How To Prepare For Your Best Autumn Hair

Now that Summer is coming to a close and the cooler weather is coming there are some things that you should do to keep your hair at its best. Whether your color is fading or your hair is dry today we have some tips for you to help prepare you for your Autumn and Winter hair.

We can all appreciate some sweater weather, especially after melting in the heat all summer long. Although we may enjoy the cooler weather, our hair does not. Some things that the cold and windiness from the Autumn and Winter do to our hair include:

• Extreme Static
• Extreme Dryness
• Breakage
• Dry Flaky Scalp

1. Leave-In Conditioner For Static- If you know about dry air in the winter than you know how much static your hair can have. The reason that your hair puffs up is because of the lack of moisture in the air which adds static electricity. There are two ways to combat this, first, we recommend using a leave-in conditioner in your hair whenever you leave your house in the Fall and Winter to help weigh down the hair with the added moisture. The other idea is to add a dryer sheet to your hairbrush, this helps to keep the ions from allowing your hair to float up and instead should help you keep your static free.

2. Deep Conditioning- We always say that deep conditioners are great for your hair, but in the Autumn and Winter they are especially important. The dry weather of these two seasons can really dry out your hair making it brittle. Now is the best time to start to increase the moisture in your hair before it is fully the winter. Conditioning is especially important if your hair is curly because it is harder for your scalp to produce enough oil for it to travel down your curls. When your looking for products that will add moisture to your hair look for products that contain:

• Glycerin- binds water together and helps to moisturize hair.
• Aloe Vera- locks in your hair natural oils.
• Shea Butter- contains vitamin A and physically hold in moisture.
• Panthenol- also known as vitamin B5, it penetrates the hair shaft and improves moisture retention.

3. Seal Hair With Oil- Sealing your hair with oil helps to keep your hair protected while also helping to retain moisture. This added layer of protection helps to prevent breakage and to help protect against the harsh Winter environment. If you have drier hair you need to use an oil that will penetrate easily into your hair like olive or coconut oil. If you have oily hair, then you should opt for Argan Oil or Jojoba Oil.

4. Hair Steaming- Hair steaming is a great way to add some moisture to your hair and give it some strength before the Winter arrives. If done right hair steaming cleanses the scalp, improves circulation, boosts moisture, and improves the penetration of hair products. To steam your hair, begin by washing your hair and applying a deep conditioning mask to your hair. Next, place a tight fitting plastic cap around your head. Then, soak a towel in hot water and wrap it on your head. Add another plastic cap over to lock in the steam. Leave this on for about twenty minutes, then let your hair cool before rinsing. Aim to steam your hair once a week to increase its strength, don't do it too often as it can damage your hair.

5. Keep It Covered- If you live somewhere where there are strong cold wings then you should definitely consider keeping your hair covered when you step outside. This helps to provide your hair with a strong and physical layer against the winter environment. Some items that can be used are head wraps and headbands, snoods, or silk head scarves. These can help keep the hair covered and protected from environmental damage. Be care fun to avoid wool and zippers though as these can get caught on your hair causing damage and breakage.

6. Scalp Massages- Scalp massages are especially important in the winter. Usually, in cooler weather, your hair oil production slows down as do a lot of the other processes in your body. Keeping your scalp circulation high with a scalp massage helps to keep your natural oil production at a normal level. These natural oils are essential for maintaining moisture and hydration of your tresses in the Winter. Try to give yourself scalp massages before a shower, as the massages usually help to loosen dirt and buildup on your hair.

7. Heat Protectors- Like we've said a million times before, super hot heat styling is never good for your hair and can do much more harm than good. This goes without saying that in the Winter it can be even worse as your hair will already be lacking moisture. If you must use heated styling tools try to make sure that you use them on a lower heat setting and use heat protectants. Not only do these protect your hair when you are using hot styling tools, but it also helps to add an additional protective layer to your hair just like a hair oil would.

8. Clarify and Condition- Another thing to do this time of year that can keep your hair at its healthiest is to clarify and condition your hair. Keep in mind, that if you received a keratin treatment recently this is not something that you should do as it WILL dissolve the treatment out of your hair. Using a clarifying shampoo helps to remove any buildup or impurities from your hair. It also helps to remove any chlorine or mineral deposits from pools or lakes that you may have swum in over the summer. After your clarify your hair it is a great idea to deep condition your hair to seal the cuticle and give it needed moisture.

Follow these eight tips and you can hair your hair totally prepared for Autumn and Winter. If you have any other tips or questions feel free to comment them below. Also, comment any ideas for blog posts you would like to see in the future! Happy Autumn everyone!