Winter Hair Care Tips: How to Keep Hair Healthy in the Winter

While the winter season opens the door for fun stuff like festive knit hats and rich, dark hair colors, freezing winds and dry indoor heat can really do a number on your hair. Yep — there’s always a downside, but you don’t have to let the extreme weather conditions knock you — or your hair — down. Read on for our best winter hair care tips to nourish your strands and prevent frizz during the colder months, plus the best hydrating hair products to add to your winter hair care regimen. 

How Does Cold Weather Affect Hair?

Cold air that we commonly experience in the winter months lacks moisture, which is why our hair and skin tends to be drier at this time of year. If your hair is already dry to begin with, chilly winter air can lead to frizziness and brittle ends if you’re not properly taking care of it. 

9 Winter Hair Care Tips 

1. Use a Hydrating Shampoo and Conditioner

While you might be able to get away with any shampoo and conditioner during milder weather, the freezing air can dry out your hair. To replenish your hair’s moisture, reach for a hydrating shampoo and conditioner like L’Oréal Paris Elvive Hyaluron + Plump Hydrating Shampoo, Paraben-Free and L’Oréal Paris Elvive Hyaluron + Plump Hydrating Conditioner, Paraben-Free. This duo is formulated with hyaluronic acid to deeply nourish dry hair, and is without harsh and stripping ingredients like parabens and salts, which can be major contributors to dryness. Another option is L'Oréal Paris EverPure Sulfate-Free Moisture Shampoo and L'Oréal Paris EverPure Sulfate-Free Moisture Conditioner, which deeply replenishes dry hair and cleanses without stripping moisture.

2. Add a Nourishing Hair Mask Into Your Hair Care Routine

Sometimes your regular conditioner isn't enough to properly nourish dry hair. During the winter months (or whenever your hair feels extra dry) it’s a great idea to also use a hydrating hair mask, like L’Oréal Paris Elvive Total Repair 5 Damage Erasing Balm Rinse-Out Mask. It’s formulated with almond oil and a repairing concentrate with protein to nourish the hair, repair damage, and increase smoothness.

3. Combat Frizz With an Anti-Frizz Serum

Whether it’s from the dry air or hat hair, the winter often brings frizz and static hair. To prevent this, as well as tame it when it happens, add an anti-frizz hair serum like L’Oréal Paris Elvive Dream Lengths Frizz Killer Serum Leave-In to your beauty stash. You can apply it to damp hair to prevent frizz or to dry hair to smooth frizz and add softness and shine. 

4. Turn Down the Heat In Your Shower

We get it — nothing’s more soothing than a steamy, hot shower, especially when you’ve spent time in the cold. But it’s not great for your hair because extremely hot water can strip your strands of essential oils, leaving your hair feeling parched and looking dull. So, while a hot shower might feel incredible in the dead of winter, it’s a smart idea to rinse your hair in lukewarm water instead. Your hair will be better for it in the long run.

5. Cool It With the Hot Tools

Excess heat styling can be damaging to your hair regardless of the season, but in the winter, it will only make your dry hair look and feel worse. Instead, experiment with heatless hairstyles, and if you must heat style your hair, be sure to apply a heat protectant like L’Oréal Paris Elvive Dream Lengths Heat Slayer Pre-Iron Spray Leave-In which shields hair from heat damage of up to 450 degrees. 

Editor's tip: If your hair is already heat damaged, add L'Oréal Paris EverPure Bond Strengthening Pre-Shampoo Treatment, L’Oréal Paris EverPure Sulfate-Free Bond Strengthening Color Care Shampoo and L’Oréal Paris EverPure Sulfate-Free Bond Strengthening Conditioner to your routine. This trio reinforces weak hair bonds to strengthen the hair from the inside out. Start with the pre-shampoo treatment, leave it on for 10 minutes, rinse and wash with the shampoo and conditioner as usual.

6. Avoid Going Outside With Wet Hair

Going outside with wet hair can lead to sickness and also hair damage. When the hair is wet, it’s most vulnerable, and when it’s wet in a cold environment, your hair can freeze and snap or break off. Do yourself a favor and just blowout your hair before going outside — after applying heat protectant, of course. 

7. Wash Your Hair Less Frequently

If your hair is drier in the winter, washing less frequently can help preserve the natural oils that keep your hair moisturized. Stock up on a sturdy dry shampoo so you can go a few extra days between washes without ending up with greasy hair. 

8. Invest in a Humidifier

If your skin and hair suffer during the winter, invest in a humidifier to pump moisture back into the air. Leave it on while you sleep so  you can wake up with soft, pillowy skin and silky hair. 

9. Fight Brass With Toning Shampoo 

To keep your color looking vibrant and bright all winter long, banish unwanted yellow and orange tones with purple shampoo. L'Oréal Paris EverPure Sulfate-Free Brass Toning Purple Shampoo and L'Oréal Paris EverPure Sulfate-Free Toning Purple Conditioner contain purple dye to curb brassy tones in color-treated blonde hair while keeping it moisturized. If you have silver hair, try L'Oréal Paris EverPure Silver Care Shampoo, For Gray Hair and L'Oréal Paris EverPure Silver Care Conditioner, For Gray Hair, which has a brightening formula that nourishes silver and gray hair without stripping moisture. 

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Photographer: Stephanie Price, Photo Assistant: Thomas Miller, Digi Tech: Sergio Colon, Art Director: Hannah Packer, Creative Producer: Becca Solovay, Content Director: Shalwah Evans, Visual Designer: Sarah Duvivier, Makeup Artist: Kelly Bellevue, Hair Stylist: Akihisa Yamaguchi, Wardrobe Stylist: Rika Watanabe, Wardrobe Assistant: Fausti, Model: Jacky Lee