Winter Blues- Tips to Keep Your Hair Healthy In the Winter

As I sit here writing this, it’s midday, the sun is shining through the window and it looks pretty nice out! But in just a few short hours, it will be dark.  And when it’s dark, I am sleepy and ready for the day to be over even though it could be a solid 5 more hours of awake time.  Anyone else? Does anyone else feel the winter, seasonal blues? For myself, I do a number of things to combat those feelings as I’ve learned more about myself and my feelings, what works and what doesn’t, but it doesn’t mean they go away completely.

Funny thing is, I LOVE winter. I love the cold. I LOVE the snow (which is the exact reason we chose a February wedding date with the hopes of snow!) so you would think it wouldn’t negatively affect me, but alas, it does.

The Winter Blues, it’s a real thing and so many are mentally affected by it.  Another thing the winter blues can affect, that may be lesser realised, is your hair! (And skin but since we’re a hair salon, I’m going to focus on hair here)

The Winter is dry, add in that most homes and places are heated with forced air gas, a blowing dry heat, this just makes it all the more dry. So here are some tips to keep your hair healthy, happy, hydrated during the cold months!


1.  Flannel/Warm Sheets- Many people change their sheets to a thicker, warmer material during the cold months, such as flannel. And while they feel amazing and warm, they are more absorbent to remove moisture from your hair but also create more friction with your hair as you move around when you sleep.  We recommend to change your pillowcase to be satin/silk, this leads to less friction as you move in your sleep resulting in less breakage and damage to your hair (this one is actually great to use all year round.  Another option is to wear a silk-lined sleeping bonnet or cap, this protects your hair for the same reasons!)

2. Don’t go to bed with your hair wet- This is another tip for all year, but going to bed with it wet, especially if you pull it into a bun/ponytail, can be damaging for a few reasons.  First, your hair could actually grow mould if it's put up like this to sleep while wet!   (who knew!?) Second, your hair is most fragile when it’s wet, and the friction from moving in your sleep can cause more breakage and damage.

3. Don’t leave the house in the freezing cold with wet hair- Like stated above; your hair is most fragile when it’s wet.  If you allow the water in your hair to freeze, it expands the already open cuticle of your hair more, the expansion and contraction of freeze/thaw can lead to more damage with your hair.

4. Add in moisture to your home’s air-  adding in a humidifier into your bedroom can add just enough moisture in the air that can help the dryness.

5. Moisture masks/treatments- Products such as K18 or Olaplex are great to help give your hair some helping moisture as well as strengthen the bonds of your hair (this is especially important if you lighten/bleach/highlight your hair at all) 

Many of these are great things to follow all year round, not just the winter months- if your hair is happy, so are we!