Many of us have experienced it: cherished length retention during the summer months only to experience dullness and breakage during the winter months. Curly hair is very fragile and requires a lot of TLC to thrive. For many curly girls, this means an adjustment in your hair care routine once the weather gets colder. In the winter, there is less moisture in the air, leading the hair to become drier and more prone to breakage. Read below for my top tips to allow your hair to thrive all year long:
Minimize use of extensions if you suffer from dry hair- if you have tightly curled hair (think 4B or 4C+), you may want to hold off tucking your hair in braids or weave all winter. While it certainly tempting to minimize hair care during the holidays, without weekly deep conditioning you may notice much more breakage when the extensions are removed.
Switch up your deep conditioner- In the summer months, humidity can be a big issue, so lighter deep conditioners may be preferable as they are less likely to wear your hair down and allow you to enjoy twist outs. In the winter months, you need a deep conditioner that really packs a punch. Need help selecting a good deep conditioner check out my book, 90 days to Beautiful Hair
Add a glycerin based leave in conditioner to your daily routine- This is another big difference between winter and summer months. Glycerin pulls in moisture from the environment to give you more conditioning power, which can be a nightmare for summer twist-outs in a humid environment. In the winter time however, glycerin can really help magnify the softness you experience after your deep conditioner. Use it 3-5 times a week if your hair tends to be very dry prone.
Get a trim! Everyone's least favorite tip. I get it, you want to grow your hair longer and hold onto as much length as you can. However, this is not the time of year to hold onto split ends. These split ends can travel up your hair shaft and break your hair off much faster.
Focus on low manipulation styles- Styles that minimize the need to comb or brush the hair are ideal during this time of year. Think cornrows (without extensions), buns, flat twists, etc.