Hair care: how to cope during winter

Trust your tresses to these simple strategies for gorgeous hair all season long

Winter, with its myriad of parties and pressies, is the most festive time of the year. For your hair, however, the season often brings with it some not-so-merry side effects such as dry, damaged locks.

Although it's easy to blame cold, blustery weather for winter hair woes, it's not just being outside that can harm your tresses. 'Any extreme temperature – whether hot or cold – can be damaging,' says Mark Hayes, UK Creative Director for Vidal Sassoon. 'In winter, both central heating and cold outdoor weather can rob the hair of moisture and make it dry and full of static.'

Rather than waiting until your hair suffers, Hayes suggests taking preventative measures in the form of a good cut and colour before winter is in full swing. Above and beyond that, he urges women to ‘think of your hair as you would your skin’. A daily moisturiser, applied to the mid-length and end sections of hair, and left on for a few minutes before rinsing, will replenish dry hair. The scalp's oil glands will keep roots sufficiently moist, so there’s no need to apply a product specifically to this area.

Use a heavier, richer moisturiser once a week, says Hayes. ‘Slather on the conditioner and wrap your hair in a towel (or a plastic bag) for 10 minutes. This will create a humid, moist environment and allow the conditioner to penetrate deeply.’.

A drop or two of a silicone-based serum used while styling also gets top moisturising marks and will help tame the frizz.

Hats and hair

While wearing a hat is one of the best ways to stay warm in winter, these fashion accessories do a disservice to your hair. ‘Continually wearing hats can lead to overworked sebaceous glands, resulting in limp, greasy locks,’ says Jan Przemyk, academy director for Toni & Guy salons. He advises clients to make sure their hat fits correctly (not too tight) and also to dry clean woolen hats regularly.