people don’t realise that your hair can actually become heat damaged from washing it with water that’s too hot.
Try your best to reduce the heat of your showers, or if that’s too much for you then try turning down the heat for just a few minutes as you wash your hair.
3. Stay hydrated
We all know that drinking enough water is one of the first steps to healther skin and hair. But as the weather gets colder, it becomes harder to drink enough water on a daily basis.
Keep an eye on your water intake and make sure you’re drinking at least 1 liter a day. If you’re struggling then try replacing your cold water with a hot herbal tea. It’s a healthy and cozy alternative to tea and coffee – both of which contain caffeine so actually dehydrate you.
4. Consider switching to a sulfate free shampoo
Most brands of shampoo use sulfates as a cleansing agent since they do a fantastic job of cleaning your hair. But they often do too good a job of cleaning your hair, and they can strip your hair of its natural oils.
You may want to consider switching to a sulfate free shampoo to combat this issue. If you’re looking for an affordable option I would recommend Herbal Essences’ bio: Renew range on Amazon.
There may be a transition period where your hair gets used to a less harsh cleanser, but after a few weeks or months your hair should be softer and more hydrated than ever.
5. Use a leave in conditioner
If you have dry hair then should be using a leave in conditioner anyway, but it’s even more important during the winter when your hair is more prone to dryness.
I recommend the banana hair food by Garnier. It’s super hydrating without weighing down your hair, and it smells amazing.
6. Avoid using heat on your hair
It can be tempting to blow dry your hair more often during the winter. Having wet hair on a cold day is miserable, and to top it off the colder it is outside the longer your hair will take to dry.
But using heat on your hair is extremely damaging, so try to let your hair air dry wherever possible. You may want to try washing it at night and sleeping with it in a bun or in braids.
7. Use hair oil
If your hair is particularly dry or frizzy, you may want to invest in some hair oil as well as your leave in conditioner. Hair oil can be used as a deep conditioning treatment before you wash your hair, or as a leave in treatment if your hair is slightly thicker and less prone to being weighed down.
Try using MoroccanOil after every wash to lock in the moisture and leave your hair softer than ever.
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Do you struggle with dry hair over the winter?
If so, how do you deal with it? Let me know in the comments below.
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