Your Four “Musts” For Winter Hair Care
Have you noticed how your hair acts up in winter? It can look limper, drabber and less bouncy due to environmental dryness, indoors and out. But with a little forethought, diligence and indulgence, your winter hair story doesn’t have to be one of frizz and flaccidity. You can change your hair narrative and sail through the cold months with bouncy, shiny, healthy hair that will elevate your look and your mood. Here are four “musts” to get you through.
Create A Shampoo “Wardrobe”
If your philosophy about shampoo is “whatever’s handy, I don’t really care,” it’s time for an attitude adjustment. “I always tell my clients they should have three different shampoos in the shower,” says Biolage Artistic Director Dilek Onur Taylor. “It’s like matching your shoes to your outfit. There should be shampoos for every way you wear your hair. In the past, people got their hair done in the salon and went home and wore it the same way every day. Nowadays they mix it up. They may blow it out one day, create beach waves another day, air dry or braid it the next. So, you should change your hair care products to accommodate all the different things you do.”
For example, if you’re going through a blowout or thermal styling iron phase, you’re going to need extra moisture. So, use a mega-hydrating shampoo that will combat the dryness that can be caused by hot tools. If you’re going through an air-dry phase, switch to a lighter-weight shampoo that won’t cause your hair to become oily or weighed down. “When it comes to shampoo,” notes Onur Taylor, “one size does not fit all. You should have lots of options on hand.
Always Use A Hair Conditioner, No Matter What Hair Type You Have
Regardless of whether or not you think you need one, it’s always wise to follow every shampoo with conditioner. Hair Conditioner softens the texture of your hair, reduces tangles and repels frizz. Just like with your shampoo, you might want to keep a few options on hand, such as a lightweight hair conditioner for when you decide to air dry your hair and a more richly moisturizing formula for those times you’re your blow dryer and curling iron are in heavy rotation!
Embrace The Power Of A Leave-In Conditioner
If you haven’t done so, winter is the perfect time to add a leave-in conditioner to your hair care routine. Why a leave-in? So many reasons. Leave-ins are just that—you spray them into your hair after shampooing, conditioning and towel drying your hair. Stylists recommend combing through your damp hair with a wide-tooth comb after applying a leave-in conditioner, to ensure its distributed evenly. Once applied, your leave-in is like a guardian angel for each strand. It keeps watch all day long, adding moisture and nourishment, repelling frizz, protecting your hair from heat damage, adding softness and shine and boosting curl and wave definition. A leave-in condition continues doing its job until the next time your shampoo your hair…and it doesn’t even ask for overtime pay!
Commit To A Regular Custom Hair Mask
“In the winter, I believe regular deep conditioning hair treatment masks are a must,” says Onur Taylor. “You moisturize your skin regularly, and you should also moisturize your hair.” New formulas like the Biolage Advanced Deep Treatment Paks are lightweight enough to use frequently, yet they penetrate deeply for major moisture and nourishment. What’s more, there are formulas for every type of hair situation. “My three go-to treatment paks are SMOOTH PROOF, COLOR LAST and HYDRA SOURCE,” notes Onur Taylor.
“SMOOTH PROOF is great for someone who likes to blow out their hair regularly,” she explains. “It actually extends the life of the blowout. It contains castor oil—a great conditioner—which helps repair damage and strengthen ends. The mask actually reduces hair breakage by 70%. It protects your hair against frizz and makes your blowouts smoother.”
Onur Taylor loves the HYDRA SOURCE treatment because it contains aloe vera and spirulina, which are ingredients you find in anti-aging products. “As hair gets older and turns grey, it tends to lose shine and it may become stiff and wiry,” she points out. “This mask tackles some of those aging concerns. It also contains aloe vera, which moisturizes and leaves hair shiny and glossy. Forty percent of women over 40 experience some type of change in their hair texture and this mask is for them!
Colored hair also requires TLC. “When a client has heavily colored hair, I recommend the COLOR LAST Treatment Pak,” Onur Taylor says. “It’s color-safe and color-protective so it slows down color loss and keeps hair looking vibrant and fresh. One of the reasons it’s unique is it protects from both UVA and UVB rays. UVA rays age your hair and skin and UVB rays burn your hair and skin so that dual protection is so important. In fact, when clients spend a lot of time in the sun, whether their they have colored hair or not, this is an ideal way to protect and restore hair.”
If you’re a blonde, with lots of lightener in your hair, apply a treatment pak a minimum of once a week. If your hair is pretty healthy, indulge in a hair treatment after every five shampoos or so (and remember, it’s not necessary to shampoo your hair every day.)
Follow the four “musts” and winter doesn’t have to be downtime for beautiful hair. You can rock shiny, glossy, healthy hair straight through from October until the first signs of spring!
