Winter Haircare Tips

Winter is on our doorstep, and if you don’t already know, it can be a particularly drying time for us natties. During the winter months, we struggle to retain moisture and prevent breakage.

• Use a milder shampoo (sulfate-free shampoo or co-wash) if you are not already using one. IntrinsiCurly Me Gentle Cleanser is excellent. This is a creamy cleanser and doesn't foam. Their Peppermint Co-wash variety is great for those who love a fresh, tingling feeling. It leaves the hair feeling nourished and more defined. Curl Chemistry Créme Cleansing Shampoo is also a low foaming but effective shampoo. Their Sulfate-Free Shampoo from their debut range is another favourite. We stock the full range of both these brands on our online store.

• Deep condition for 20-30 minutes. Too often, people skip deep conditioning because they “don’t have enough time”. All you need is 20-30 minutes and preferably use heat. Apply your deep conditioner, whichever brand you prefer, or a homemade mixture. Wrap your hair with cling wrap (if you don’t have this in your kitchen cupboard, just skip this part) or a shopping packet and use our Deep Conditioning Cap or a scarf or beanie around the head to create heat.

• Wash your hair less often and allow your scalp to produce its own oils. If you usually wash your hair twice a week, try and cut it down to once. If you wash once a week, try pushing it to every 2nd week as shampooing too often can dry out your hair and/or scalp.

• Pre-poo your hair before you wash. This means applying your favourite oil (we like avocado) or pre-poo product to your hair and use heat to open your cuticles for a nice treatment before shampooing. This protects your hair against the drying effects of the shampoo (you know that dry, “strum” feeling after a shampoo? Yeah…that!).

• Invest in a good deep conditioner. NO, we don’t mean normal rinse-out conditioner. Get a hair mask/treatment that is specifically formulated to deeply penetrate and moisturise your hair. We love the Curl Chemistry Deep Conditioning Treatment, as well as Intrinsicurly Me Luxurious Creamy Conditioner. Above all of these, a nice *avocado treatment is MAGIC (see recipe at the end)!

• Steam your hair. The key to moisture is water. During winter the dry, winter air leaves our strands incredibly thirsty. To avoid wetting your hair on a regular basis, try steaming your hair. You can simply steam your hair while taking a shower. All you need to do is leave off the shower cap and allow the steam to work for you.

• Protect your hair from the cold, winter weather by wearing a satin-lined beanie, a doek, or satin scarf. If you wear hoodies often, try and get the inside of the hood lined with satin.

• Trim your ends regularly. The winter air can cause your hair to become brittle so try and dust them when you can.

• NB!!! Seal your ends with a butter to protect them. We love shea butter, but avo butter is a great alternative. If you don’t like thick butters on your hair (or your hair can’t tolerate them), just apply them to your ends and use a tiny amount.

• Protect your ends. Tuck your ends away with simple styles like a bun or twists (remember to seal your ends before doing this) and pin it back or wear it under a satin-lined beanie.

• Massage your scalp regularly for about 10mins. Jamaican black castor oil or jojoba oil is really good for your scalp. Use a scalp massager if you have one or order here.

• Drink lots of water - at least 2L per day. Hydrate and nourish your body from the inside out. Healthy hair starts from within. If you don’t enjoy drinking water, use a (biodegradable) straw, and add a slice of lemon...Drink up!

• Try and stay away from humectants (products that attract moisture). If you’re a DIY “mixtress”, don’t use glycerine or honey in your Deep Conditioner.
  
  Always use the LOC method to correctly moisturise your hair. To explain: L: Liquid/Leave-in conditioner / O: Oil / C: Cream (could also be G, for Gel). The LOC method is simply the order in which you apply your products when sealing your hair. After rinsing your treatment, apply your leave-in conditioner, then your oil to seal in the moisture and then a cream for styling. You could also try the LCO method if you notice the LOC method doesn’t help. Basically what we’re saying is…. SEAL YOUR HAIR! 

• Be gentle with your hair. It may be drier compared to other months. Dry, brittle hair is more fragile. Even if you are properly moisturising your hair, take the time to properly detangle your hair. If your hair feels dry and brittle, first spritz with water or steam it before handling and detangling.

• Keratin - protein and strength⁣⁣
• Vitamin E - scalp treatment/moisture⁣⁣
• JBCO - strength/growth⁣⁣
• Tea Tree Oil - an anti-bacterial, antioxidant and dandruff treatment ⁣
• Bergamot Oil - growth⁣
• Argan Oil - moisture⁣