How to ease those fall and winter hair woes? The wind, the cold, the heaters, and the dry air — countless elements can impact the health of your scalp and strands come fall and winter. While some weather myths have been busted, the latest tips could help your hair. While walking out the door with wet hair won’t cause a cold, wet hair is vulnerable to frizz and static when it's damp, and hair cuticles are wide open. Water also expands when it freezes, which means frozen water trapped in the hair shaft could result in breakage. Just another reason to make sure your hair is 100% dry before walking out the door. In addition to these tips, we’re sharing more below all surrounding showering it with love.
Hair Tips For Fall & Winter Weather
Washing
Washing with hot water can contribute to dry skin, scalp, and hair. The temptation to turn up the heat on cold mornings may be strong but keep the shower temperature moderate or comfortably warm to preserve your natural oils.
Avoid anything that strips the hair, including shampoo. This is a fantastic cleaner, but not for your scalp. Opt for a detergent-free hair cleanser like Hairstory New Wash, which will lift away dirt and impurities but keep the natural protective barrier intact. This biodegradable formula is the answer to happy hair and scalps made with essential oils and saturated fats. Squeeze out New Wash once you’re done in the shower, and remember to handle wet hair with care; it’s here that it’s at its most elastic and fragile.
New Wash ($44)
Drying
Air dry whenever possible with the help of Hair Balm, Hairstory’s leave-in conditioning product also prevents static and comes with sell-out success. But if you must use a hair dryer, set it at its lowest temperature and hold it at least 6 inches (15cm) away from your scalp.
A condition known as ‘bubble hair’ occurs when water within the hair is heated and turns to steam, causing bubbles on the hair shaft. The result is brittle hair, which is more prone to breakage and split ends. To help reduce the chances of this happening, use a microfiber towel to absorb excess dampness and ALWAYS apply a heat protection product with copolymers, proteins, and essential oils as this will insulate hair from heat and prevent moisture loss. Hairstory Dressed Up, a natural hair protector, and setting lotion will do the trick.
Some alcohols – ethanol (or ethyl alcohol), propanol, denatured alcohol (or alcohol denat) – can strip moisture. But others do the opposite. Look for cetyl, stearyl, cetearyl, myristyl, behenyl and lauryl alcohols in the ingredient lists. Hairstory proudly lists all its ingredients and their usage online so you can become your own investigator and be safe in the knowledge that you’re making good hair decisions.
Dressed Up ($36)
Styling
Love or hate them, hats do a great job of keeping us warm, but hat hair is not a vibe. To avoid that tell-tale crease encircling your head, choose a hat that’s loose enough to fit your finger between the hat and head, and of course, make sure your hair is dry before it goes on. Fabric choices can make a difference too; heavy fabrics tend to weigh hats down and flatten hair whereas cotton hats also decrease static compared to synthetic material.
If you still fall victim to this flat hair faux pas, reach for Hairstory’s Powder, a dry shampoo-volumizer hybrid that swiftly injects the body into lacklustre roots with a single pump.
Powder ($37)
Choose looks meant to be worn close to the head like tight ponytails, braids, twists, or low buns that won’t get deflated. In fact, for hair that tends toward bushy, a hat can be a great way to contain it. If you like to add texture by twisting hair or create waves by coiling it, use a hat to keep you warm and “set” hair while you wear it.
For shorter cuts and up-dos, Hairstory’s Wax is perfect for adding hold without the rigid feel of hair gel and can also be used to tame frizz/flyaways and add curl definition. The hat-proof formula offers a matte finish, ideal for those that favor an effortless, undone look away from the high shine of traditional hair wax.
Wax ($29)
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