How to Prepare your Natural Hair for the Cold Season

The winter season is almost here - depending on your location, you might already be experiencing the cold or some signs of it. My guess is, you’re already doubling your body lotion to layer on your skin to protect against the dryness that comes with the cold.

What about your hair?

Your scalp is skin too you know? 

• So it needs some protection as well else it will get flaky. 
• Your strands are also prone to get brittle and dry during the cold weather.
• This is because the cold season comes with this dryness that just seems to suck the moisture out of everything.
• You can also get itchy scalp 
• For this reason, you need to fortify your hair against the cold by switching up your hair routine for the new season.

Here is how you prepare your natural hair for the cold season:

Switch to heavier products for better, long lasting moisturizing

You might want to layer up twice as much of your product to better hydrate your hair but that would just be wasteful and might prove ineffective in the long run.

A better option is to switch to a heavier product to better moisturize, protect and seal the deal by using the right oils to seal your ends.

For example, if you use coconut oil consider switching to olive oil or Castor oil. If you use regular moisturizer, switch to a hair butter or whipped creams like the Whipped Mango or Coco Shea which are heavier and will guarantee better protection against the dry weather.

Extend the period between your wash days

The idea is to try and hold on to as much moisture as you can. Washing your hair is stripping of its oils so washing your hair less will help it this cold season.

If you wash your hair twice a week, consider making that once a week to help your hair hold on to more of its moisture for a longer time.

Ditch the stress and go for a protective style

Natural hair seems to be more prone to the devices of the cold season. Even in its natural state, it coils into itself, making it hard for moisture to spread let alone in the dry season when moisture is not rampant.

Wearing your hair in its natural state makes it more prone to dryness so a good idea is to rock a protective style that hides your hair. It could be braids, wigs or any other style that protects and keeps your hair tucked in.

Rocking a protective style is no reason to neglect your hair still, your roots need protection so don’t forget to hydrate and moisturize before sealing with the oil of your choice. 

Use a mild sulphate shampoo to wash your hair

Sulphate is a common ingredient present in shampoos that cleans but also strips your hair of its natural oils, causing dryness. 

To avoid this, use a  sulphate free shampoo like the Biotin Shampoo and Conditioner which properly cleanses your hair while infusing it with biotin extracts to nourish and protect your strands.

Limit your heat usage

I would not advise any naturalista to even use heat for their hair, whether blow drying or for any other reason. However, if you do use heat on your natural strands, the cold season would be a good time to limit or pause such usage.

Heat strips your hair of moisture, adding that to the cold season - which is a moisture sucker on its own - is double trouble for your hair. So let go of the heat and switch to other hairstyles that do not require heat.

Cover up your hair

Just like during the summer months, protecting your hair by covering it works just as fine during the cold months. However, you do have to pay attention to what materials you’re covering your hair with. Cotton materials suck out moisture too so that would be defeating the purpose of covering it in the first place.

Use a silk or satin scarf to wrap up your hair and you can also use it underneath your hat if that’s what you want to rock.

Did I miss any tip? How do you protect your hair during the cold season? Let’s talk in the comments.