Winter tips for curly hair

We love winter during the holidays, the beautiful snow and the hot chocolate, but us curly haired people don’t like it, because of the dry air. Your already dry hair gets even drier, the wind and snow make your hair ridiculously tangled, and let’s not even talk about hats and the frizz they cause.

So what’s a curly head to do? You’re going to need the best curly hair tips for winter, and they’re a little different than your standard curly hair routine.

Winter means low dew points

First, let's understand why curls suffer so much in the winter. The low dew point is the cause. Every time the weather drops below 1 degree Celsius, your hair releases water. This is the opposite of what you want to happen, but if you use humectants (humectants) is used, that is exactly what happens.

When the weather drops below 1 degree Celsius, it is usually bleak weather, and bleak weather equals humidity. Low humidity means that your curls will release water into the air.

The result? You name it – frizz, flyaways, breakage and split ends – all things we hate.

During these cold months, layer on a leave-in conditioner and only use products with a light hold. Your curls need moisture now more than ever – don’t give it away! Start a winter routine for curly hair.

The 11 Best Ways to Deal with Curly Hair in Winter

Now that you know what curly hair does in the winter, here are our favorite curly hair tips for winter.

• Use conditioner – lots of it.

Conditioner is your best friend during these winter months. As I mentioned above, a leave-in conditioner locks in moisture instead of stripping it away. Give your hair some moisturizing love and find a leave-in conditioner that you love.

And besides using conditioner and leave-in on wash days, you can also add moisture back into your hair by applying some diluted leave-in conditioner to dry hair. Be careful with this and make sure there are no humectants in the top 5 ingredients.

• Never comb or brush dry hair

Curls should never be combed or brushed dry, but in the winter it's an even bigger NO GO. If you need a little help in the shower getting through your locks and making sure every strand gets some conditioning, use a wide tooth combn or a wet detangler brush, but only in the shower

• Skip the heat – or go for the lowest setting

This is another no-go for curls in the winter. Hot tools ruin your curls and dry out your hair. But sometimes we can’t help it. We’re in a hurry and don’t have time to air dry. In those cases (make them rare) use a diffuser on the lowest temperature to dry your curls.

• Seal your hair

If you don’t use oil year-round, winter is a great time to start. Pay special attention to your ends, as this is where your hair loses the most moisture. Oil locks in moisture and all the products you’ve used to style your hair. Not only that, but it also protects your hair from the harsh dry air and damaging cold temperatures.

Argan and jojoba oils are favorite options because they are lightweight, and work well on all hair types.

But even better is our Super Sealing Oil, This is developed with the best sealing ingredients so that your curls no longer lose moisture or absorb moisture from the air, so that you can withstand the elements with shiny curls without frizz.

The best way to use oils to seal is to take just a few drops and spread them between your palms and apply using the praying hands method, just after you have finished applying all of your styling products and your hair is still wet.

NOTE: While many curly girls around the world use and love oil, here’s something to know: If you love it and don’t want to give it up, you’re going to have to cleanse more intensively – more often. Any oil, any oil, sealing, penetrating, whatever… will prevent your hair from absorbing water. Your curls will need regular deep cleansing to properly remove the oil.

So make sure you stay on top of this by regularly clarify if you decide to use oil.

• Treat yourself to a silk or (polyester) satin pillowcase

You can’t help but toss and turn while you sleep. Unfortunately, that’s a recipe for frizzy, brittle hair, especially during the winter months when your hair is already fragile. Since all you have to do is lay your head on your pillow, this is one of our favorite tips. Enjoy your sleep on a silky soft new pillowcase.

• Find your favorite protective hairstyle

Hats, scarves, wind, and cold can wreak havoc on your lovely curls. If you have some time on your hands, get to know different hairstyles. Braids, loose bangs, and cute buns (hello messy bun) are all great ways to protect your hair from tangles, frizz, and getting tangled in all the winter gear we have to wear.

• Buy a satin lined hat

Now you can enjoy the luxury of satin all day long. Satin-lined bonnets are a thing, and you need them if you have curly hair. If you’ve ever felt the embarrassment of feeling like you stuck your finger in an electrical socket after removing your bonnet, you understand. Curly-haired women shouldn’t have to freeze just to protect their hair—so treat yourself to a little luxury.

• Mask (deep condition) your hair a lot

Find a quality hair mask and use it often. Winter is not a time to scrimp and save. Your hair needs as much protection as possible and much better than a thick hair mask that it retains moisture in your hair, there is none.

• Sleep with a humidifier

Give your hair the gift of moisture while you sleep by adding a humidifier to your room. When you wake up, instead of dry, straw-like hair, you’ll have hydrated hair that’s much easier to style and manage.

You can also use a steamer to freshen up your curls and add some moisture back to your hair.

• Keep it short

You don't need super short hair, but chopping off a few inches for the winter months isn't a bad idea, especially if you don't have time to let your hair air dry.Cutting off a few inches can save you over an hour of drying time and leave you with less hair to deal with when the air is dry and frizzy.

• Avoid glycerin in the top 5 ingredients

I alluded to this in the first tip, but because glycerin is a humectant and popular in curly hair products, you may want to avoid it when dew points/humidity are low. Please note! This only applies if it is in your last styling product.

Below is a list of humectant ingredients to avoid versus ingredients (Film Forming Humectants) to look for.

Start your winter routine for curly hair

While you should take care of your hair all year round, your curls need extra attention during the winter months. Pay close attention to the products you use and even the way you treat your hair. Give your hair extra love while showering, styling, and even throughout the day, even while you sleep.

With the right help, you can give your hair the moisture it needs to combat the dry winter air and the damage it can cause. If you do it right, you won’t be able to tell whether it’s winter or summer by looking at your beautiful curls!