Kristina is the founder of Lockenbox & Lockenexpertin. She has been intensively involved with the topic of curly hair care since her youth, when her straight hair suddenly turned into curls.
Winter is a challenge for skin and hair. Dry heating air, bitter cold and the constant change between warm and cold make curly-haired people even more difficult than those with straight hair.
Since curls tend to be drier than straight hair due to their structure, they are particularly affected by heating air during the cold season.
Hats, scarves and thick hoods are another stress factor for your curls and can attack the already stressed curl structure.
Why do curls need different care in winter?
Curls need special protection in winter. Natural curls and waves need special protection from environmental influences, especially in the cold season.
At sub-zero temperatures, the sebaceous glands of the scalp are less active and produce less sebum, which automatically leads to dry skin and brittle hair.
Curls in heated rooms
Since we spend most of our time in heated rooms, the curls lose their moisture due to their open hair structure and become dry and straw-like even faster.
The constant change between the frosty cold outside and dry heating air inside combined with the constant “hat up, hat down” puts a strain on the structure of the hair and also promotes frizz.
To avoid this and to successfully counteract the negative effects of the cold winter air, there are some do's and don'ts for the winter months that will help get your curly hair through the winter unscathed.
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7 Tips for Strong Curls in Winter
We would therefore like to give you some effective tips and product recommendations that will help you keep your curls healthy and strong even in winter. For beautiful, lively curls and bouncy curls that shine even in snow and frosty temperatures .
1. Wash your curls less often
Our sebaceous gland production slows down at temperatures of 8 degrees and below. At cooler temperatures, we therefore have less natural oil on our scalp. This makes the scalp drier and can lead to dandruff and dry ends more quickly, as the hair is no longer receiving enough sebum.
In order not to put even more strain on your scalp, but to relieve it during the cold season, you should wash your curly head less often in winter or use mild shampoos for curls or a low-poo product.
Thanks to the gentle, curl-friendly formulas, you don't wash moisture out of your hair, but instead provide your curls with caring and nourishing ingredients while you wash them, which help to hydrate your hair.
Another heavenly treat for your curls in winter can be a pre-poo treatment.
- To do this, massage a nourishing oil onto your scalp before washing your hair
- and let it work for about 10-30 minutes.
Pre-poos are generally very good for scalps that tend to be dry and flaky. This is why pre-poos are the perfect mini-treatment for skin and hair, especially in freezing temperatures and drying air from heating systems.
2. Don’t go outside with wet curls
In winter, when temperatures are cold, the humidity is very low . However, if your locks are still wet and therefore contain more moisture than the surrounding air, then the air outside will draw moisture out of your hair.
The effect of the moisture withdrawal also causes the scalp to become too cold and, as a result, blood flow is much poorer. This has a negative effect on your immune system and poor blood flow is not very beneficial for the supply of nutrients to your hair.
In extreme cases, your curls can even freeze when wet in freezing temperatures, damaging their structure and making them split and brittle.
3. Regular moisturizing is essential in winter
To effectively combat the dry heating air, you should take extra good care of your curls in winter. It is important that the care products provide the curls with plenty of moisture.
Expert tip: When buying products, look for products that have natural film-forming properties. Hair care products of this type create a natural, washable film over your curls and lock in moisture. This way, your curls can retain moisture in your hair and store it much better, despite harsh heating air and the like.
These substances are also called “film forming humectants” . The most common are:
- Nettle Extract,
- Aloe Vera,
- Seaweed Extract,
- Okra Extract,
- Marshmallow,
- Xanthan Gum,
- Agave Nectar,
- pectin
- or guar gum.
In contrast, water or glycerin will also hydrate your curls, but they will also remove moisture from the hair when they evaporate in warm heating air.
Your curls will be particularly well moisturized if you use a conditioner for curls after each hair wash and then apply another moisturizer to your hair.
Moisturizing leave-in conditioners or nourishing hair oils for curls are possible options.
Your curly hair will also benefit from regular use of a suitable deep conditioner .
Whether as a hair mask or hair treatment , a moisturizing treatment with a deep conditioner successfully strengthens the hair against the environmental influences of winter.
Please check out this post if you want to know more about what a conditioner is .
4. Choose a suitable hat
Hats can cause a lot of stress to your curls in winter. Wool hats in particular have a rough surface and create a lot of friction on the hair surface, which quickly leads to frizz.
But the rough wool surface has other disadvantages , as it also roughens the hair structure when the wool is rubbed against it. This not only makes the curls appear dull and matte, but can also lead to split ends in the long term.
Wool is also very absorbent and literally robs the moisture from your hair. So opt for hats made of satin or silk , because the smooth material is gentler on your curls. Since we couldn't find a suitable satin hat that really fits us curlies and that we like, we decided to design the perfect hat ourselves. And here it is. The perfect fit, with a removable vegan pompom, so that you can wear this hat in different styles. We are totally in love and don't want to be without it anymore.
Expert tip: If you don't want to buy a new hat, you can simply sew a layer of silk or satin into the inside of your hat . This will prevent unnecessary friction and will save you from hair stress, such as frizz and knotting.
5. No more flyaway hair in winter
It's not just woolen hats that rub against your hair; turtleneck sweaters, scarves, and hoodies also cause a lot of friction on your curls , thereby charging them with static electricity.
The static charge leads to flyaway hairs that look like you've touched an electrical outlet.
Therefore, in winter, use an additional care oil for your curls, as this prevents electrostatic charging of your hair. Oils that do not absorb so easily are suitable for this, but rather form a protective layer around the curls and seal their cuticles. Products with
- jojoba oil,
- coconut oil
- or argan oil are well suited.
Depending on your hair type and density, you may need to use the oils sparingly, otherwise your hair could quickly look stringy and become too heavy.
If you are unsure about the huge selection of products, you are welcome to discover the Curl Box for yourself. Just take a look.
6. Put a humidifier in your living room
By installing a humidifier in your living room, you can counteract the dry heating air and thus prevent your curls from drying out .
A higher level of humidity in the room is also good for your skin , mucous membranes and respiratory tract.
- Dry & chapped lips
- and chapped hands are also easier to prevent with a humidifier.
If you don't want to buy a humidifier right away, you can also try drying wet laundry in your room, as this will also humidify the air in the room.
7. Co-washing helps your curls through the winter
You've already read above that you shouldn't wash your curls as often or as intensively in winter, as your scalp produces less sebum in the cold months anyway.
By cleaning your hair with a co-wash product during the cold season, you are also doing something good for your hair.
With the co-wash method, you do not use shampoo and only use a special conditioner to wash your hair . This method is better for your hair than the no-poo method . This contains only a small amount of detergent substances, but in a very gentle formulation that is particularly suitable for sensitive curly hair.
With a co-wash, you remove less oil from your scalp and at the same time provide your curls with moisture and nourishing care ingredients .
Conclusion
Sensitive curls need extra care and attention over the winter ! You should treat your hair to extra moisturizing care in freezing temperatures and make sure to only use high-quality products that are suitable for curls. If you want to know more about whether your hair needs moisture or protein , then read this article.
Your curly hair will thank you and will always look good even in the bitter cold and dry air from the heating system. If you also follow the other winter curl tips , your curls will be well prepared for ice and snow!
