How To Start A Natural Hair Winter Regimen That Works

Last Updated on September 11, 2022 by The Blessed Queens

If you are looking for a natural hair winter regimen then this is the post for you! Winter hair care is super important when it comes to natural hair! Here is how to make it work!

How To Start A Natural Hair Winter Regimen That Works

When the summer ends and as the winter draws near, a lot of people will gradually start to make changes in their lifestyle. This might include a change in wardrobe or prepping the house for the winter by checking any cracks, holes and broken windows that might allow cold air to come in.

And depending on the area that you live in, you might even need to change the tires on your vehicle to winter tires. The winter season necessitates a change in our entire lifestyle, and that includes our hair regimen.

A change in regimen doesn’t always mean that you replace all your products for brand new ones, as there are other ways that you can also tweak your hair regimen during the winter season.

Why is winter so bad for natural hair?

It’s a perfect storm of bad conditions. Wind and harsh cold air suck moisture out of your hair, and cause tangles. But once you’re inside, the heated air is so dry, your office can be almost as bad as sitting under a blow dryer!

All this dryness accelerates frizz, breakage, and split ends, and the shock of extreme temperature changes puts additional stress on your hair.

If this weren’t enough, hats, scarves, and sweaters are made from a material that insulates heat, keeping your body warm- but they pull and snag on your hair, breaking strands left and right. Whether you’re inside or outside, warm or cold, it seems like there’s no escape.

But you don’t need to hibernate until the weather is warm and friendly again! With the right tips and routine, you CAN keep your hair healthy and happy throughout the winter months.

Below are 5 ways that I change things up at the beginning of the winter.

1.  Start with a trim to get rid of unhealthy ends.

The warmer seasons are a time when a lot of women should try out new products and hairstyles. With this comes a time when the oldest part of our hair, the ends, will start to feel overwhelmed by all the twist-outs and braid-outs that it had to endure for months.

As a result, the ends of our hair will start to wear off in the form of split ends and thinning ends.

Since the winter season is also a protective styling season, you first want to make sure that you’re protecting the healthy portion of your hair, so that the unhealthy split ends will not negatively impact the rest of your hair.

To prevent this from happening, make sure you trim off split ends and other damaged ends. This way, length retention and styling will be much easier during the winter.

 2. Wash hair in the evening to allow it to dry completely for the following day.

If you have the type of hair that takes hours to completely dry, try washing your hair in the evenings so that your hair can air dry overnight. Walking out with wet hair is unhealthy for your hair and to you in general–unless you’re going for the ‘Frozen’ look

3. If you moisturize your hair in the morning, wrap your hair with a silk or satin scarf before heading out.

If you must go out with wet or damp hair, consider wrapping your hair with a silk scarf and then securing it with a wool hat.

This double protection will ensure that your hair stays warm while you’re out in the cold and that it is protected from the lint in your hat. This double layer protection also gives your a hair a more polished look once you unravel the scarf.

4. Sleep with a plastic cap if the air indoors is dry.

Since natural hair tends to feel dry more often in the winter time, I always look for ways to keep moisture in my hair for a longer period of time.

One of the things that I tend to do in the winter time is to replace my silk head-wrap or satin bonnet with a plastic shower cap when I go to bed at night. This method is commonly known as the GreenHouse Effect (GHE).

5. Deep condition weekly and co-wash midweek, if you’re experiencing excessively dry hair.

If your hair feels dry during the summertime, chances are, it will feel even drier in the winter time. This is the reason why you have to be willing to change up your regimen every season, even if it means having 4 different hair regimen.

Depending on your choice of hairstyle, your hair might feel dry by mid-week. Instead of cocktailing and layering more products, you’ll be better off refreshing your hair mid-week by doing a co-wash.

Co-washing gives your hair a light cleanse while also conditioning your hair. Personally, my hair feels much better after co-washing.

1. Use protective styles to your advantage.

You don’t have to put your hair in braids in November and leave them in until March, but winter is NOT the time to do a wash and go everyday. Wind and cold/dry air suck moisture out of your hair, leaving it brittle, weaker, and more prone to breakage.

Protective styles cut down the manipulation to your hair, which will prevent breakage, and they tuck ends and strands safely out of the way of wind and cold air.

2. That said, don’t put your hair in a protective style and forget about it.

These styles will help your hair retain more moisture than if you wore your hair out, but your hair WILL eventually dry out, even in a protective style. Pay attention to your hair and refresh or change your style often. We recommend changing or redoing the style every week or two.

3. Double up on nutrients!

Your hair needs protein, nutrients, and vitamins to grow and remain strong and healthy. It’s a good idea to eat healthy foods year-round for the health of your hair (and your body!) but it’s especially important in the winter as a precaution against that dry and cold air.

Likewise, you may not be as sweaty or thirsty in the winter as you were in the summer, but be sure to drink just as much water. There is no better way to keep your hair hydrated and moisturized than providing water straight to your body.

4. Use steam to moisturize your hair.

Steam is just warm, airborn water particles, which can easily penetrate and hydrate your hair strands. One of the easiest ways to treat your hair to steam therapy: Take a warm shower and ditch the shower cap. Just make sure you don’t leave the house with wet hair!

5. Use an anti-humectant to seal in moisture

Especially after washing or moisturizing your hair. We recommend olive oil or jojoba oil, or other oils that are liquid at room temperature (no one wants their curls frozen with solidified coconut oil!)

6. Watch out for knitted hats and scarves.

The rough material will snag on natural curls and cause breakage. Don’t worry, you don’t have to let your ears freeze! Just use a thin silk cap in between your hair and hat.

It may seem like an inconvenient step to take, but your hair (and your ears) will thank you! (You can do the same thing with scarves- line the outside of your scarf with a thin silk scarf to protect your hair from friction.)

9. Stay away from drying chemicals.

Many hair products include ingredients that strip oils and moisture out of your hair, which your hair can’t afford to lose in the winter! Check the ingredient list before you wash, condition, moisturize or style your hair.

10. Our most important tip is that you can never deep conditions too much!

Seriously. Deep conditioners give your hair exactly what it needs during the winter, penetrating every strand with moisture and nutrients.

There you have it, How To Start A Natural Hair Winter Regimen That Works

What helps you care for your natural hair in winter?

What to read next? I’ve got you, girl!

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