Richi Grisillo. Image supplied.
Contrary to many people’s habits, winter is not a time to hit the snooze button on hair care.
Winter hair needs just as much attention as summer hair to help keep it hydrated and healthy. To be fair, it’s easy to forget to amp up the nourishment without the summer heat acting as a constant reminder.
But it’s not just your hairdryer that’s constantly drying out your hair (and skin). We tend to spend extra time huddled in front of heaters and fires over the winter months, and this can take its toll on your tresses also.
Heat damage to winter hair is not just from your hairdryer or hot tools!
FashioNZ catches up with Richi Grisillo from ACADÈMIE Salon for some winter hair care tips and advice.
Common issues around winter heat damage
Common issues when it comes to heat damage through winter are usually a different set of factors from what hair may experience through warmer months. Usually, hair behaves better with less humidity in the air, so it’s always good to reduce the amount of heat styling where possible to help give the hair a much-needed break from taming frizz in the summer months. Be mindful of drying conditions like air conditioning/heating as this can contribute to additional dehydration on hair.
How hair changes with the seasons
One thing I experience with my clients, especially blondes, is that they have showers and rinse/wash their hair in hot hot water. This causes colour fade, dehydration of pre-lightened hair, strips natural oils from the scalp, and causes premature oily roots where the scalp is producing more oils to soothe a stripped-back scalp. Always be mindful to rinse hair in warm to hot water, not searing hot, to prevent this from happening.
How heat can impact hair?
If you have hair that is below the shoulders, it’s close to four to five years old. When you think about how many times that strand of hair has been washed, coloured, brushed, blow dried, curled, etc., it’s been through a lot. If you iron or heat style your hair regularly, think of the amount of heat that has impacted the condition of your hair over that period of time. This is why a heat protectant and a treatment regime is so important – to help prevent excess dehydration and damage that can be avoided by using the right products to safeguard the condition.
Drying conditions like air conditioning/heating can lead to dehydration in hair. Image Huha Inch | Unsplash
How do you know if your hair is ‘heat stressed’?
The hair will appear dull, lack shine, and have a dry coarseness towards the ends or tips. If your hair is heavily coloured, it will feel brittle and dry. More often than not, it will struggle to hold style when blow-dried.
What to be mindful of when it comes to heat?
If you blow dry regularly, try and use a gentler heat when blow drying and make sure your hair is towel dried until it almost feels dry. This will significantly cut down blow dry time, reducing the amount of heat needed to extract moisture from the hair. Always use a heat protectant if you are using a hot tool like a flat iron or curling tong.
Top tips for repair/prevention treatments
My go-to for helping infuse and protect the hair with hydrating lipids is Moroccanoil Weightless Hydration Mask. Think of it like putting moisturiser on dehydrated/sensitive skin.
Top tips for caring for hair in winter
Less is more. Make sure you cut down on hot water on your hair and scalp in the shower. Even I am a culprit of hot showers in winter, but I always make sure I back up the heat with calming cool water. If my scalp starts to get dry, I use Moroccanoil’s Dry Scalp Treatment to calm, soothe, and rebalance. Now is the ideal time to see your hairdresser for professional targeted treatment in the salon and give hair a boost of hydration and restore your hair and scalp.