5 Ways to Keep Your Hair Healthy in the Winter!

Winter is coming…

And it’s time to brace our hair for the cold weather!

Welcome back to the TouchUps Beauty Blog, where this week we’re giving out some tips on keeping your hair fresh in the winter! Hair care is always super important, but especially so if you’re working on growing it out, or trying to bring it back to life after experiencing damage. In the winter, your hair and scalp are prone to dehydration with the cold outdoors and the intense indoor heat, which results in brittle hair. If you pair this with wearing hats and scarves, you could be pulling out clumps of hair this winter. It’s a common misconception that you naturally shed more hair in the winter time when, in fact, you should actually be shedding less! In colder weather, your body naturally produces more melatonin to help regulate your hair growth. What causes us to see more hair loss is when we don’t change our routines to counteract the affects of the cold weather. So, here are some of the things we factor into our winter hair routine, and you should give them a shot too!

1.- Maintain Moisture

Just like we should be changing our skin routine to opt for more moisture in the winter, our hair needs extra moisture too! Treat your hair once or twice a week with a rich deep conditioning treatment like the Nounou Hair Mask to lock moisture into your strands. (When using a hair mask or deep conditioner, leave the product in your damp/wet hair for about ten minutes, then rinse it out.) You should avoid using products with alcohol content and lots of chemical ingredients as well. Opt for products that contain lots of natural oils and ingredients to prevent your hair from getting dull, frizzy, and dehydrated!

2.- Dry That Hair Before You Go

Your hair is at its most vulnerable when it is wet; did you know that? When hair is wet, its proteins form hydrogen bonds, which are much easier to break than it’s normal protein-protein bonds. Any stress or friction on wet strands is likely to cause breakage, so if you plan on wearing a hat or scarf in the winter, make sure your hair is fully dry! If you live in a colder climate than we do here in Arizona, it’s also a possibility that icicles will form in your wet hair, which definitely break your hair!

3.- Wash It Less

I know that asking you to wash your hair less than everyday might sound weird, but it is essential for your hair’s health that you do not dry it out! Washing your hair everyday (with low quality products, especially) can remove natural oils that your hair and scalp need to stay moisturized and healthy. Try washing your hair 2 to 3 times per week, and be sure to towel dry before you blow dry. (Do not rough-up your hair with the towel, but gently dab starting at your roots instead.) Washing your hair everyday also causes your hair color to fade faster!

4.- Detangle

In some places, wearing hats and scarves is essential to survival in the winter. (In AZ, we just like to wear them as a fashion statement.) Though no one really sees your hair if it’s under a hat, you shouldn’t forget to detangle it! The friction that takes place between your hair and your hair can cause knots, frizziness, and breakage, so it’s important to comb out those knots when we can. Detangle your hair before you put that hat on, too! If you have trouble getting the knots out with just a brush or a comb, try a leave-in conditioner or detangler like the Oil All in One Milk.

5.- What’s Your Diet Like?

Foods that are rich in natural oils, vitamins, and minerals help you to provide your body with everything it needs to keep your locks looking amazing. Foods that are rich in vitamin A, E, and C as well as the minerals iron and selenium help to boost your immune system and help repair damage that might occur to your precious locks. A healthy diet never hurt anybody!

Thank you guys for reading; that’s all for now! If you’d like to read more, click HERE! I hope you enjoyed these tips on keeping your hair healthy this winter, and stay warm!