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10 Really Cool Tips for Your Winter Natural Hair Care Routine

By Jacqueline Samaroo

Ugh! Cold, moisture-sucking wind and air can really do a number on your scalp and strands during winter. Thankfully, there’s plenty you can do to beef up your winter natural hair care routine. From choosing the right winter hair care products to adding more hair-loving vitamins and minerals to your diet, we’ll outline ten ways to help your hair survive the frosty weather.

TLDR? Here are those tips in a nutshell for how to help naturally curly hair thrive in winter. Click to jump to each one for more info.

1. Deep condition your hair more often.
2. Avoid drying hair ingredients.
3. Lock in moisture with oils and butters.
4. Cut back on heat styling.
5. But, add hair steaming for extra moisture.
6. Protect your hair with silk.
7. Embrace protective styling, too.
8. Remember to use sunscreen – yes, even in winter!
9. Hydrate your hair and scalp from the inside.
10. Practice healthy eating for the sake of your hair.

Winter natural hair care routine – 10 tips

As you will see, winter hair care for natural Black hair is really about cutting back on some of the things you normally do as part of your hair care routine and stepping up some of the others.

1. Deep condition your hair more often.

Deep conditioners are a wonderful way to boost hydration in your scalp and strands. Monthly deep conditioning is often all healthy hair needs. But, upping this to twice per month or even weekly during the winter months is something to consider. It will definitely help if you are looking into how to care your hair naturally in the winter.  BACK TO TOP

2. Avoid drying hair ingredients.

You should be wary year-round of the potentially drying ingredients in your hair care products. But, it’s important to be extra vigilant during winter when the environment and weather are working against your hair.

Check ingredients listings for:

• Sulfates – They strip sebum (a natural oily/waxy substance) from your hair and scalp.
• Silicones – Their coating builds up over time and prevents your hair from absorbing moisture.
• Alcohols – Some of them can be quite drying with frequent use. Examples include isopropyl alcohol, propanol, propyl alcohol, and SD alcohol 40.
• Fragrances – Generally speaking, the strength of a hair care product’s fragrance is a good indicator of how drying it is. Avoid strongly scented winter hair care products when possible.   BACK TO TOP

3. Lock in moisture with oils and butters.

Oils and butters are good ways to pull moisture into your hair and stop cold air and wind from drawing it back out again. Use them on their own or look out for products that contain them. Examples of good moisturizers are aloe, argan, coconut, shea, almond, avocado, murumuru, and mango.    BACK TO TOP

4. Cut back on heat styling.

Help your strands retain their moisture by cutting back on how often you use heat styling tools. And, when you do use them, remember to turn the heat down and ALWAYS use a heat protectant.    BACK TO TOP

5. But, add hair steaming for extra moisture.

Yes, steaming your hair uses heat but it’s moist heat that helps to hydrate your hair. Check out our two recent hair steaming posts for facts and tips about steaming your hair, as well as some suggestions for hair steaming products and hair steamers to try.

• Should You Be Steaming Your Hair? Helpful Answers to 12 FAQs About Hair Steaming
• The Best Hair Steamers for Natural Hair – Top 10                    BACK TO TOP

6. Protect your hair with silk.

No doubt, you’ll be bundling up to keep warm. As you do, keep in mind that knitted fabrics will tend to tug on your strands and suck moisture from your hair. Opt for silk-lined caps, hats, and beanies or silk scarves and headbands. They are super smooth, gentle on your hair, won’t cause friction by rubbing, and won’t pull moisture from your strands and scalp.

For silk winter hair care products you wear, read

• 10 Pretty Satin and Silk Head Scarves Natural Hair Divas Will Love!
• 10 Best Silk Hair Scrunchies for Curly Hair
• What’s the Best Silk Bonnet for Sleeping? Meet Our Top 15 Contenders!

For a more in-depth look at the benefits of silk for your curls, read

• Do The Best Silk Pillowcases for Hair and Skin Really Work? Top 3 Benefits

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7. Embrace protective styling, too.

Protective styling has the benefit of tucking away your ends. This helps to stop them from drying out, becoming brittle, and prone to breakage. Plus, protective styling such as twists, braids, wigs, and Bantu knots have the added benefit of either grouping your strands together or covering them completely, thus minimizing moisture loss.    BACK TO TOP

8. Remember to use sunscreen – yes, even in winter!

We tend to forget that UV rays can still be harmful to our hair and scalp in the dead of winter. Using products with sun protection can be quite beneficial for preventing and reversing the damage these rays can cause.

See 5 Great Reasons You Need Sun Protection for Hair and Scalp Care for more on sun protection for your curls.      BACK TO TOP

9. Hydrate your hair and scalp from the inside.

So, we’ve been stressing hydrating your hair and scalp and keeping them hydrated as the way to ensure your winter natural hair care routine actually works. One of the best ways to do that is by drinking sufficient water and water-containing foods, like juicy fruits and veggies. Check out this list from WebMD.    BACK TO TOP

10. Practice healthy eating for the sake of your hair.

We like to emphasize nourishing your hair from the inside-out, well… because it’s the best way to do it! Make nutrient-dense foods your comfort foods this winter for the sake of your hair. Vitamin D is a good one to highlight since we get even less of it in the winter by spending more time indoors and having to be all covered up when we do go out.

For some good recipe options with vitamin D, read 8 Yummy Recipes with Vitamin D Foods for Hair Growth.    BACK TO TOP

Do you have any other natural Black hair care tips for winter? Share!

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Jacqueline Samaroo, DMT.NEWS, DMT BeautySpot,