Fall is here and winter is just around the corner. The changing of seasons brings in cooler weather which can be brutal on your hair. But no worries, you can winterize your hair and dodge damage while styling with great hair accessories!
Combating Dryness
Dry hair is a concern during fall and winter. Low humidity during this time of year can make your hair dry and brittle. Cold and dry air can cause the hair cuticle strand to lift, making it difficult for moisture to stay locked into the hair shaft. Below are a few ways to combat dryness during the fall and winter.
• Steaming – Steamers open up the hair cuticle and allow moisture to penetrate your strands. You can get the same effect with a plastic cap and hot towel wrapped around your head.
• Satin Fabric – Satin bonnets and pillowcases are great ways to protect your hair from drying out while you sleep. Satin acts as a barrier and prevents water absorption. Plus, the fabric is smooth and doesn’t cause friction with textured hair.
• Headbands – Satin lined headbands are great fall/winter accessories. They also protect your hair from drying out and breakage. When styling with headbands, also make sure your headband is a proper fit. Your headband should not cause any pain or headaches. Adjustable headbands allow you to control how tight the headband fits and avoid headband headaches.
Accented Glory, my hair accessory brand, offers a variety of adjustable headbands in my Etsy shop.
Protecting Ends
The ends of your hair are the oldest part of your hair and most fragile. It’s important to protect them to avoid split ends and damage. When your ends are protected, you retain hair length. Check out a few hair care tips below on protecting your ends.
• Detangle – You should detangle your hair regularly with a wide tooth comb or detangler brush. Getting rid of shed hairs can protect your ends. If hair that naturally releases from the follicle is not removed, they can get tangled with your hair that’s still connected to the scalp. This weakens your hair and causes breakage.
• Protective Styles – Protective styles like braids or twists is a way to protect your hair ends during cooler months. The styles allow you to keep your ends tucked away and minimize hair manipulation. Exposed ends are at risk of drying out and breakage.
• Hair Cuffs – Hair cuffs is hair jewelry that can be worn on braid, twist, or loc protective styles. They’re a great way to add subtle detail to a protective style. If the hair jewelry you’re styling with has loops, make sure the loops are closed to avoid getting your hair tangled in the accessory. Also check wire or metal designs for nicks to prevent additional hair snags.
Click here to browse some beautiful Hair Cuff designs.
“I still recommend that you moisturize your hair before wearing a hat and/or styling with hair accessories.”
- Tonya Cross
Hair Coverings
Providing a physical barrier from cold temperatures and cool winds is another way to winterize your hair. This is also another way to protect your ends. See a few covering ideas below.
• Beanies – Beanies are great accessories to use to protect your hair. They’re created with fabrics and materials designed for warmth. They keep the cold out and the warm in. Beware of beanies created with coarse fabrics that are not lined. Friction with the fabric can lead to hair breakage.
• Hats – Many winter hats are created with materials like wool and tweed for warmth. These
fabrics can also cause friction with your hair. If your favorite hat isn’t satin lined, no worries! I
have created a DIY Tutorial on how to line your hats with a satin bonnet. Keep in mind, this is
not a pass on moisturizing your hair. For team “Throw A Hat on It”, I still recommend that you
moisturize your hair before wearing a hat and/or styling with hair accessories.
• Head Wraps – With head wraps, you can fully cover your hair and tuck your ends. When styling with head wraps, it’s important to choose the right type of fabric to style with. Whether you use a scarf or an actual head wrap, choose a fabric that’s not coarse and soft to the touch. Soft fabrics will minimize the friction with textured hair and lessen breakage.
To learn more about styling with head wraps click here.
I hope you found my tips and advice for winterizing your hair helpful! When these tips are followed, you’ll minimize drying out your hair and breakage. For more information about styling with hair accessories, join my email list to get a FREE copy of my e-styling guide – 3 Things Naturals Should Consider When Styling with Hair Accessories.
Tonya Cross is an author, accessory designer, and marketing coach at The Vine Events and StrategyPreneur. Since 2001 Tonya has been wearing her natural hair and her journey inspired her to launch her brand Accented Glory and create a community for Accented Glory Naturals in which she shares her accessories and natural hair tips and education.
Follow Tonya Cross and Accented Glory today
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