Protect and nourish your precious strands with a little extra TLC this winter.

Cold winter weather combined with indoor heating can produce less-than-favorable results for your scalp and hair. The overall goal of winter hair care is maintaining high moisture levels. Moisture is essential for the health of your scalp and hair.

Read more on preventing dry skin in the winter.

Without further ado, here are 13 tips for healthy, vibrant hair all winter long.

1. Eat and drink wisely. Include healthy monounsaturated fats in your diet and work at healthy locks from the inside out. Incorporate more fish, nuts, flax seed, sardines, avocados and olive oil into your diet. Eat Vitamin C-rich produce like citrus fruit and dark leafy greens. Drink plenty of water for additional hydration of the skin, scalp and organs.
2. Don’t go outside with wet hair. You’ve heard it before, but here’s why: cold hair + freezing temperatures = frozen hair. Frozen hair means split ends and breakage. Blow dry before leaving the house or, better yet, let your locks air dry to avoid damaging heated styling tools.
3. Cover up. Wear a hat, scarf and gloves made of soft fabrics that won’t snag hair. These will protect your strands from the chilly temps and keep your whole body warm for overall health.
4. Coat your hair with healthy oils before shampooing. Think of it as a pre-conditioning treatment (but don’t skip your regular conditioner!). Massage Vitamin E, olive, coconut, or tea tree oil into the scalp to replenish natural scalp oils and reduce static.
5. Use a moisturizing shampoo or one special-formulated for extra dry, flaky scalps. We use and love Aveda hair care products.
6. Wash your hair less often. If you shampoo every day, try every other day. If you’re used to shampooing two or three times a week, put a little more distance between your current washes to retain more moisture.
7. Take cooler, quicker showers. We know, there’s nothing like a scathing hot shower on a frigid day, but that hot water will strip moisture from your delicate hair (and skin). Try warm or lukewarm showers for 10 minutes or less.
8. Get a professional deep conditioning treatment once a month to restore your hair’s vibrancy. In between visits, try a homemade leave-in conditioner.
9. Comb a few drops of oil into hair after showering. Olive oil or jojoba works well. Use a wide-tooth comb for reduced stress on wet hair. Apply oils or lotion to your skin within three minutes of stepping out of the tub to trap in moisture.
10. Use a brush with natural bristles to help redistribute oils from your scalp to the rest of your hair. This will also help to reduce static.
11. Use your fingers to detangle when possible. This lessens the stress placed on your tresses. Go easy and treat your tresses like they were made of silk.
12. Avoid blow-drying and brushing wet hair. Our locks are most delicate and fragile when wet. If you do use a blow-dryer, try to let your hair air dry for as long as possible. Opt for low heat and finish with a blast of cool air.
13. Cut back on styling. Wear your hair in braids, twists and knots to limit the amount of styling and stress placed on your strands. This will also protect your ends from the whipping winds.

Read more hair care articles on our blog. Contact us to schedule your deep conditioning treatment and shine on!