Cold weather somehow always seems more tolerable during the holiday season. We all love a fresh blanket of white snow and strolling through markets with hot cocoa, but by the time February rolls around, we’re so over it.
Winter has its benefits sure, but the shorter days and lower temps certainly impact our moods, and our hair. Winter weather, even if you live in a warmer climate, usually means flaky skin, brittle nails, and dry hair. Not the cutest.
Natural hair is especially susceptible to these impacts of cooler weather. Coily hair and tighter textures are naturally dry to begin with, making the effects of winter even more severe. Just as you need to adjust your skin care routine for winter, your natural hair care regimen needs to be tweaked to ensure you’re giving your delicate curls and coils everything they need to thrive. Simply adding a few nourishing oils and healthy ingredients to your hair care routine, combined with proper maintenance and a few of our African Pride deep conditioners, your natural hair will look and feel its best.
Ready to give your hair some love? Here are a few expert tips on keeping natural hair moisturized during even the coldest of winters.
Why is Winter so Hard on Hair?
Winter: you either love it or you hate it. Unfortunately, depending on where you live, you’ll have to deal with at least a few cold weeks, or months. Even if you mostly hibernate, you will still need to alter your hair care routine to ensure your natural curls are hydrated and healthy. This is because of the fundamental atmospheric changes that occur during the winter months.
In winter, the air is much drier and there is little to no humidity, which means harsh air and wind from outside will suck all the moisture from your hair. You might think this ends when you go indoors, unfortunately indoor heating systems are typically very dry, meaning your apartment or office air is just as damaging as harsh cool wind outside.
All of this dry air impacts your hair the same way excessive heat styling does, it causes dryness, frizz, breakage, tangles, and split ends. Not to mention, cooler weather usually calls for thick sweaters, hats, and scarves. While super cozy, these harsh wool or acrylic products can cause even more frizz and static, plus, tug on your delicate strands causing them to break.
Okay, that’s the bad news. The good news is that there are plenty of things you can do to combat these extreme hair conditions. When wintertime rolls around it just means that it’s time to give your hair some extra TLC. In fact, you should be switching up your hair care routine depending on the seasons in order to maintain healthy natural hair.
7 Ways to Keep Natural Hair Moisturized
To combat dry, dull hair, adding moisture is key. However, it’s not just about adding moisture, but maintaining that moisture throughout the cold winter months. Almost everyone’s hair and skin suffers from dryness in the cold, so it’s nothing to worry about or feel ashamed of. Whether you have visible flakes or frizzy coils, simply follow these top tips to help keep your natural hair shiny, healthy, and moisturized.
Use A Pre-Shampoo
A moisturizing pre-wash treatment, like our Moisture Miracle Aloe & Coconut Water Pre-Shampoo, is the key to an easier wash day and consequently, healthier, hydrated hair. A pre-shampoo works to gently detangle your curls while adding some much-needed moisture into strands to help protect hair during the washing process.
This makes tighter textures, curls, and coils more manageable and less susceptible to breakage while wet. For best results, apply all over dry hair before cleansing. Use your fingers to gently detangle and comb through hair. Got extra dry or tangled hair? Leave on for up to 30 minutes to allow hair to fully absorb all the moisturizing benefits before you rinse.
Steam Your Hair
You heard right! If you’re not already steaming your hair it’s time to get on board. Think of steaming your hair like a humidifier for your curls, which is essentially what it is. Adding steam to hair adds tons of moisture and elasticity back into your dry strands. You can do this in the shower, benefiting from the moist heat, or put on a shower cap and use a traditional clothing steamer. Bonus points? Moisturizing your hair while removing any wrinkles from your favorite top.
Deep Condition
There is no limit to how often you can deep condition your hair! We encourage you to add a deep conditioner or moisturizing hair mask to every wash day. Deep conditioning not only ensures your natural hair stays moisturized, but it will prevent damage, soften strands, and restore shine.
Deep conditioning treatments are packed with vital nutrients and special ingredients to give your hair a serious boost of moisture. Our Black Castor Miracle Deep Penetrating Conditioner Moisture Restore Treatment, for example, uses Coconut Milk, Shea Butter, and Black Castor Oil to deeply infuse strands with moisture. You can apply our African Pride deep conditioner to wet or dry hair but regardless, we recommend covering hair with a shower cap for 30 minutes to get the full benefits. To amp up the treatment you can apply a low heat (like a blow dryer on low) or steam hair using the methods outlined above.
Protect Hair at Night
For most of us, protecting your natural hair at night might seem like a no-brainer. While you’ve likely heard this before a million times but it can’t be stressed enough. Always. always wear a bonnet to bed and use a silk or satin pillowcase. The friction caused by your hair rubbing against cotton can cause breakage and frizz. Cotton also absorbs moisture, leaving your curls dried out by the time you wake up.Using a satin pillowcase and/or bonnet helps to keep your strands full of moisture as satin won’t damage your natural hair, cause tangling, frizz, or split ends. Bonus points, satin is also known to help your skin breathe. It’s one of the easiest ways to ensure you wake up flawless. Looking for other ways to protect your hair while you sleep? Discover 8 Ways to Protect Your Natural Hair at Night.
Lay Off Heat Styling
Your hair is already getting plenty of harsh, dry heat during this winter. Additional heat styling, like the use of blow dryers, straighteners, and curling irons, will only exacerbate any hair-related problems you’re already experiencing. Opt to air-dry hair, put strands into a protective style instead of flat ironing it, and reach for soft roller sets to get effective curl definition. Can’t part with your beloved blow dryer? Learn How To Safely Blow Dry Natural Hair Without Damage.
Make Oil Your BFF
After spending so much time adding moisture back to your hair, the last thing you want to have happen is for your curls and coils to dry out again. This is why sealing in moisture is a key step to caring for your hair in winter. Plus, the more you seal in moisture, the easier wash days will become (and the better your hair will look in-between). Replace the moisture your scalp produces (and loses in between wash day) by massaging your scalp and strands with a nourishing blend of 5 Essential Oils or our Hair & Scalp Sealing Oil. This promotes hair growth and restores the natural nutrients your hair needs.
Embrace Protective Styling
The one benefit to winter? It means you shouldn’t have to wash your hair as often as you do during the summer. Without the greasy, oily feeling that comes from being out in the sun, you can extend time in between wash days, using this time to protect your natural strands. This winter, pick a low-maintenance protective style, like buns or twists, that keeps your curls and ends secure.
Our Favorite Moisturizing Hair Products
It’s hard to narrow down the list of favorite moisturizing products since we have developed so many of ours to treat dryness and dehydration in natural hair. We only use nourishing ingredients and natural oils that help infuse thirsty strands with much-needed moisture. Here are just a few of our favorite products for natural hair, no matter the type or texture.
African Pride Leave-In Conditioner: This lightweight blend of hydrating Coconut Milk, Avocado Oil, African Honey, Grapeseed Oil, and Vitamin E replenishes moisture, adds shine and softens; leaving hair manageable and naturally defined. Use on damp hair after washing or to refresh curls and coils in-between wash day.
Moisture Miracle Honey, Chocolate & Coconut Oil Conditioner: This creamy conditioner is formulated specifically with hydration in mind. Using nourishing all-natural ingredients like Grapeseed Oil, Honey, Coconut Oil, and Cacao, hair is deeply conditioned, restored, and hydrated.
Olive Miracle 2-in-1: Short on time? Our dual Shampoo & Conditioner is a deeply moisturizing option that cleanses and hydrates strands. Using a unique recipe combining the finest African miracle herbs, oils, and natural ingredients this dual-action formula helps condition, repair, and rejuvenate dry hair.
The African Pride Guarantee
Making positive, healthy choices for your curls and coils (and your overall well-being) may take slightly more time or effort but that’s why it’s important to use ingredients that work overtime. That’s why we’re committed to creating effective yet affordable natural hair products that make your life a little bit easier. Discover our extensive natural hair care collection and get ready for healthy, fabulous hair!
