While we might not have to worry about white walkers anytime soon, the winter cold can sometimes seem like this big and scary force against our hair’s growth. Whether it's summer frizz or winter crunch, the weather has a sizable (but manageable) effect on how we approach styling and hair care so why not learn the basics of maintaining the latter as we settle into these long winter months.
Changing weather impacts the humidity levels of our surroundings which changes the moisture in the air that ends up being absorbed by our hair strands. Assuming an average level of porosity, our hair can actually absorb about 30% its weight in water - a number that increases the more damaged or chemically treated your hair is. When the weather gets colder, there is less moisture in the air and it leaves the hair feeling drier and more brittle to the touch. This lack of moisture is aggravated with curly or coily hair types. Oils tend to be concentrated in the roots of textured hair types because of the natural lipids, produced by the sebaceous glands on the scalp, that struggle to travel down structurally curved or twisted hair shapes. This can often be the root of why your hair feels ultra dry when the weather gets colder.
There’s no need to panic though! Despite the narrative that your ends have to be completely tucked in or wrapped up during winter, we’re here to tell you that you should feel free to wear your hair out in all its glory despite the drop in temperature. Like most other areas of life, it’s all about balance and maintaining a healthy hair regimen will get you closer to that goal.
Opt for a conditioner that’s packed full of humectants, fatty oils and cationic surfactants like behentrimonium sulfate. Not only do these lubricate your hair, but humectants can attract and hold onto moisture while helping combat any dryness you may experience in cooler temperatures.
An all time fave of the Sliq team is Joico’s Extreme Moisture Recovery Treatment Balm. This conditioner is no joke, it adds so much slip when used in the shower (you might want to hold on to something so you don’t fall down, it's that good).
The underlying health of your hair will always determine how much stress your hair can withstand. This is why maintaining healthy practices all through the year will put you in good stead regardless of the season. So, wash your hair on schedule, get a good conditioner and don’t miss your trim appointments. Dryer hair is more prone to breakage because there’s less lubrication, if you cut off the damage at the ends it’s less likely to cause split ends or knotting further along the hair shaft.
If your hair isn’t already in the best shape, there’s still hope. We talk about using products that can permanently and temporarily repair broken disulphide bonds all the time at Sliq HQ because they are true life savers.
Check out our product review of K18’s Leave In Molecular Repair Mask, a patented breakthrough peptide that works on a molecular level to transform damaged hair.
Like the skin on our bodies, your scalp may begin to feel dry and scaly due to the lack of moisture in the air. To address this, incorporating a water based scalp treatment for a hydrating and lubricating effect can be a game changer. We recommend Living Proof Scalp Care Revitalising Treatment, Noughty Scalp Tonic and Eucerin DermoCapillaire Calming Scalp Treatment as great starter products.
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