Cold weather can bring havoc to your skin, scalp, and hair, and determining what to do to prevent it can be as simple as changing just a few aspects of your lifestyle when Jack Frost starts nipping at your nose!
There are three main elements to hair and skin health during the winter. They are Moisture, Fabric, and Product.
Moisture
Consider two main things about moisture, the air temp and the water temp.
The temperature of water in the winter must remain at about medium warmish. Whenever you shower or bathe, try your best to resist shaking off the chill by cranking the water up to hot.
Hot water dries out and irritates the skin and scalp. It dries out your hair and can even damage the ends of the hair shaft.
The temperature of air in the winter is obviously very low – which can dry out the moisture from the air. The same way our skin can get frostbitten our hair can too – leading to cracking and breakage. Our skin also dries out in a cold wind, and can result in far worse than just dry skin, but rashes and even eczema.
Keep in mind however that central heating, space heaters, and even a cozy romantic wood fire all suck moisture out of the air like the cold does; so coming in from outside won’t be any better for your hair and skin.
Here are some tips for keeping your hair and skin moist:
- Use lukewarm water when washing hair, and keep showers shorter – especially if the water is hotter.
- Apply moisturizer to your skin right after getting out of the shower. This will help lock it in for longer periods.
- Invest in one or more humidifiers for your house or office. Since warm centrally-heated air is so dry, your skin will thank you for it.
- Blow dry or air dry your hair before going out in the cold. If the moisture on your hair freezes, it will break apart the strands.
- Drink lots of water. A cold wind will dry you out as fast as the leaves on the trees, and replacing the lost moisture is vital.
Fabric
This one might not seem so obvious, but you’ll probably pick up where I’m going with this before long. In a dry environment, what we place against our skin is directly related to moisture retention and skin health.
The fabric you sleep on is important because humans spend 1 third of their lifespan in bed. So naturally if some of your bedsheets were treating your wrong, you’d feel it.
The fabric you wear is also equally important for the same reasons. Covering sensitive areas with the right fabric choices will help a lot.
Tips for selecting fabrics for the winter time:
- A silk bedsheet set or at least a pillow case will help keep moisture in your hair and skin on long cold winter nights. This is because silk or satin doesn’t wick moisture away from the skin like cotton does.
- Consider wearing a scar, hat, and mittens if you are going out for long periods of time. The face, hands, head, and neck are the most commonly exposed parts of the skin, so covering them up will help your skin and hair retain moisture.
- Rough fabrics like untreated wool or certain cottons or polyester can irritate dry skin in the wintertime, if you have dry skin on your legs or arms or back, try selecting softer fabrics – again silk and satin work well for this.
Product
When it comes to using product in the wintertime it’s not too much different than at any other time of the year. The only major differences is which kinds of products to use, how to use product and how much.
The natural oils in your skin and hair are disrupted and at worse, scoured away during winter, and adding coconut, jojoba, or argan oils to your routine are a great idea.
Tips for using products and which ones to use in winter:
- Go with a dry shampoo occasionally. Since their isn’t so much moisture in the air, your hair will obey and stay in the same shape for longer, so you shouldn’t wash it as often. Instead try a dry shampoo and a comb.
- As twice mentioned above, utilize argan oil or jojoba oil to help restore the natural protective layer of oils in your skin.
- Pick a great moisturizer or Nubian Heritage and apply it just after a shower to lock in moisture.
- Every once in a while use a scalp treatment to protect the base of your follicles and the layer of skin on your head from the cold.
If you remember Moisture, Fabric, and Product, you’ll be well protected and suited no matter how dry and cold this winter gets!
Team Hairlossly
Our in-house team of hair care experts will ensure a steady stream of high-quality and valuable information from the industry’s leading thought leaders. We are also committed to providing updated information about the latest developments as the happen in the industry.
