All About Hair: Protecting Your Hair From Winter Weather

(I love this photo!)

                            

For some of us, winter weather can ravish our hair; especially for those who live in extreme climates.  I don't experience extreme climate weather, however, my hair is still affected by the cold winter weather.  Here are a few things that help me during the winter months.

Dry Hair:

Moisture Moisture Moisture!  Moisture is your friend during these cold winter months.  Sometimes winter weather can dry your hair out more than summer weather.  In the summer we sweat and our sebaceous glands work harder to keep our strands lubricated.  In the winter they don't work as hard and this can leave your hair extremely dry!  When it's cold we tend to stay indoors with the heat blasting or near a fireplace which is another culprit that can sap the moisture right out of our hair.  To battle dryness I wash my hair only once a week and I moisturize my hair daily.  Here are a few products that I use that help me when my hair is feeling a bit dry. With these products I do follow a weekly regimen. For my regimen, refer to this earlier post.

Product Recommendations:

-Moisturizing Shampoo

Shea Moisture Moisture Retention Shampoo,   David Babaii Hydrating Shampoo,  Aubrey Organics Honey Suckle Rose   

-Moisturizing Conditioner

Giovanni Smooth As Silk    

-Leave-in conditioner

Jane Carter Solutions Revitalizing Spray Kinky Curly Knot Today 

-Hot Oil Treatment (done weekly if needed)

Mixture of 1part each of Castor Oil and Shea Butter and Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Poofy Hair:

Poofy hair happens to be my arch nemesis! Grrr!  With the slightest bit of moisture in the air, my hair acts as if it were in the dessert for 2 day without water!  It absorbs every single drop of moisture and wham!  Instant poof!  To help prevent this,  I moisturize my hair and seal the moisture in.  The products I use allow me to seal the moisture I put in my hair and at the same time, minimize additional moisture from being absorbed by my hair.  There are several anti-humectant(moisture repellent) type products you can purchase to help minimize the effects of this, but I just add a bit of coconut oil to my hair and I'm good to go.  I still get a little puff, but it doesn't bother me so much.  I follow my normal regimen in order to keep my hair moisturized, but after styling, I use an amount the size of a nickel of one of the following products.  I rub my hands together and disperse it through my hair, concentrating on my ends.

Product Recommendations:

Organic Coconut Oil

Shea Butter

Hydrogenated Castor Oil

Aveda Brililant Anti-Humectant (works great if you press or flat iron your hair)

*Tip  Try wearing protective hairstyles such as: up-dos, buns, braided hairstyles and any other style that requires you to tuck your ends away.  This too will provide your hair with a bit of protection from the winter!