Check Your Hair Routine: Winter Hair Tips

Check Your Hair Routine: Winter Hair Tips

By: Lauren Francis-Jackson

 

 

Depending on where you live, you may be experiencing some challenges with keeping warm in the colder temperatures.  If you are like me, you are not be a fan of cold weather AT ALL!  I am the chick with fuzzy socks galore, hot tea in abundance, and several pair of snow boots (don't judge me

:-)!  Guess what natural hair does not like it anymore than you do!  Certain weather conditions such as blustery winds really does dry out natural hair.  This makes retaining moisture even more of a challenge!

 

These changes in the atmosphere's temperature cause us to make some changes with the products that we are using as well as our wash routine.  Let's start with the wash routine for the loose natural.  Before I get to the step of washing my hair in the shower, I am going to begin my routine with a pre-poo.  I ALWAYS pre-pooed in the winter for every wash day because it allowed by 4b/c hair to retain moisture for longer.  Choose your favorite oil such as olive oil as a pre-poo or create your own oil concoction.  I pre-pooed for at least 45 minutes before I washed my hair.  I am going to wash my hair less frequently because I am stripping  my hair of those natural oils  by keeping with the same frequency of washing.  If you are not already, I would switch to doing more co-washing (washing one's hair with conditioner) when you do wash your hair.  My leave-in conditioners are going to be water-based moisturizing conditioners.  I used to use Kinky-Curly's Knot Today, Curl's Coconut Curlada conditioner, or Cantu's Leave-In Conditioning Repair Cream.  All of these conditioners are creamy in texture and a little heavier.  Since I love the LOC method, I made sure that I sealed in using oils and butters.  In additional to natural oils, I love the African Pride Hot Six Oil!  This was magic on my hair for retaining moisture!  Lastly, I would seal with a creamy butter like shea butter.

 

For my loc'd divas, your action will depend on where you are in your locking process.  In general, you want to moisturize with your natural oils and protect your hair from the cold by using protective head gear like head wraps/scarves, and satin-lined hats.  For moisture, you can also use a oil mixture in a spray bottle or apply it directly to the scalp.  It is also important not to overwash your hair as well!  For those with sisterlocks, what you will do would depend where you are in your locking process as well!  As a newbie, spritzing my hair with water only is my moisture treatment.  At my salon, they preach, "no to oils!" religiously to everybody.  I have heard a few sisterlock wearers talk about using a light oil to keep moisture in their locks.  For sisterlock products, there is the moisture treatment, which is sold on the Sisterlocks websites. 

 

In your home, you can also help bring moisture into the air by reducing the amount of furnace ehat you are using if possible.  Furnace heat will also dry out your hair.  I am the newest fan of humidifiers!!  I love my humidifier for my allergies and sinus issues, however the moisture they add in the air is also good for my hair.  You can get these for $25-60 at most stores like CVS, Walgreens, Walmart, Target, etc.  Even a kid-sized humidifier is adequate for moisturizing the air in your home or office.  Also, good sleeping habits such as sleeping with a satin scarf and /or satin pillowcases will make your hair smile! 

 

 

How do you change your wash and moisturizing routine for winter?  What types of chnages in clothing and environmental changes do you make in the winter?

 

~The Sisterlocked Diva