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Dry winter air can really do a number on your hair, especially with the record cold temperatures many of us are experiencing this year. (Where I live in New England, it’s been arctic!)

Winter’s harsh effects can be combated with targeted hair care. These 5 tips help eliminate the guesswork.

1. Don’t Freeze Up

Water is water, and it freezes in low temperatures. The same holds true for water when it’s in your hair. When you wash your hair, the water doesn’t just sit on top; it gets absorbed into each hair shaft, making wet hair temporarily weaker and more prone to damage. Now imagine those wet, vulnerable strands outside in the cold. The water inside each strand will freeze up if the temperature is low enough, and turn your hair into brittle icicles that could snap and break.

Make sure you dry your hair before leaving the house. Better yet, wash your hair at night and give it time to dry naturally. It’s best to pat it dry with a chamois towel, blotting in one direction to minimize frizz.

If you insist on heat styling, less is more. Indoor heating during colder months contributes to the dryness that leads to flyaways and static. Instead of a flat iron, use smoothing products that also moisturize your hair. Instead of a hot curling iron, use spiral curlers while allowing hair to dry naturally. If you blow dry, invest in a ionizing dryer that helps lock moisture into your hair.

2. Shampoo Less

There are a lot of tips about washing straight hair less, but a common complaint is that the roots get oily when following this advice. Luckily, there’s a wide range of dry shampoos available. Make the most of your hair’s natural oils by gently combing down to distribute to lengths and ends. Then spot treat the roots with dry shampoo to absorb excess oil and add volume. If you color your hair like me, Madison Reed’s Root Touch Up acts as a dry shampoo with the added benefit of matching any roots or grays to your overall hair color. (I LOVE to use this when I’m short on time!)

If you don’t want to change how often you wash your hair, just a few tweaks can improve your routine. Skip the shampoo entirely every other time you wash hair. Try using only conditioner, focusing on the lengths and ends that dry out easily. This will help maintain and disperse your hair’s natural oils, which will keep your hair moisturized in a more even way.

3. Brush Less 

Many of us grew up with the adage to brush our hair 100 times before going to bed, but we’ve learned a lot more about hair since then. Now we know that hair’s natural oils accumulate on the roots while you’re sleeping at night. To distribute those oils to the rest of your hair, comb through your hair in the morning… but not 100 times!

Excessive brushing can break fine and damaged hair, and winter weather compounds those effects. Use a wide-toothed comb to gently ease out tangles, and then style your hair with your fingers. Smooth in a leave-in conditioner or daily damage defense spray to finish.

4. Minimize Wind

A harsh, whipping wind can break or tangle hair. Keep it safe in a smooth ponytail or braids. If you want to leave your hair loose, cover your head while outside. A chic hat or trendy knit cap is a great way to retain your body heat and protect your hair. 

5. Zap Static

In the winter, static reaches shocking levels because the colder, dryer air allows items around the home to build up an electric charge. (If you’ve ever rubbed a balloon on your hair or touched an electricity ball, you’ve experienced how hair-raising that buildup can be!) Simple dryer sheets can be the remedy. Keep one in your bag and rub it gently over the top of your hair to stop static on the go. At night, rub a dryer sheet over your pillow to prevent static from building up while you snooze. 

With proper care, even the worst winter-ravaged hair can be helped. All of the above tips work for me, and hopefully will help you, too.