KEEPING YOUR CURLS ALIVE DURING WINTER

Winter can be seriously hard on hair. It really is! Especially for those who have natural curly hair! Dryness and frizz are the the number #1 enemies of your crown of curls.  

Luckily, there are a lot of things that you can do to prevent your hair from becoming dry due to the harsh winter winds and air. Here are some of our top tips that we recommend to all of our Curly Queens that your should add to your curly hair routine:

• SLEEP IN SILK - An upgrade of a silk pillowcase is a must! Silk can help hair retain moisture from products and natural oils and reduce friction that could cause tangles and breakage. Hair glides over it without any friction which means you'll be less likely to wake up with frizzy hair, tangles, or bedhead, whereas cotton can snag hair and muss it up into a nest of tangles overnight. Sleeping on silk is a secret that women with textured and curly hair have been using for years to keep styles like braids and blowouts preserved for longer without adding frizz. 
• LCO - In the natural hair community, The LCO method, as you may have guessed (if you're already familiar with the LOC method), stands for liquid or leave-in conditioner, cream, and oil. Following the steps laid out in the acronym, you apply a water-based product, a hair cream, and hair oil for effortless, lasting hydration. Otherwise known as the "maximum hydration method". You can switch up the order or drop a letter altogether depending on how dry, damaged, thin, or thick your hair is. (LCO to LOC) The idea behind this three-step method is to lock in moisture and improve the manageability of your hair. See which method works best for your hair. 
• PICK A PROTECTIVE STYLE - Styling is fun! But did you know there are protective styles that would fit best for this winter? Braiding and Twisting! It is tangle-free and fun as you can always be stylish as much as you like. You can always search on YouTube for tutorials on different protective styles and how to do them yourself at a more cost affordable price, as there are lots of Influencers who create content about curly hairstyles. 
• UPGRADE YOUR OUTWEAR ACCESSORIES - Jackets, boots and pants can make your body feel warm, But how about your ears? Unfortunately, your hair doesn't keep your ears that warm. In this case, hats may be an unavoidable necessity. You don't have a choice. But what's the best type of hat you can have? Luckily, someone invented satin-lined beanies that help mitigate hat-hair disasters. Advantages of satin-lined beanies stem from the slick weave that reduces friction, which means less tangling and frizz, and lower risk of breakage. They are great for people with dry, damaged, or curly hair as they help your hair retain moisture, contributing to its overall health and appearance. Otherwise stick to protective styles to maintain length throughout the winter. 
• BULK UP FOR WINTER -  While everyone including you, is busy hoarding on Black Friday Sales, don't forget to add heavy duty products into your cart! Investing in a quality hair mask or deep conditioner will also help you retain length throughout the colder months. Think of hair masks like high powered hair conditioners, giving your hair benefits like softening and hydrating, boosting growth, adding shine, and even fighting off scalp infections. Don’t save it for a special once-in-a-while treat. Slap it on every three to four days, depending on how dry your hair feels. This is no time to skimp on the conditioner.
• GET STEAMY! - Healthy hair needs a healthy scalp, and your steamer is the perfect tool to ensure that you've got both. Hydrating not just your strands but your entire head, you can fight dry, flaky scalp and boost your hair growth to keep your length retention from becoming stagnant during the winter. If you suffer from low porosity hair or hair dryness, hair steaming helps to lift the hair’s cuticle so that moisture can get in and this allows for a more effective deep conditioning treatment that doesn’t require hours or overnight to accomplish.

Winter is fun, but always make sure to change up your hair routine to retain maximum length throughout the colder months. This is the perfect time to try new styles and new products. 

Check out Royaltycurls.com for more hair products you can use to keep your crown of curls moisturized, healthy, & strong! 

SOURCES:

https://www.thecut.com/2018/11/winter-hair-care-tips-for-curly-hair.html#:~:text=Photo%3A%20Heather%20Hazzan-,Winter%20weather%20can%20be%20damaging%20and%20drying%20for%20curly%20and,the%20weather%20outside%20is%20frightful

https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/wellness/silk-pillowcases-hair-skin-benefits-myths/2021/04/05/a7dcad7c-866a-11eb-82bc-e58213caa38e_story.html

https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/home-products/a28037094/silk-pillowcases-benefits/

https://www.lorealparisusa.com/beauty-magazine/hair-care/all-hair-types/lco-method

https://www.hatrealm.com/advantages-of-satin-lined-beanies/

https://www.luxyhair.com/blogs/hair-blog/winter-hair-care#:~:text=Think%20of%20hair%20masks%20like,even%20fighting%20off%20scalp%20infections.

https://www.naturalhairforbeginners.com/2021/11/hair-steamer.html

 https://endlesscreationssalon.com/beauty-tips/7-reasons-to-add-a-steam-treatment-to-your-winter-hair-routine/