5 Tips to Make Naughty Hair Nice This Winter

January 31, 2013

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Resolve to take care of your hair during the harshest months of the year!

The winter season can be especially hard on hair. Excessive styling with holiday parties and the harsh winter weather can leave hair more naughty than nice. But don’t get the winter blues over limp, dry locks, try these five quick hair care tips to get your mane on the nice list.

Step 1 ~~ Use Deep Conditioner for Healthier Hair. Be kind to your hair by using a weekly deep conditioner. If you have chemical damage from harsh perms or coloring, use a conditioner with protein to repair hair strands. For hair that has general wear and tear from heat tools the great outdoors, opt for a moisturizing conditioner. For maximum effect, apply conditioner to wet hair and put on a plastic cap. Open the cuticle by using a blow dryer on low setting to gently heat your head. Wrap in a towel. Rinse after 15 to 20 minutes with cooler water to lock in the moisture.Tip: Ingredients to look for in Protein Rich Conditioners: Silk, Wheat, Keratin, Collagen, Amino Acids. Ingredients to look for in Moisture Rich Conditioners: Glycerin, Oils (Jojoba, Argan, Coconut, Castor, etc.) Fatty Alcohols (Stearyl, Cetyl, Cetearyl), and Panthenol.)

Step 2 ~~ Try Velcro or Hot Rollers for a Wavy Hairstyle. Velcro and hot rollers are great options to add bounce and volume to tired tresses. Plus, with the help of rollers, you can avoid curling, crimping, and smoothing hair with harsh heat tools which will zap moisture out of your hair. When hair is 90% dry, apply velcro rollers to give your style volume. Let your hair dry naturally, or use a blow-dryer to set. After you remove the rollers, use a curling iron or flat iron if necessary to touch up your style. If velcro rollers aren’t for you, try hot rollers on dry hair. Use bigger rollers on the crown area to add volume. Gently run fingers through hair to relax curls that are overly bouncy. Spritz with hairspray, and you’re done.

Step 3 ~~ Beat the Heat Tools with Thermal Protection Products. You’re not alone if you have a hard time breaking your addiction to your trusty flat iron, curling iron, or blow dryer. But, to avoid excessive damage from these tools, always use a thermal protection spray or serum to protect your hair cuticle. Some hair sprays and serums are especially made for damp hair which is useful to protect hair during blow drying. I’m liking Redken Thermal Setting Mist, (splurge) or Tresemme Heat Tamer Spray Serum. There are plenty of good products for saving hair from excessive heat damage, the key is . . . to use one! Shine sprays and oils are another great option to combat heat damage and promote shiny healthy hair.

Step 4 ~~ Use Hair Friendly Products.Ingredient labels are a useful tool to determine products that are hair friendly from those that are harmful. You don’t need to be a scientist to decipher the good from the bad, just take a couple notes of what to look for. Hairspray with excessive alcohol will be drying to your hair (with the exception of fatty alcohols, Stearyl, Cetyl, Cetearyl, and Panthenol. Many hairsprays are now available with low amounts of alcohol or no alcohol at all. The ingredients are listed in a sequence from highest quantity to lowest, so the first ingredient listed is the dominant one. Sulfate free shampoos and conditioners are the “IT” products now because they do the job of cleaning the hair and scalp without using that harsh stripping chemicals.

Step 5 ~~ Haircuts are Your Friend. Maintain healthy hair with a visit to your hair stylist every 2 to 3 months. Regular trims prevent split ends from traveling up the hair shaft. Stop damage in its tracks by getting rid of those ends. Remember that visiting your stylist regularly will ensure that all you need to keep your hair looking healthy is a dusting of your ends, which is especially good news for all you long haired loving ladies!

With all those holiday treats, late night soriee’s and other winter festivities, we can’t guarantee you’ll be “nice” all season long but, with these hair tips, you can certainly treat your hair nicely, ensuring shiny, healthy hair all winter long. Now you can focus on picking a bombshell dress to impress your coworkers at that holiday office party you weren’t sure you wanted to go to! For more winter hair ideas check out our Pinterest Winter Hair Tips board.