How to Prevent Dry Hair During the Winter Months

Experiencing dry hair during the colder months is pretty common because the winter months are usually drier- from less moisture in the air. In addition to that, there environmental factors such as heat, hats, and scarves can rob our hair of the moisture it craves. Unless we are adding moisture into our hair care routine - we put our lovely locks at risk of becoming dry, brittle and even damaged. Here are a few things that you can do to combat dry hair during the winter.

Dry hair is caused by two factors - lack of water or lack of oil. It is important that we are implementing both into our hair care routine. One without the other may just cause your tresses to become lifeless and damaged.

Drink up

As the temperatures fall outside, it can become harder to want to drink water to remain hydrated. Oftentimes, we tend to gravitate towards warm beverages like coffee and tea which can actually help to dehydrate us even more. If you are a coffee and tea drinker, try having 2 cups of water for every 1 cup of java to keep dehydration at bay. You may also want to try using a sports bottle with a spout to help get more water down with each sip. Not sure how much water you should drink? Take your weight then divide it by 2 - that is how much water you should consume in ounces. For example, a 150 lb woman should drink 75 ounces. Add a few more cups if you workout, sweat a lot or have caffeinated beverages. If you have dreadlocks you especially want to pay attention to your water intake. Like a flower- dreads can't flourish without water. so get that water in and watch them blossom.

Check Your Diet

Although fast food is super convenient it oftentimes lack the nutrients you hair and skin needs to thrive , especially in the winter. Enjoying foods rich in antioxidants and healthy fat like omega 3 can help your scalp produce the sebum or oil it needs for healthier hair. Omega 3 helps to stimulate the hair follicle which is believed to prevent dry flaky scalp.

Foods like, walnuts, chia seeds, salmon are rich in this fat. You can also try supplements like fish oil or krill oil to boost your intake. Consult your physician first, before supplementing.

Anti-oxidants are essential for healthy hair and skin. Think of a lawn chair sitting out in the rain for months... now imagine the rust that would eventually overtake this poor little lawn chair. Well the anti- oxidants help us to combat the "rust" or free radical damage that happens within the body. Hence, wrinkles, loose skin, or hair damage. These foods ups the "anti" and fights back so that our hair and skin cells have a better chance at remaining healthy. Although is is virtually impossible to rid ourselves of free radical damage- having a diet rich in anti-oxidants and reduce its effects. This is why we make hair care that is rich in anti-oxidants and healthy oils to nourish your hair and scalp.

Make Wash Day- Make Sense

Research has shown that ingredients like sulfates have widely been used in our shampoos to give us that super sudsy experience that we equate to clean. Although some believe that these ingredients may lead to cancer- there has been nothing to back up that claim so far. However, this "foaming agent' can be an irritant to those who have eczema, psoriasis, naturally curly hair, and chemically altered hair( hair color and relaxers). These shampoos may make hair MORE DRY AND BRITTLE. This is why we don't use sulfates in our products.

Make your wash day- make sense with products that adds moisture back into your hair. for example, our shampoo and conditioner are loaded with moisture infused ingredients such as Aloe Vera and Hibiscus flower extract to begin adding moisture as soon as you shampoo. This gentle cleansing shampoo, does not strip the hair, but leaves it feel so soft you won't believe it your hair.

Not so Sweet News

Too much sugar can have a negative on hormonal balance.When this happens hair growth can become compromised. When we eat sugar /carbs- our insulin spikes. When we eat more sugar than our body can metabolize or handle, which can lead to hormonal imbalance. Hormonal imbalance can lead to thinning hair, hair loss, fatigue, anxiety, and number of other issues. Although we do need sugar for energy - when we ingest unhealthy amounts it can have negative effects on health and interfere with healthy hair growth.

Scalp love

Healthy hair grows from a healthy scalp. Scalp can feel drier during the colder months, so it is important to add moisturizing oils to your scalp to protect your hair from becoming brittle. Every scalp is different, some people like to use coconut oil while others prefer oils like Castor or Olive. Try a few oils, then stick to the one that works best for you. The point is to add moisture and protection from the elements. Our soothing scalp serum is excellent for nourishing your scalp, because we not only use oils like Olive and fractionated coconut oil, we also infuse our oils with a proprietary blend of herbs, fruit and flowers to produce a potent blend of plant- based hair care.

Have you experienced dry hair/scalp during the colder months? What routine do you use to add moisture back into your hair? Share your hair care routine with me on the Gram at NaturallyYoursBeauty. I look forward to meeting you there.