A dip in temperature, blustery winds and rooms with stuffy central heating can leave your locks feeling dry, frizzy, brittle and damaged - here's exactly what you need to fix your winter hair concerns...
If you're keen to shake off outdated hair trends for the new year and switch up your cut or colour with the soft bell-bottom bob or popular heritage blonde, it can be easy to neglect your locks' condition. In fact, your tresses actually require more hydration and TLC in the colder months, in order to combat the effects of bitter weather on your hair.
Whether you're experiencing dullness, dryness, breakage or split ends, we've curated a list of essential haircare buys to carry you through the wintertime and prevent the weather from causing havoc on your strands - plus, a hairdressing expert shares their top haircare tips for the season.
Haircare essentials to avoid the effects of winter weather
As the temperatures continue to drop, you may notice typical winter skin signs, such as dryness, dullness and redness - but it's easy to forget about the negative impact this can have on your strands, too.
As for the harsh effects on your locks, Cos Sakkas, British Hairdresser of the Year and TONI&GUY Global Creative Director, shares: "Winter’s cruel temperatures can suck the moisture out of hair, leaving it dull, dry, damaged, and prone to breakage." You may also spot a few noticeable changes in the condition of your scalp such as itchiness, tightness and flakiness. The hairstylist also notes that "Indoor heating can result in static and split ends."
So, now we know we should be paying extra attention to our tresses during the winter months, how should we go about it? Sakkas recommends: "Switch up your home haircare routine and look for these key nutrients to boost your overall hair health."
Winter haircare staples
With winter in full swing, we've rounded up an array of haircare essentials that prioritise the health of your strands throughout the cooler months - including some of the woman&home beauty team's go-to buys...
RRP: £58
A firm favourite of our Digital Beauty Writer, Sennen Prickett, Kérastase Elixir Ultime is hailed for its ability to transform dull and dry hair by boosting softness and nourishment. Formulated with wild camellia, French camellia and argan oil, this lightweight haircare essential can be used in several ways, such as before shampoo to help detangle or before styling to control frizz and offer heat protection. Plus, it boasts the most gorgeous salon-worthy scent.
RRP: £6.99
Whether you're attending festive parties or trying to protect your strands from the turbulent weather, we can often find ourselves styling our hair more frequently throughout the winter months, so using a heat protection spray is crucial. Hailed by us as one of the best heat protection sprays, John Frieda's Frizz Ease mist contains ThermaGuard Complex to help replenish moisture, seal strands and prevent breakage, leaving hair silky soft and smooth.
RRP: £26
A leave-in conditioner is one of those products you might not think is a necessity until you invest and suddenly can't go without one. This nourishing option is equipped with microfine diamonds, coconut and white rose petal oils to lock in intense hydration and encourage thicker strands. It also boasts Enviroshield Technology which helps protect against the harmful effects of heat, humidity and UV rays.
RRP: £21.75
Hydration is the key to avoiding the harsh effects of winter on your hair, so it's important to bolster moisture from the very beginning of your hair routine. Investing in a moisturising shampoo is essential, and this Davines Momo buy is a great option. Enriched with fatty acids, olive oil, plus vitamins C and B, this shampoo penetrates the hair with weightless hydration, for cleansed, soft and supple strands.
RRP: £39.50
For those with locks in need of some serious hydration, a hair mask is a must - Sakkas advises using one once a week. Great for the winter months, this deeply moisturising mask works to strengthen, repair and renew the suppleness of your tresses. Its lightweight formula leaves hair smooth and shiny, without a weighty feel.
RRP: £18.21
For those wanting a multi-purpose product that's going to target our winter hair concerns in a spritz, look no further than Revlon's UniqOne hair treatment. This mist is another favourite of Sennen's thanks to its ability to protect against heat, detangle, control frizz, boost shine, minimise split ends, and much more. Simply apply the mist to wet hair and let it work its magic.
How to protect your hair in winter
As for how you should combat the harsh effects of the colder weather on your hair, Cos Sakkas has a few simple tips to prevent damage and lock in moisture.
When it comes to the hair-washing process, Sakkas recommends one small step that will make all the difference, he says: "Wash your hair with lukewarm, not hot water, [as] hot water will dry out your hair and scalp," - this is particularly important for those who have dry hair. For those with flaky dandruff-prone scalps, the hairdresser suggests to: "Switch to a shampoo that contains salicylic acid to exfoliate the scalp, remove dead skin cells and break down any built-up product on the scalp.
Hair oils are a great step for maintaining healthy hair all year round, but especially so during the cooler winter months. Simply running a few drops of your chosen hair oil through the ends of your locks "helps seal in moisture, adds shine, and prevents frizz, leaving your hair soft, smooth, and moisturised," says Sakkas.
For those thinking about booking a visit to the salon to treat their dry and damaged hair, Sakkas says: "You might need a haircut to get rid of some damage – best to trim your hair every four to eight weeks to remove split ends and keep hair healthy."
What haircare ingredients should I look for in winter?
As with any time of the year, taking a look at the ingredients in the haircare products you use is a must. However, throughout the colder winter months, Sakkas recommends a handful of key ingredients that are worth keeping an eye out for, as they prioritise the health of your hair...
- Manuka honey - "Honey is a wonderful ingredient in haircare. It is a natural humectant, attracting moisture from the air and drawing it to your hair and scalp, sealing it into the hair cuticle," Sakkas recommends. It also does a stellar job at hydrating your strands, while reducing breakage and frizz.
- Blueberries - Sakkas advises that this antioxidant-rich berry helps "neutralise unwanted brassy and yellow tones and illuminate highlights while also nourishing and softening the hair."
- Ginger root - A true winter ingredient, the hairstylist says: "[Ginger] provides nourishment and protection to the hair and helps to promote healthy hair growth."
- Orange peel - The Global Creative Director also rates orange peel as an ingredient, as it: "helps to maintain hair pH levels and can restore scalp health and promote hair growth for silky, shiny hair."
- Purple sweet potato - Containing beta-carotene which helps with scalp health, Sakkas advises: "It helps to neutralise unwanted brassy and yellow tones and illuminate highlights while nourishing and softening tresses."
- Pumpkin - This seasonal squash "is known for deeply moisturising and protecting our hair," says Sakkas.
- Sweet chestnut - For those wanting to shield their strands, Sakkas recommends sweet chestnut for protecting the hair against free radicals and revitalising shine.
