Winter Curly Hair Tips ♡

Image source: NaturallyCurly.Com

Baby its cold outside! Extreme cold weather conditions, calls for extra TLC for dry thirsty curls. When your curls lack moisture, they can appear dry, frizzy, lackluster, and nonexistent. Moisturizing curly hair during the winter is key. Curly hair should be deep conditioned twice a week or weekly, depending on your hair's preference. Deep conditioners put moisture back into your hair, after being exposed to the elements of the environment. Hot oil treatments are lovely for putting a little extra moisture and shine back into the hair, either nightly, daily, or as a pre-poo treatment. I use Mielle Organics Mint Almond Oil (smells like a peppermint mocha!)  daily on my hair and along with my weekly deep conditioner. Keeping reading to find out more about how to care for curly hair during the winter.

1. Cleansing: Curly hair should not be cleansed with harsh sulfates and silicone laden products. Your hair can become very dry and coated. Try opting for sulfate-free poos and co washing cleansers (conditioner or conditioner based cleansers). Silicone free products keep your curls looking its best without feeling coated or icky feeling. How often you "wash" your hair is up to you and your lifestyle.
2. Deep Conditioning: As I mentioned previously, deep conditioning is important. Deep conditioners place moisture back into your curls after your hair has been exposed to the elements of the environment. Deep conditioners should be rich in great ingredients such as Coconut Oil, Argan Oil, Shea Butter, Slippery Elm, etc. A deep conditioner should always be a moisturizing one. Try to stay clear from protein conditioners, unless your hair really requires one. The length of time you deep condition your hair is up to you. Some curlies like to deep condition anywhere from 20 minutes to 1 hour or overnight. My favorite deep conditioners are Curl Junkie's Curl Rehab and Koils by Natural Ultra-Moisturizing CocoAloe Deep Conditioner with Argan Oil .
3. Moisture: Drink lots of WATER! In most haircare products marketed towards curly hair, is H2O. Moisturize your curls from within, to keep them juicy and bouncy. A daily leave-in conditioner or hair milk should be applied at least twice a day to ensure your hair will not be dry throughout the day. When you are moisturizing your curls, remember to focus on the ends and apply a light oil on the ends to seal in the moisture. My favorite leave-in conditioners/hair milks are Karen's Body Beautiful's Sweet Ambrosia Hair Milk (Vanilla Latte scent) and Camille Rose Naturals's Curl Love Moisture Milk. 
4. Protective Headgear & Protective Styling: When it's cold outside, it is not wise to have your curls out loose without some type of protection from a hat or hairstyle that keeps your ends tucked away. Let's start with hats! Hats are made to keep our head warm however, the material that most hats are made out of can really suck the moisture out of our hair and possibly cause unwanted breakage. Before you head out in the snow, opt for a satin lined hat or donning a silk or satin scarf under your favorite winter hat. When it's brisk and cold out, let's face it most of us do not want to get out of bed to style our curls. Choose a protective style that is loose and does not cause stress on your hair to keep your ends from rubbing against thick clothing, such as wool or from being dried out from the cold air. There are several protective styles to choose from such as buns, mini twists, braids, goddess braids/twists (my favorite), ponytails, the pineapple, etc. When your hair is in a protective style, always moisturize your curly/coil locks! 

My favorite Protective Style for the Winter (Milkmaid/Goddess Twists)
Jess aka MahoganyCurls on YouTube

Image Source: CurlsUnderstood

Try one of the tips mentioned here on Pretty Styling, and your curls will thank you!