When the seasons change, our wardrobe choices also change to suit the weather conditions and serve us better. The same should apply when it comes to our hair care routine. Establishing the proper hair care routine with the changing seasons is essential.
Depending on the climatic conditions, your hair will have different needs. For example, some seasons will demand additional moisture, while others will favor lighter products on the hair. Striking a balance and finding what works for you is the best way to ensure your hair stays healthy.
Here are the basic practices in your routine that shift with seasons and how you can implement them to create the perfect hair care routine.
Cleansing your hair
Cleansing your hair is essential to help remove oil buildup and dust that may interfere with your hair health. However, the frequency and type of products you use will differ depending on the season.
In the summer or spring, your scalp will produce a lot of natural oils that may result in buildup. During this time, a clarifying shampoo is the best option. It will help remove excess oils and leave your hair clean. On the other hand, it is advised to use less harsh and more moisturizing shampoos during winter. If you use harsh products, they will strip your hair of its natural oils and leave your hair dry since the scalp will not be producing much oil.
A moisturizing shampoo will help add moisture to your hair while ensuring that your hair and scalp stay clean. It is a good option since you’ll deal with the dry indoor heat and cold outside winds.
Applying conditioner
Adding conditioner to your hair care routine allows you to adequately supplement your hair with moisture. It is an essential aspect of every hair care routine that helps keep your hair moisturized and also helps keep it manageable for easier detangling.
During the winter, using heavier conditioners and being generous with the application are essential. The heavier conditioners will help add more moisture to your hair, ensuring it can survive the harsh conditions.
As the season shifts into spring, your hair will do an excellent job retaining the moisture. Therefore, using a lighter conditioner is the best option. Doing this will help you avoid weighing your hair down. In addition, product buildup is more prevalent in the spring and summer, making it essential to use the right conditioner. So, consider the specific conditioner you use in different seasons to ensure that it meets your hair needs.
Trimming hair
Trimming your hair sounds counterintuitive, especially if your goal is to grow longer hair. However, it entails regularly cutting the ends of your hair to remove damaged ends, knots, and split ends.
These damaged ends are detrimental to your hair growth efforts, so trimming more regularly is essential and beneficial. In addition, during the winter, your hair may experience some damage from the harsh weather resulting in dryness and hair breakage. Therefore, doing a trim as you transition into the next season is essential to start with a new slate, with healthier ends. Try to trim your hair at least every six weeks or more.
You can trust that trimming your hair will improve its health and appearance. As the seasons change, give your hair the best treatment by removing ends that could hinder your hair’s growth.
Moisturizing your hair
Moisturizing your scalp and hair is a significant factor in determining your hair’s health. It helps you avoid dryness that results in breakage and damaged hair.
Just like conditioner, moisturizing your hair during the winter should include heavy creams. The heavy creams will be more moisturizing compared to using lighter oils. You can use both, but don’t solely rely on light oils to keep your hair moisturized.
However, lighter moisturizers like oils and honey for hair will come in handy in the summer or springtime. They will keep your hair moisturized without encouraging buildup or weighing down your hair strands.
Avoid using heavy moisturizing creams, especially in the summer. They will be uncomfortable on your scalp and mess up with the bouncy look of your curls.
Evaluating your styling products
If you use various styling products to keep your hair looking good and achieve the go-to style, you’ll need to evaluate them as the season's change. Some great products may help protect your hair from humidity, frizz, and sun damage. However, during the winter, you don’t have to worry about humidity, frizz, or protection from the sun’s UV rays. Instead, you can skip such styling products and stick to the essential products that will cleanse and moisturize your hair.
On the other hand, such products will come in handy during the spring or summer to help you achieve your favorite hairstyles. Humidity will be high, resulting in frizzy hair that does not look good in any scenario. Therefore, adding more frizz control and sun protection products into your hair care routine will ensure that your hair cooperates.
Protecting your hair
Protecting your hair helps you lock in moisture and stay neat for a more extended period while freeing up much of your hair care time. In addition, protective styles are an incredible way to ensure that your hair is well-catered for in different seasons. However, we don’t always want to keep our hair tucked away. So finding a good balance between when to include protective styles and when to let the hair out is essential.
During the winter, your hair needs all the moisture it can get. Therefore, a protective style during this period is an excellent choice. It will allow your hair to retain moisture and keep the ends tucked away to avoid damage.
In the summer, your hair is prone to build up and more oil production making it essential to keep up with your cleansing routine. Therefore, opting to wear your hair out may be more comfortable and manageable.
If you can keep up with your hair care routine during the summer, you can avoid protective styles or rock a bun once in a while. However, consider protective styles that keep your hair protected and moisturized during the winter, like cornrows, braids, buns, or wearing wigs and turbans.