We love talking about exciting colours and your next cut more than we like to talk about hair care. But everything needs maintenance and your hair is no exception. So take the time to read about your hair care in winter and we promise that next month, as the weather ever so gradually starts to warm up, we’ll get back to something a bit more invigorating.
It’s winter time
Some people actually gravitate to cold climates – hard to believe I know. From the best hair salon in Brookvale just minutes away from the world’s best beaches it seems hard to imagine that anybody would actually want to be in a place where it’s close to zero temperatures. Fortunately, here in mostly sunny Sydney, our winters are equivalent to the best of many other country’s summers, and they only last a few months. Before we know it summer is with us again.
Down to business.
Winter and the cold weather can play havoc with your hair. When there’s no humidity to keep the air moist, your hair can become dry and brittle. This is especially true of curly hair. Winter hair problems are compounded by indoor heating.
Static
When the temperatures are low and the air is dry, your hair is susceptible to an electric charge which makes it less pliable and more prone to standing up in a way that you don’t really want it to. It will take a little more time in the morning and a little bit of product but you can rectify it.
Going easy on the hair dryer and styling tools is a good start. After that, try a good hydrating shampoo; you can ask us when you come in to see us next, or give us a call and we’ll point you in the right direction. You could also try a mask with some hydrating ingredients like coconut milk or argan oil. This is particularly helpful for a dry or itchy scalp.
And here’s a remedy that you’ll like. Sleep on silk or satin pillowcases. Yep we insist; get yourselves some silk or satin pillowcases because they retain your hair’s moisture better than anything else. If your partner thinks you’re being extravagant have them call us and we’ll talk them through the benefits. If after luxuriating in all that silk and satin you’re still struggling with dry hair, we can help you with some leave in product for extra hydration.
For coloured hair
We can recommend some products that you can apply to your hair before dyeing it. There are others that you can take home and use to saturate your strands before you wash to keep your hair from getting too dry and breaking. If your coloured hair becomes particularly dry, or you come across some split ends you could always ask us about a good binding cream.
It’s a pretty good rule not to wash your coloured hair too often and that rule has extra significance in winter when it’s more susceptible to drying. We’ve touched on the remedy for a dry or itchy scalp already, but it doesn’t hurt to remind you that washing your hair less often is also helpful.
Hats, scarves and high collars
Scarves, turned up collars and hats keep you warm but they’re also responsible for many a bad hair day. Wrapping yourself in a scarf or pulling your collar up stifles the hair at the nape of your neck. It gets matted and no matter how many times you carefully place your hand beneath it and lift, it seems to get stuck to whatever it is you’re wearing. And when you pull the hair at the nape of your neck it stings.
Braid it to either side or place it in a bun. When you’re back inside you can take your hair out if you wish or place the part of your hair from the ears down in a ponytail.
Hats are the biggest offenders. They dry your hair like nothing else. The combination of hat hair and dry hair is something that can plague you all winter if you are a wearer of hats and don’t take our tips.
Hat hair
There’s a few ways you can deal with hat hair. Use a leave in conditioner to retain the moisture. If you are pressed for time in the morning and you need to blow dry, let your hair cool before you put your hat on. The combination of warmth and your hat will make it so dry that your hair will be lifeless. Finally, once you get to wherever it is you’re going and you can take your hat off, make some room and give your hair a good flip, it works wonders.
At Elle J, the Northern Beaches and Sydney hair stylists, we’re not just great colourists and cutters, we care about the investment you make in your hair. We want to make sure that you get the most out of every cut and every colour until we you see next time. We hope you find this information helpful. If you ever need to talk something through, you can always give us a call or make a time to come and see us.