When winter rolls around, we’re all thinking of ways to keep warm and not get sick. But some parts of our body don’t get cold, yet they do need specific treatment in the colder weather if we want to keep them healthy. This is mainly our hair and nails, which can often see the worst of winter because they’re so exposed all the time. But right now, let’s focus on hair and how you should adapt your hair for the cooler weather.

Start using masks

You know those hair masks that you keep buying every time your hair feels like it needs a boost, but then you forget about them in the back of your cupboard in the bathroom until you buy another. Now it’s time to break them out and use them more often than you think. When your hair is exposed to the elements, it’s much more likely to dry out, break and just look dull and tangled all the time. Rehydrating and nourishing it with masks will make all the difference.

Make your own

If you don’t want to spend a lot of money on masks, you can easily make your own at home, and that way, you know exactly what went into them and they are 100% natural. Just look for fatty, hydrating things like avocado, olive and coconut oil, egg yolk, etc. Mix it all in a bowl and apply to your hair, keep it on for ten minutes and you are done! In a pinch, you can use just straight up coconut oil!

Wear the cap

You might think that it’s the cap that makes your hair all frizzy and messy, but there’s a way to deal with that. Not wearing a cap will expose your hair to the wind, rain, and snow, which will make it tangled, flat and damage it, which is much worse than slightly ruining your hairstyle.

Control the frizz

So let’s just get into that frizz. It’s the biggest issue with caps, scarves, fluffy jackets and anything else touching your hair. But there are easy things you can do to control it. If you have shorter hair, the best thing would be to use natural hair wax to style it into place. Natural ones won’t set it ultra-stiff, so that you have wiggle room to change it and control it during the day, but you still end up with a smooth, frizz-free look after you take the cap off. The second thing is hairspray, and you want to put enough of it to keep your hair together, but not too much to get it all sticky. Spray from a good distance to make sure the spray is evenly dispersed through the hair.

Healthy from within

Hair doesn’t just need treatment from within – it’s a part of your body, so you need to be healthy for it to be healthy. I know it’s hard to get fresh fruit and veg in the winter, but frozen is just as packed with nutrients, so make sure you’re not skipping on the vitamins that will make your hair strong and shiny.

Wash less

You might think that your hair will be even greasier in winter because you’re covering it with caps, but if it’s a breathable, clean cap, it won’t make a difference. Your hair will actually be less greasy because you’ll be sweating less, so you can afford to wash your hair only one to two times per week. Try to use a milder shampoo so that you don’t strip your hair of its natural oils, which will keep it strong and prevent breakage.

Dry it properly

We tend to fly over the hair-drying process when we’re in a rush, but it’s actually crucial. Not to mention you shouldn’t go out with wet hair when it’s cold outside if you want to avoid pneumonia, but you also don’t want to put it up while it’s wet, because it will easily break. Just tap it with a towel or an old T-shirt (to prevent frizz) and slowly dry it on the cool setting of your hairdryer. This will cause the least damage and give you hair that is ready to strut the streets.

Visit the hairdresser

If you have split ends at the beginning of winter, they will only be worse at the end of winter. So make sure that you visit your hairdresser at the beginning of the season to snip them off and prepare your hair to be healthy all the way to spring. Otherwise, you’ll just end up cutting, even more, when winter ends.

Oil the ends

It your ends are looking dryer than the rest of the hair, but they’re not really split and you don’t want to cut them off, treat them with hair oil every other day to bring back their fullness and shine.

Drink your water

You know it. I know it. Everyone knows it. If you’re not hydrated, your hair won’t be either. You don’t feel as thirsty in winter as you did in summer, but you still gotta drink that H2O.

Follow these simple hair care tips and your hair will surely be the shining star on top of the holiday tree that is you.