How To Maintain Sleek, Damage-Free Hair This Winter

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Silky, glossy hair is the hottest thing right now, yet the temperature really isn’t, which means maintaining a sleek mane is a hell of a lot harder. The cooler climates, dry air, and increased indoor heating can majorly dry out our hair, thanks to the fact that our hair is hygroscopic. Hygroscope-what? It means that our hair matches the moisture content of its environment, so if the air is dry, your hair will be too. Your hair will actually expel moisture until it matches the surrounding environment, so it can become dehydrated, making it more prone to breakage and damage.

But winter doesn’t have to mean frizzy, brittle hair; you just have to adapt your hair routine to compensate for the lack of moisture. Here are our tops tips for keeping your thirsty hair looking flawless AF.

1. Be mindful of your hairbrush

A lot of people underestimate how impactful a hair brush can be on your mane, but we’re here to set the record straight – it’s major. Depending on your hair type, choose a brush that doesn’t harm the outer cuticle: we love a brush that has soft plastic or boar bristles with a cushioned base, like the cult classic Mason Pearson Brush (check out this post to find its $20 dupe). And always remember to brush your hair from the tip and gradually work your way up, as this will create less friction on the hair shaft. Check out this post to find the right brush for your hair type.

2. Be careful when towel-drying

As much as we love to lounge around in a dressing gown with our hair wrapped in a towel, living our #bestlife, this can actually hinder your hair game. If you twist your mane up in your towel, you’ll strain the hair follicles, which could potentially cause damage. The best way to dry your hair is to gently squeeze the hair with a soft towel or an old t-shirt, then blast it with the hair dryer on cool and let then let it air dry. You should also never tie your hair up when it’s wet or damp as wet hair is heavier, so once again, you’ll create tension that can lead to breakage. 

3. Stack up on drying sheets

It sounds crazy, but drying sheets are the easiest way to tame flyaways and frizz when you’re on the move. When you glide them over your hair in the direction of the hair follicle, the positive charge of the dryer sheets will neutralize any static in your hair, leaving it super sleek. Like we said: they’re a purse essential.

4. Use a heat protecting spray

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In an attempt to avoid the flu, we’re always taught never to leave the house with wet hair (which btw is the myth), but this means we’re more likely to blow dry our hair, exposing it to heat damage on a daily basis. This means it’s essential to protect your hair with heat protection spray. Just think of it as sunscreen for your hair, the spray will protect your hair from damage, helping the hair retain its natural oils and, therefore, the natural shine. We use the TRESemmé Keratin Smooth Heat Protection Shine Spray, $7, every time we expose our hair to heat, as it contains keratin proteins and marula oil that’ll protect the hair, address frizz concerns, and boost shine. If you have an hour before you leave the house, the IGK No More Blow is our savior, as it speeds up air-drying time by 46%, read the full review here.

5. Limit heat exposure

There’s nothing better than jumping from an ice-cold bathroom into a steamy shower, but long hot showers are another culprit for dry damaged hair. Extreme heat will strip your hair of the natural oils that keep it soft and shiny, so try and lower heat exposure as much as possible. As hard as it may be, end your shower with a quick blast of cold water on your hair as this will smooth the hair cuticle, so it’s less likely to frizz and more likely to stay glossy.

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6. Do regular hair masks

During winter, chances are, you’ll be staying in with a bowl of ice cream and Netflix, which is the perfect opportunity to do a DIY hair mask. We like to do a weekly mask to nourish our thirsty hair and feed it with antioxidants, minerals, and vitamins. Check out our three favorite DIY hair resue masks here.

Our fave hair rescue mask:

This mask will restore even THE most damaged, brittle hair. It contains essential fatty acids as well as omega-3, which strengthen the hair follicle to protect against future damage. The coconut oil has high levels of lauric acid, which boosts growth as it supports hormone levels and cellular growth.

Ingredients
2 tbsps of coconut oil
2 tbsps of argan oil (supplement with olive oil or canola if argan isn’t available)
1 egg
2 drops of peppermint essential oil or lavender oil

Combine the ingredients and whisk together until well-blended. Apply the mask evenly over damp, dirty hair (think towel-dried consistency), paying particular attention to the ends of your hair. Then shampoo and condition as usual.

Let us know if you guys have any other hair concerns that you’d like us to write about in the comments below.