Three Winter Must Haves for Healthy Hair

It’s another cold winter day, but you’re doing the best you can with a piping hot latte from Nitro in hand and the car heater on blast. Such conditions are making the best out of an unenviable situation, but the car heat combined with heat at home (70-degees through at least April 1, amirite?) can easily dry out hair ‒ and quickly ‒ ultimately weakening the hair cuticle. The result? Dry, brittle hair prone to  split ends and breakage. Much like your skin regimen of continual cleansing, exfoliating, and moisturizing plus your serums and masks, your hair needs special attention this time of year. The goal, of course, is a magnificent mane the whole year through, but for protection in these these coldest months, here’s a round up of hair health gamechangers I’m loving right now:

1. Mizani 25 Miracle Milk

Though billed as a leave-in conditioner, this ultra-light formula is a
lightspritz that yes; can be applied when hair is damp, but on the advice of Jeovanna from Lily Lion Salon / @lilylionsalon in Newport, I spritz Mizani 25 Miracle Milk on my hair throughout the day to hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. Ingredients including fennel seed oil and sustainably sourced coconut oil penetrate deep down to the follicle to prep, protect and moisturize hair, undoing environmental damage. Event better? It controls frizz and detangles to improve manageability. Bonus: it’s great for all hair types, including curly hair, and it smells amazing (and a little goes a long way).

2. Olaplex No.3 Hair Perfector

Olaplex has a cult-like following, and it’s not hard to figure out why. In a world of hair and beauty being controlled by just a handful of multi-billion dollar megabrands (Aveda? Bumble & Bumble? La mer? All owned by Estee Lauder. Ouai? Proctor & Gamble. Pureology? L’Oréal. Surely Philosophy is still independent, yes? Nope. Owned by Coty.), Olaplex has grown into one of the largest independent hair care brands worldwide since launching in 2014. Stylist Josie (@hairbyjosiemarie) at Spalon in Portsmouth introduced me to Olaplax when the company was in its infancy — she swore by the product so much she became one of their educators. The cornerstone of the company was it’s flagship product, Olaplex No.3 Hair Perfector, a weekly at-home treatment (to be clear, not a conditioner) that reduces breakage and visibly strengthens hair, improving its look and feel. It remains the company’s best selling product with glowing reviews. No.3 Hair Perfector works to strengthen and repair all types of damaged hair and is free of all beauty industry toxins: parabens, phthalates, phosphates and sulfates. Use once a week (or 2-3 times a week for damaged hair).

3. This Is An Oil Non Oil by Davines 

Bluntly named and beautifully wrapped, This Is An Oil Non Oil is used not on damp hair, but dry hair before styling (confession: I’ve used it on damp hair when air-drying and love it too). It earns its name as its a super light oil that smooths out any frizz and adds hydrated texture without leaving any residue. This is one of the those products that will last for-ev-er. Davines was founded in Parma, Italy in 1983 and their products are sulfate free, paraben free, phosphate free, plus the company makes products and packaging to be close to recyclable as possible. This Is An Oil Non Oil is perfect right after a blow dry and ideal if you don’t wash your hair daily, when your hair needs a little attention on days two and three and id begging for some shape, smooth and shine. (Note to readers with curly hair: this oil is great, but Davines’ This Is A Curl-Building Serum leave-in serum is EXCEPTIONAL for creating defined, bouncy curls while giving locks added elasticity and shine. It’s been a gamechanger for my little one’s tresses.)

DIY winter hair care tips: 

This is a good time of year to reduce direct heat on the hair. If you are staying in, try towel drying your hair with a microfiber towel instead of a terry cloth one. Drink a ton of water (obvious but it’s beneficial to your hair as well). Kick your heat styling products back to a low setting if you can,. Go gentle with ponytails and buns. Before putting on your pom pom hat to head outside, spray some Mizani 25 Miracle Milk on your hair. Exfoliate your scalp regularly on wet, just shampooed hair to stimulating blood circulation and removing dead skin cells. Apply an overnight serum to your hair once every week or two.

Lastly, love your locks!