Great news! We’re approaching spring – but the bad news: it’s unlikely the chill will lift any time soon. Spring can be just as chaotic, if not more, than winter. Whenever there is a change of season it always has an impact on our hair and not for the better. Humidity wreaks havoc, blustery breezes leave strands in a struggling state while cold weather can irritate the scalp. Then there are the factors we don’t think twice about like woolly hats and scarves triggering breakage, frizz and static.
Just as you adjust your skincare in winter, your haircare should also accordingly. Here’s how to fix the five most common winter hair woes and get your hair in tip-top shape for spring.
We’ve got the ultimate post-winter hair recovery guide and it couldn’t come at a better time because it’s haircare week at Pricewise. Check out our hair-raising prices across haircare in store or online now.
Firstly – how does cold weather affect your hair?
From an upsurge in blow drying to the constant back and forth between heated rooms and the freezing outdoors, this can all take a toll on strands and scalp.
In winter there is less humidity in the air, causing your scalp to dry out and peel. Dandruff can have a knock-on effect to the rest of your hair, making it look dull and limp. When the scalp gets zapped of moisture, it can also lead to unpleasant itching.
Besides a flaky scalp, hats and scarfs trap heat and can tug on hair, causing you to lose any volume and create a tangled, frizzy mess in the process. Then there’s static – when your hair picks up an electrical charge from the cold, dry air.
While we can rock a truly effortless, heat-free hairstyle no problem during summer, we often rely on heat tools to give us a beautiful blow-out in winter, when the last thing we feel like doing is going outdoors, or to sleep, with wet hair. A heavy reliance on hot tools, sometimes used on damp hair – let’s face it – can leave hair weaker and more vulnerable to damage.
Sadly there is no limit to what can happen to your strands in winter – you’re also more likely to experience hair loss during the colder months.
Finally, the more obvious side effect: your mane will become super dry and brittle because of turbulent weather conditions.
1. Combat a dry, flaky scalp
Each year as the chill sets in, Mother Nature so considerately blesses us with snowflakes of a different kind and she doesn’t discriminate – over half the world’s population will experience a dry scalp at some point in their lifetime. To make matters worse, it doesn’t help that cooler weather often goes hand in hand with head-to-toe black, making those pesky white flakes all the more evident.
Healthy hair all starts with the scalp. Look for specialised anti-dandruff formulas that gently cleanse and detoxify the scalp without causing further irritation.
Try: Head & Shoulders is the leading anti-dandruff haircare range, clinically proven to protect hair up to 100 percent leaving it silky smooth and flake-free.
2. Reverse moisture loss
Excessive heat styling, as well as the harsh temperature drop, exasperate winter dryness, which means it’s vital to use a more hydrating shampoo and conditioner. To really up the ante, use a weekly deep conditioning mask to reverse the effects of dryness.
Try these hydrating shampoo, conditioners and hair masks:
Joico Moisture Recovery Shampoo and Conditioner 1L, $34.99ea, is an intensely, quenching and hydrating shampoo for dry, damaged hair.
Cala Conditioning Hair Mask Nourishing Repair, $6.99, is brimming with antioxidants that help to repair damage, strengthen the hair follicle and deeply nourish hair.
Cala Conditioning Hair Mask Hydrate & Nourish, $6.99, is infused with essential nutrients for hydrating and strengthening hair, such as jojoba oil, argan oil and floral extracts.
3. Fight frizz and static
The best way to combat annoying static is to target the problem at its source, by loading the hair with products designed to fight it. To ensure strands stay protected out in the elements and during heat styling, use an anti-frizz crème or spray. Ideally, look for a styling primer with nourishing oils for – the added moisture will eliminate the electric charge that causes static.
Try Sexy Hair Hot Prep Me, $19.99, is a heat protection blow dry primer cream that also counteracts frizz and flyaways. It’s also loaded with sea algae and cacay oil to nourish hair and further eliminate static.
Another way to stop static is by switching out a traditional towel for a hair towel or turban made from high-quality microfiber cloth. Specialised hair towels are ultra-absorbent towels designed to remove excess water from the hair without damaging the hair shaft. Not only do they accelerate drying time but they also help to combat frizz!
Try Casa Long Hair Towel, $19.99, which is crafted from gentle fabric that maintains the integrity of wet hair, which is vulnerable to frizz, split-ends and damage.
4. Revive colour vibrancy
Winter robbed your hair of its glow? It happens to the best of manes. To protect your hue between salon visits ensure you’re using haircare formulated specially for colour treated hair. Other shampoos, especially those meant for volume, will strip your hair of its colour faster.
Try these shampoo and conditioners for coloured hair:
Joico K-Pak Color Therapy Shampoo and Conditioner 1L, $34.99ea, which gently cleanse and condition coloured hair returning it to its optimal state, revealing silky-smooth and shiny coloured locks. Bonus: this formula also improves manageability and reduces static.
L'Oreal Professionnel Serie Expert Vitamino Color Shampoo & Conditioner 1L, 44.99ea, colour radiance and shine in colour-treated hair, while protecting against colour fade and damage.
L'Oreal Professionnel Serie Expert - Silver Shampoo 1.5L, 39.99, is one for our fair-headed friends – it’s formulated for blonde, silver and grey hair to neutralise brassy, yellow tones and boost colour vibrancy.
5. Increase manageability
If your hair is becoming increasingly unmanageable – knotty, split ends, breakage – then it’s most likely super damaged. Make sure you’re using haircare that targets fragile hair and improves manageability.
Try Joico K-Pak Damage Control Shampoo & Conditioner 1L, $34.99ea, which leaves the hair more manageable with increased silkiness, shine, movement and bounce.
The most common mistake people with unruly hair make is in the styling! Here are a few expert tips for improving manageability long-term:
- Comb conditioner through the ends while it’s wet and leave it in your hair for two to three minutes before rinsing out - pin tail combs are best for wet hair.
- Treat hair gently when it’s wet — it’s three times more vulnerable to breakage. If your hair is particularly prone to breakage make sure to use a hair towel or turban.
- On the above, a tangle free hairbrush is a game changer for weak hair – they ensure minimal breakage and pain-free styling. Try Cala Tangle Free Hair Brushes, $7.99
- Regular cuts are essential for healthier hair— experts recommend getting a trim every 10 to 12 weeks to keep hair healthy and prevent split ends.