Cold Weather, Meet Your Match: 9 Expert Secrets to Keeping Hair Glossy and Healthy This Season
Main image – Liliyarodnikova/Stocksy
With autumn now well and truly behind us and the icy mornings in full force, your hair might be showing a few subtle changes as the seasons swap.
Here’s your winter hair checklist, created with the colder months in mind as well as some expert tips from three of our favourite experts, trichologist Anabel Kingsley, and celebrity hair stylist and founder of MD London, Michael Douglas, and celebrity makeup artist Anna Lingis.
From essential leave-in conditioners to comforting moisture shampoos, here are 9 ways to swish healthy hair all the way through winter.
1. Get a trim
“The first thing to do is to have a trim to remove any split ends,” according to Kingsley. “This will give you a healthier base to work from and prevent splits from moving up your hair shaft and causing further damage.”
Image – Philip Kingsley
And if your favourite hairdresser’s all booked up until the new year? “Try Philip Kingsley’s award-winning Bond Builder Split End Remedy (£30 from Philip Kingsley UK /$43 from Philip Kingsley US) to protect and strengthen existing bonds and repair broken ones whilst instantly sealing split ends for stronger, and visibly healthier hair,” explains Kingsley.
2. Treat your hair to an oil
According to Douglas, colder weather doesn’t actually damage the hair however, “it sometimes just feels like that due to the lack of moisture in the atmosphere,” he says.
“Water attaches to cold surfaces so the moisture in the atmosphere tends to cling to metal and glass and therefore the moisture in the air that would normally keep your hair feeling softer isn’t present.”
The solution then is to invest in a hair oil that will make both you and your hair feel better. We love Rehab Dose 1.1 Fine Hair Oil (£26 from Boots UK /$36 from Rehab US) which leaves hair really soft and glossy and helps to restore condition over time.
3. Or a mask…
According to Kingsley, winter is the perfect to add in a hair mask or pre-shampoo mask since we’re more likely to heat style our hair in the colder months. “For instance, you may have found it too cold to leave the house with damp hair, or potentially you’ve had weekly work or social events that warrant extra trips to your salon for a blow-dry,” she explains.
“To help restore hydration, strength and shine to hair, use a weekly pre-shampoo deep conditioning treatment,” she adds.
We’re huge fans of Philip Kingsley’s Elasticizer, which never fails moisturise our frazzled locks when we’ve used too much heat. According to Kingsley, the product also, “plumps strands with moisture and seals the outer cuticle giving lovely reflective shine.”
Image – Moo & Yoo
You can also apply a mask weekly to hydrate your hair. We love Moo & Yoo Miracle Mask (£28.50 from Moo & Yoo UK) which makes hair both super soft and super glossy!
K18 Leave-in Molecular Repair Hair Mask (£70 from K18 UK /$75 from K18 US) is slightly more of a commitment (you’ll typically need to use it for up to 6 washes in a row to begin with), but have created some impressive hair transformations in the Live That Glow office. If you don’t have damaged hair though, be warned that it may be too heavy or you may not notice much of a difference..
4. Build up your hair density
It’s common to feel lower in confidence during the winter thanks to those grey, dark days and lack of hair boosting vitamin D.
Be proactive and treat yourself to some Philip Kinglsey Density Preserving Hair Loss Scalp Drops (£52 from Philip Kingsley UK /$72 from Philip Kingsley US) which promises to improve the condition of your hair and slow down shedding after 3 months. Our editor, Sally Underwood, has been using this serum daily for the past 4 months and has seen dramatically reduced shedding as well as new baby hairs coming through.
Alternatively, try Champo Pitta Growth Serum (£34 from Selfridges UK /$37.80 from Champo US) which contains growth-boosting caffeine that promises to work after 12 weeks of daily use. It also works as an instant root lifter too.
5. And give your scalp a boost
Similarly, an even if hair density isn’t a concern for you, winter is a great time to look after your scalp, according to our experts.
“Flaky scalps are common, but even more so in winter. Cold weather, blustery winds, central heating and stress can all aggravate our scalps,” explains Kingsley. “Flaking of the scalp can cause hair loss, and also impact the quality of hairs we’re producing,” she adds.
That’s why you’ll want to consider adding an exfoliating scalp mask into your routine. Used once a week, these can clear dead cells and balance the scalp.
6. Use less heat
As we’ve already covered, winter is often a time when we want to style our hair more than normal, but that doesn’t have to mean damage. According to the experts, simply adjusting your heat setting can prevent damage.
“While it may take a little longer, a low to medium heat setting will give you great styling results, but without dryness, breakage, and split ends,” says Kingsley.
7. And protect while heat styling
You may feel like doing more heat styling during the winter if your hair isn’t behaving how it should be.
It’s essential to use protection though to avoid damaging your hair so use a heat protectant like Schwarzkopf got2b Heat Protection Spray Guardian Angel (£6.15 from Boots UK /$8.40 from Care to Beauty US) which provides up to 220 degrees heat protection without leaving your hair sticky or greasy.
Image – Schwarzkopf
8. Keep moisture in
Other winter elements can cause the hair to go static and feel brittle. “Static electricity can be an issue as the dry heat in various rooms from heaters and the cold air outside means there is very little moisture in the atmosphere, and this can case the hair to feel very dry and act in unpredictable ways,” explains Douglas.
He recommends one thing – moisture! “Keeping moisture in the hair can help.” That means adding hydrating products to every step of your routine – including your serum and shampoo.
Douglas suggests the brand OGX for their moisture-boosting hair serums. Try OGX Renewing _ Argan Oil of Morocco Penetrating Oil (£9.99 from Boots UK /$10.69 from Ulta US).
And Amika Hydro Rush Intense Moisture Shampoo and Conditioner Duo (£48 from Sephora UK /$56 from Amika US) gives our hair a huge shot of moisture without weighing it down – and smells *amazing*.
Finally, if you’re feeling like adding a festive flair to your hair this season- without wrecking its condition- consider mixing your conditioner with colour drops. Schwarzkopf LIVE Drops (£8 from Boots UK) come in multiple fun shades and are simply added to your regular conditioner.
You’ll want to follow the instructions carefully though for best results. According to Lingis, “When applying colour at home, always perform a strand test to see how the colour will take to your hair, especially if you’re aiming for a very specific shade, and remember to section your hair carefully and ensure even saturation for a consistent result.”
9. Keep frizz under control
Think you should switch up your products once in a while in case your hair gets too used to them? Don’t believe everything you hear! “That is a myth,” says Douglas. “Your hair is essentially dead – it can’t get used to anything. People will often try something new and get a better result and this makes them think that it was time to change.”
The same goes for your frizz tamers – if you find one you love, keep using it! Your hair won’t suddenly become immune. John Frieda Frizz Ease Miraculous Recovery Leave In Conditioner (£8.45 from Boots UK) is not only great for keeping frizz under control but it’s a good heat protector and detangler.
We also love Hershesons Almost Everything Cream (£14 from Hershesons UK) which was created by hairdressers to solve pretty much every hair issue, including flattening down frizz. It comes in a tiny pot, perfect for taking with you on the go.
Ever tried a silk pillowcase? They’re meant to work wonders for keeping frizz at bay too. We love Silke London Silke Queen Pillowcase (£85 from Silke London UK /$95 from Silke London US).
The takeaway
Not today winter! You may be pretty dismal at times but our hair will be anything but!
Remember, moisture is key. Invest in a pampering hair mask and moisture oil as well as a few extras like growth serums to give your locks a health kick. Don’t forget the non-negotiable – to protect your hair from heat styling at all costs – and put a mini multi-tasking hair product in your handbag for cold weather frizz taming on-the-go.
Get Glowing!
