Protect Your Hair This Winter

By Emmy

As a native Minnesotan, the frigid cold of winter is nothing new to me. And while the snow might be pretty sometimes, dry skin and hair never is. Keeping your hair moisturized in the winter can be difficult, but this College Candy girl has worked at a hair salon for three years and is going to share her knowledge on the best products to help your hair weather out the winter on a college budget. (And that’s the end of my talking in third person…)

To have your best hair in the winter, experts say you have to start with the basics.

Starting with a moisturizing shampoo is crucial. And there are plenty of them out there that won’t cost you a fortune. My favorites:

Pantene has a great line called Winter Rescue Pro-V Moisture Renewal. Their shampoos and conditioners are cheap and great for all kinds of hair. And the deep conditioning treatment is on par with the kind you’d pay one month’s rent on in a salon, but costs mere dollars.

Herbal Essences also has a great moisturizing line called ‘Hydralicious’ and it has a variety of moisturizing formulas for all different kinds of hair. Whether you have crazy dry hair like I do, or fairly thin hair that needs to be conditioned but not weighed down, this line has you covered and moisturized.

Another great resource is the Moroccan Oil Restorative Hair Mask. It’s definitely on the pricier side, but works wonders, even on my crazy curls that tend to go uber dry in the wintertime. I put this on my hair and leave it on for ten minutes or so while in the shower, and then my hair regains all that coveted moisture it lost in the frozen tundra cold.

If  the winter has taken the shine and luster out of your hair, you may want to invest in John Freida’s Color Glazes. They can help keep hair looking shiny and healthy between colors. And if you’re one of those lucky gals that has a beautiful natural color (I hate you), John Frieda also makes a clear shine formula that will give you hair-commercial hair in no time.

Now, protecting your hair doesn’t stop in the shower. It’s what you do once you get out that really counts. Especially when it comes to drying that mop. And you must dry it. I repeat: you must dry your hair! Going outside with wet hair means frozen hair, which is a one-way ticket to Split-Endsville, no matter how many hair masks you use.

And since you’ll be using a hair dryer/flat iron daily (assuming you shower that often), you are going to need to protect those tresses from the heat. You definitely want to do this year round, but it’s especially important during the winter when everyone’s hair is generally drier. There are many different (and expensive) options for heat protectant products, but I really love TRESemme’s Heat Tamer spray that you can use before blow drying, flat ironing, or curling! It gets the job done and leaves your hair smelling deeeelish.

Regardless of which exact products you use, the important thing is to give your hair a bit of extra care and conditioning during the winter. Conditioned locks are not only healthier, but they’ll keep you looking classy, even on nights when you might not be acting so classy yourself!

Know of any great winter hair tips or products? Share with us!