Winter Hair & Wellness Decoded

January 2, 2025

The new year brings with it hopeful new beginnings and an opportunity to introduce new healthy habits. Luckily, you don’t need unrealistic resolutions to step up your self-care this season, and you don’t need perfect weather to have perfect hair. These frigid months do mean that our hair (and bodies, and minds) need some extra TLC though. Here are our seasonal hacks to help you make the most of this time without added pressure or stress.

WINTER HAIR TIPS:

Make no mistake, these chilly and dreary months are not your hair or scalp’s friend. The combination of cold weather outside and dry heat inside creates a welcoming environment for breakage and split ends. Here's our list of common winter hair damage culprits and ways you can protect your strands this season and maintain your healthiest, happiest hair all year long:

Culprit #1: Lack Of Moisture | Solution: Use a hydrating/moisturizing shampoo and conditioner to care for your hair from within. Our favorite self care step and recommendation it to add a deep conditioning treatment like our UltraRepair Reconstructing Masque to your weekly routine. You can also use UltraRepair in place of your conditioner for added moisture - your hair will thank you!

Culprit #2: Winter Hats/Rough Fabrics | Solution: We recommend lining your hats with silk (which can easily be done DIY or simply wrapping your hair in a silk scarf beneath it, and applying a protecting leave-in conditioners before placing your hat on.

Culprit #3: The Sun | Solution: The sun still shines bright in the cold months and this is often when the most UV damage occurs. We highly recommend spraying your hair with one of our leave-in conditioners which help combat UV damage. And of course, don’t forget the sun protection for your skin by choosing a daily face moisturizer with SPF.

Culprit #4: Static & Heat Styling | Solution: Reduce heat-heavy styling and keep your hair hydrated with regular conditioning and then locking in moisture with a leave-in conditioner.

Helpful hint: Get a regular trim to counteract winter’s tough treatment of your precious ends.

Culprit #5: Wet Hair Outdoors | Solution: Do not, under any circumstances, go outside with hair that isn’t completely dry. Anything that’s cold expands, meaning a wet or damp hair shaft will be at high risk for breakage and color fading when exposed to cold winter weather.

WINTER WELLNESS TIPS:

As if the colder temps weren't enough of a downer, how about shorter and darker days? Seasonal depression can creep up on all of us from time to time so it's important to implement some self-care practices as the new year gets rolling.

Try Light Therapy: You can combat the adverse effects of not getting enough sunshine by simply making a habit of getting more fresh air during daylight and/or buying a light box with artificial sunlight. It may sound silly, but it really can help (literally) brighten your mood!

Eat Vitamin D rich foods such as salmon, mushrooms, and egg yolks, and/or take a Vitamin D supplement.

Switch Up Your Diet: We don’t mean actually dieting, but trying new foods and recipes can help switch up the boring and monotonous routine we all tend to get in the habit of doing during hibernation season. It seems small, but making something new can bring you and yours together to work on something in the kitchen and the payoff is great all around. We are what we eat, EVOLVhers!

Practice Yoga + Meditation: When you’re already feeling lethargic, introspection might seem like the least tempting thing, but looking inward can truly help clear your mind. Try forcing yourself to stretch out every few hours. Or make a point to stretch before bed. Same with meditating - you can find meditation guides online or try one of the dozens of free apps. We host free virtual EVOLVh Together classes every month to help you add a new wellness skill to your toolbox.

Reach Out To Friends: If you feel like you’re going through something, you are definitely not alone. Host a movie/game/wine night, book club, bake-off, whatever - you get the idea!

For the ultimate winter hair AND wellness solution, reach for our UltraRepair Reconstructing Masque which revives hair that has been compromised by color or bleach processing, heat styling, or environmental factors like wind and winter weather. It also protects your strands from breakage, dehydration, tangles, and split ends (basically every winter hair woe) and has the unique qualities of being effective in as little as 15 minutes and yet can also be left in your hair overnight for truly (hair) life-changing results. We highly recommend making it a part of your weekly self-care ritual for a mindful “me-time" moment.