During the winter, one of the biggest curly hair concerns becomes how to maintain moisture and keep your curls feeling healthy and looking great. Curly hair tends to be dry because the cuticle layer on the outside of the hair strand is raised and therefore allows moisture to escape from the hair. This can result in dry and frizzy hair which is made even worse by the dry winter air. With a few tweaks, the right products, and a good routine, your curls can survive the long, cold winter season as you count down the days until spring. Here are some tips for keeping your hair moisturized during the dry winter months: Sulfate free cleansers Curly hair needs as much moisture as possible and so it is important to use cleansers that leave vital moisture in your hair. This is why sulfate-free cleansers are so good. Sulfate-free cleansers cleanse your hair and scalp while leaving important natural oils in your hair. Avoid cleansers with sodium laurel sulfate. Sodium laurel sulfate is a harsh detergent that will strip all of the good oils out of your hair. You may decide to only use a sulfate-free cleanser once or twice a month and then cowash the rest of the time. Cowashing is done by using a conditioning cleanser the same way that you would use a shampoo. Scrub your scalp with the conditioning cleanser and rinse it off with water. Since it contains no sulfates or lathering detergents at all, it helps your hair maintain maximum hydration while it cleanses. My favorite sulfate-free cleansers are DevaCurl No Poo and DevaCurl Delight Low Poo. Use a leave-in conditioner After rinsing out your conditioner, apply a leave-in conditioner to add more moisture to your curls. Apply the leave-in conditioner before you apply your styling products. One word of caution though: if you have fine wavy hair, a leave-in conditioner could way down your waves, so use it sparingly. My favorites are Innersense Sweet Spirit Leave-In Conditioner and DevaCurl Decadence Leave-In Conditioner. Apply styling cream and then seal in the moisture with a gel Apply the styling cream first and then layer on some gel afterwards to seal in the moisture provided by the cream. My favorite styling creams are Natulique Curl Defining Cream and Innersense Quiet Calm Curl Control. Finish your styling with a few drops of oil If you usually do not seal your hair with an oil, this season is an excellent time to start. By finishing your styling by applying a few drops of oil to the mid-shafts and ends of your hair, you are locking in the moisturizing properties of the conditioner and styling products, as well as keeping out the outside elements, such as the dry air from indoor heaters. My favorites oils are Natulique Argan Oil and Innersense Harmonic Healing Oil. Deep condition often Frizzy curls can become beautiful ringlets when they are given enough moisture. Regular deep conditioning is one of the most important things you can do to add moisture to your hair. Fortifying your hair with nutrients, moisture, and protein helps prevent breakage and brittleness, and it keeps your curls hydrated. It is important to deep condition your hair year round, but in the dry winter months, you need to do it more often. My favorite deep conditioners are DevaCurl Melt Into Moisture and Innersense Hair Masque. Air dry or use the cool button on your blow-dryer when diffusing Regularly using hot air to dry your hair may dry out your curls. Instead, try using the cool air button on your blow dryer or air dry your hair instead. Giving your hair a break from the hot air of a blow dryer will allow moisture to remain in your hair longer. Substitute a silk or satin pillow case for cotton Cotton pillowcases will absorb more moisture from your hair than silk or satin pillowcases. Also, cotton pillowcases create more friction on your hair and will therefore cause more frizz than silk or satin. With a little extra effort and by following these tips you can keep your curly hair looking great all your round. Spring is just around the corner, or the next one. But until then, enjoy your curly hair, and don’t forget to make a snowman when you have the chance.
