Winter Hair Care 101: How to Protect Your Hair from the Cold
Winter hair woes are a very real thing. Between the blasting indoor heat and the frigid, windy air outside, your poor tresses are stressing out from static, dryness, frizz, breakage, and so much more.
And if that wasn’t enough, the constant friction from winter hats and scarves can lead to even more frizz and breakage. Your hair is practically begging for some TLC this season!
But don’t worry; we’ve got your back. To help you navigate these winter hair struggles, we’ve teamed up with Color Wow’s Chief Chemist, Dr. Joe Cincotta, Ph.D., to share the ultimate winter hair care tips.
FIRST OFF, HOW DOES COLD WEATHER AFFECT HAIR?
So what is it about the cold that makes our locks feel extra… lackluster? According to Dr. Joe, it all comes down to humidity (or lack thereof), which has a profound effect on hair.
“My biggest concern regarding colder weather is the very low humidity levels in the cold air. When your hair is exposed to the low humidity levels, water molecules inside the hair will migrate out of the hair shaft leaving the hair feeling and looking dry.”
Essentially, cold air acts like a moisture magnet, pulling hydration right out of your strands. And it’s not just the air outside—indoor heating compounds the problem by creating a dry environment that further depletes hair of its natural moisture.
This double dose of dryness causes the hair cuticle to roughen up, leading to more frizz, split ends, and that limp, lifeless look we all dread.
COMMON WINTER HAIR ISSUES
1. Dryness: Cold air outside and heated air inside can strip your hair of its natural moisture. This leaves hair feeling dry, brittle, and prone to breakage.
2. Flat, Limp Hair: Winter hats, scarves, and hoods flatten the hair, while the lack of humidity makes it harder to maintain volume. Hair tends to fall flat and look limp, no matter how much you try to style it.
3. Static: Dry hair is more prone to static electricity. When it rubs against hats, scarves, or even wool sweaters, your hair becomes charged, resulting in flyaways that are nearly impossible to tame.
“Wearing a wool cap in cold weather will cause even greater electric charge buildup on the hair causing static flyaways and frizz,” echoes Dr Joe.
4. Frizz: We often associate frizz with high humidity levels, not low ones. But when your hair is extra dry and dehydrated from the cold outdoors and heated indoors, this can cause the cuticles to lift, leaving your hair more susceptible to frizz.
5. Split Ends and Breakage: When hair is dehydrated, it becomes weak and prone to split ends. Add in the physical stress of brushing, heat styling, and hat-wearing, and you’ve got a recipe for hair breakage.
6. Dullness: Lack of moisture and exposure to harsh elements can make hair lose its shine, resulting in a dull, lackluster appearance.
6 WINTER HAIR CARE TIPS
So, how can we make sure our winter hair care routine is on point?
TIP #1: EASE UP ON HOT SHOWERS
We know you love hot showers (especially when the temps drop below freezing), but we promise your hair isn’t feeling the same love. Hot water is a surefire way to zap moisture, leading to straw-like texture, hair static, frizz, breakage and dull color.
We suggest using warm to moderately hot water instead.
TIP #2: HYDRATE, HYDRATE, HYDRATE
The best winter hair care tip we can give you? Amp up your moisturizing routine!
I strongly recommend that in addition to your rinse out conditioner that you use a leave-in conditioner such as Money Mist, Dream Cocktail Coconut-Infused or Curl Wow’s Flo-etry that provide both hydration and moisturization.”
TIP #3: CUT BACK ON BLOW DRY TIME
Spending 30+ minutes blowing out your hair everyday can majorly exacerbate your dry hair woes. But we also get that not everyone is willing to give up their blowouts. That’s why we created Speed Dry Blow Dry Spray.
Its unique alcohol-free formula acts like shrink wrap to squeeze excess moisture from your hair as you blow dry, cutting drying time down by 30% to help reduce damage.
TIP #4: USE HEAT PROTECTANT WHEN STYLING
You should do this all year round, but especially in the winter. We’ve got you covered there!
Nearly every Color Wow product comes loaded with at least two heat protectants (some even have three; see a full chart here!) so your strands are always protected to the max.
“Heat protectants found in Color Wow Formulas prevent thermal degradation of the proteins in your hair from blow drying, flat irons and curling irons. This thermal degradation will lead to frizz, split ends and eventually breakage,” says Dr. Joe.
TIP #5: AVOID HIGH LEVELS OF DEHYDRATING ALCOHOL
Using products that deposit high levels of alcohol on your dry hair in the winter is the equivalent of throwing oil on a fire – just making matters worse.
Our article with Dr Joe on why certain alcohols can be bad for your hair has everything you need if you’re curious about this subject.
TIP #6: REHYDRATE THROUGHOUT THE DAY
When your skin or lips get dry and cracked in the middle of the day, you swipe on some lotion or chapstick. But what about hair that loses moisture midday?
That’s where One Minute Transformation comes in! Packed with avocado oil and omega 3’s, it instantly absorbs into the hair to deliver mega moisture and a silky, supple texture in 1 minute.
And because it’s so lightweight and non-greasy, it’s the perfect essential for ALL hair textures, from super fine to super coarse.
We recommend keeping this essential in your purse, car or desk drawer for easy access. Simply apply on dried hair, brush through and voilà!
OUR RECOMMENDED WINTER HAIR PRODUCTS FOR EACH PROBLEM
Beyond these practical tips for hair maintenance in winter, it makes sense to create your own custom winter hair care routine to make sure your locks stay optimally healthy-looking throughout the colder months.
We’ve listed out a few of our fave winter hair products below, designed to solve specific hair problems:
1. TO COMBAT DRYNESS
There are many ways to ensure your hair stays soft, silky and supple all throughout the colder months. These are our faves to boost moisture in your winter hair routine:
- Condition every time you shampoo. We like Color Security Conditioner for its weightless hydration and detangling that never oxidizes to turn our color yellow.
- And for our curly girls, try Curl Wow Coco-Motion Lubricating Conditioner. This gives you deep-penetrating hydration that’s never heavy or greasy.
- Use a daily leave-in moisturizing treatment like our Money Mist, which not only moisturizes but tackles a bunch of winter hair woes, including detangling to reduce breakage, strengthening, defrizzing and protecting against UV and heat damage.
- Use a deep conditioning hair mask once a week. Our fave is Money Masque. It replenishes hair’s lost moisture in just 5 minutes.
2. TO COMBAT FLAT, LIMP HAIR
Limp, flat top hair is a common side effect of cold, dry weather. All it takes is one blustering gust of wind or hat hair to ravage your ‘do. But it’s nothing a little volumizing foam can’t fix!
We love Xtra Large Bombshell Volumizer. This weightless froth (made without alcohol, salt or crispy resins) blows up instant sexy volume without leaving the hair dull, dry or damaged.
While it can be used on damp hair before blow drying, it can also be used on dry hair to revive your ‘do.
Read up on our tips and tricks for adding volume to flat hair.
3. TO COMBAT STATIC
There’s nothing worse than pulling off your hat and scarf to reveal a huge mass of staticky hair.
Static electricity happens when your dehydrated hair rubs up against an object and becomes negatively charged. (You can find out more about how to fix static hair with our guide.)
The solution? A styler that actually neutralizes that negativity and helps you achieve your desired result. Our go-to is Style on Steroids Texturizing Spray.
Unlike other texturizing sprays that dry and dull hair, leaving white, chalky residues behind, ours contains translucent moisturizers. So not only do you get instant glam and guts that can withstand any electric charge, but your color stays bright and glossy.
4. TO COMBAT FRIZZ
You wear a coat to protect yourself from the cold. Why wouldn’t you do the same for your hair? Frizz is a common occurrence in the dry winter months. That’s why we love to use one of our Dream Coat products.
It’s like you’re bundling up each strand of hair with a glossy, glassy cloak of anti-frizz. Learn how to use Dream Coat like a pro.
5. TO COMBAT SPLIT ENDS AND BREAKAGE
While you can’t repair split ends once they happen (except to go get a haircut), you can help prevent them – and all kinds of breakage – from happening with our Kale Cocktail.
This leave-in treatment helps reduce breakage by 50% in just ONE blow dry, plus helps keep hair resilient against further damage. And don’t worry, it has heat protection!
6. TO COMBAT DULLNESS
You know us, we’re all about that EXTRA shine, especially in the winter when hair can be at its dullest, most dehydrated.
Through the magic of Mullein (the flower power behind our Extra Mist-ical Shine Spray) you can turn your dreary winter hair into a solar-powered spotlight.
Take a look at our full range of winter hair products here.
WINTER HAIR FAQs
Does hair grow faster in the winter?
No! Hair growth is more influenced by genetics, diet, and overall health than by the season.
Does hair get drier in winter?
Yes! Cold air and indoor heating can zap moisture from your hair, making it drier and more prone to breakage.
Does cold air damage hair?
It can. Cold air can make hair brittle and cause split ends.
Not sure where to start on your Color Wow hair journey? Take our 60-second hair quiz to discover the perfect personalized routine for your hair type.
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