Winter hair care tips: Follow these steps for those healthy locks

Low temperatures and cold winds can affect your hair in multiple ways. Solution? Tweaking your hair care routine to suit the changing temperatures.

The cold season is going to wreak havoc upon your hair game that you have perfected over the summer.

Worry not, we’re here with the apt haircare tips for the cold winter months. Whether it’s dry hair or frizz, or a flaky scalp to breakage of strands, we have just the right remedies to prevent and control it all. Whatever the texture and type of hair, these winter tips will work well for a shiny, healthy mane all winter long.

Shampoo less: Excessive shampooing is the reason behind dry and flaky scalp in winter. The ingredients in shampoos strip off the natural oils on your scalp making the hair dry. The chemicals can also irritate your skin, causing itchiness. Shampoo less often and use gentle formulas. Steer clear of drying ingredients in your shampoos like alcohols, dyes, fragrances and sulfates.

Use oil or serum: Winters can suck out the moisture from your hair. Use a serum or oil overnight to see hydrated strands the next morning. Make sure you sleep on a silk or satin pillowcase to avoid breakage of hair. You can choose hydrating ingredients like aloe vera, green tea and shea butter in your serums and oils like coconut oil, castor oil, olive oil and almond oil for your hot oil massages. Massage your hair 1-2 times a week with the above mentioned carrier oils to improve blood circulation and promote healthy hair.

Fight dandruff: You may notice white or yellowish flakes on your scalp that may fall off on your shoulders this season. This is dandruff and a common complaint in winter months. Dandruff can be caused due to a fungal infection or dry scalp in the winter. Consider using an anti-dandruff shampoo containing active ingredients like salicylic acid, zinc pyrithione, ketoconazole, selenium sulfide or coal tar.
 

Deep Conditioning: The dry air during winter can remove the moisture in your hair and open up the hair cuticle. What follows is frizzy hair that is rough, dry and unmanageable.

Warm water shower: A hot water shower may seem therapeutic, but can have a detrimental effect on your hair. Hot water can remove the natural oils from your hair making it dry. Lukewarm water is what you should consider for a relaxing shower in any season.

Avoid heat styling products: The heat from heat styling tools like straighteners, blow dryers and curlers can break your hair and cause split ends. Limit your exposure to these tools and use a heat protectant serum if you must style. Give your hair a break from heat styling and opt for cool hairstyles like braids, buns, updos and twists in winter months.

Cover your head with a hat or a scarf: Pull out your scarfs and hats to cover your hair this winter. Use a silk or satin scarf to cover your hair first and layer it with cotton or woollen fabrics to protect your hair from the cold air. Covering your hair in cotton or woollen fabrics can cause friction and lead to split ends and breakage, hence silk or satin is your best bet.
 

Keep yourself hydrated: One of the essential components of your hair strands is water. To replenish the lost water content in winter months, it is essential to keep yourself hydrated. Yes, you heard it right. You need to drink an adequate amount of water in winter too to keep your hair hydrated and healthy. Hydration ensures that you provide water to your hair from root to the tips. Dryness, itchiness and dandruff are all taken care of once the hair and scalp is hydrated.
 

Tip: It is recommended that you wash your hair every 1-2 days if you have an oily scalp and every 3-4 days if you have dry hair. In winter, reduce the number of hair washes to avoid eradication of natural oils from your hair.