Cold weather haircare?

[Imaginaera]

I'm going to Minnesota for school in the fall. As a Pacific Northwesterner I am used to rain, but not extreme cold. I already plan to wash my hair in the evenings so I can avoid going outside with wet hair and having it freeze, but what other things do you cold-climate-dwellers do to keep your hair happy and safe from the brutalities of subzero winter?
Thanks xx

[Iyashikei]

I just put my hair up and throw a beanie over it.

[shelomit]

Congrats on the new school!

I already have a headscarf on most of the time, anyway, but when I'm living in cold places it always goes under a headscarf or warm hat. Secure hair, warm head, best of all worlds.

I find I don't enjoy wearing braids as often in the winter as I'm liable to get them stuck inside my coat in an uncomfortable way, or caught on the zipper. Crown braids/coronet thingies are very nice for fitting under a bulkier hat, though.

In terms of the condition of your hair, I would think the humidity shift might be rougher than the temperature, honestly? At any rate, something to keep in mind re: moisture retention, frizz, and the like.

[FrayedFire]

I'm gonna second the scarf, especially as you can also pull it across your face to help your nose warm!

[Ylva]

Not going out with wet hair, as you mentioned in your initial post, is probably the most important factor.

My haircare routine actually doesn't change throughout the year. The only problem period is in the spring when the temperature can get warmer abruptly - that's when my hair gets dry and staticky. Cold weather per se I don't think is an issue, but there might be some individual differences there.

Perhaps you'll want to wear more buns than anything else in order to protect your hair from rubbing against heavy winter clothing.

[foreveryours]

If you oil your hair, coconut oil doesn't work very well when it's cold. It freezes.

[Cg]

You will find that in very northern climes, people dress for conditions, not Madison Avenue fads. Beanies are really common, hoods are common, but fancy hairdos are not, at least not in winter.

Keeping your hair bunned, then covered as well when you're out, will protect the ends.

[cutie-pie]

I braide or put my hair in a bun and put a hat or head scarf when going out. Never leave your hair out in the cold air, it will dry your hair and weaken it.

[lapushka]

I braide or put my hair in a bun and put a hat or head scarf when going out. Never leave your hair out in the cold air, it will dry your hair and weaken it.

I don't think I ever put a hat on, yes, sometimes my calorimetry, and my hair is just fine!

Where do you get the bolded part? :)

[Lady Stardust]

Crikey I always cover my hair in cold weather! When I was a student I had to wait for nearly an hour for the bus and my hair would get icicles on it :)

Cold air dries out my skin too, my hands will crack after quite minimal exposure. I don’t think it’s controversial to say that it would have the same effect on hair? Cold air is more drying because it can’t hold as much moisture as warm air.

The other thing I bear in mind is the drying effect of having the heating on indoors. I need to use a drop of oil as well as leave in conditioner to try to stop my hair drying out so much.

I also wear a satin scarf under my hat. One day I might put satin lining in my hat but this works for the time being. Any other material in contact with my hair dries it out.

As Ylva says, keeping the hair up away from winter clothing makes a huge difference too.

[lapushka]

Skin is very much alive though, hair is just keratin, it's dead material. It's like saying a wool sweater or scarf suffers in cold weather. ETA/ At least that's my 2cts. I also think cold is not as bad as say hot temperatures are. Granted we're not talking -20°C here.

[Hedwig]

My hair is usually more dry during summer when the air is really hot. During the winter time, my scalp is my main issue. I found that urea really helps.

[Ashtaroth]

…Granted we're not talking -20°C here.

Funny you should say that as it is -20°C where I am. Heading out to walk the dog very soon (she has a huge fluffy coat and loves the cold). :-)

Winter hats don’t work well with buns so I’ve become a big fan of earmuffs for keeping hair up and away from coats, scarves and other winter clothes that pull.

[Lady Stardust]

I’m not very good at science stuff but this article (http://science-yhairblog.blogspot.com/2011/11/autumn-to-winter-hair-and-humidity.html) on Science-y Hair Blog might be useful at explaining what helps hair in winter, and why. My understanding is that the amount of moisture hair holds is determined by the relative humidity of the environment. So when it’s cold and there is less moisture in the air, the hair holds less moisture too.

Generally I try and keep an equilibrium as far as possible. I protect my hair from the sun and from cold and only really leave it uncovered when nothing too exciting is happening weather-wise :) My hair is finicky and fragile so I got in the habit of tucking it away from environmental factors a long time ago, even when it was very short.

[Bri-Chan]

I usually wear my hair under my coat when outside. But my winter are very humid, in the summer my hair dries more.

[knobbly]

I always cover my hair completely in the cold. It really helps retain moisture in my experience. I have a big wooly hat that’s lined with satin. I love it!

For indoor dry air, I’ve just began doing ROO but using a good silicone serum every other day works well also for my hair.

[lapushka]

I don't know why, but I keep my hair *very* much moisturized, oil rinse (which keeps the ends from drying out), double condition, and then added layers from my stylers. I think it helps, for some reason, it does. So we all might not have the same base to start from here. IDK. Cold doesn't bother me as much as my crimping iron ever did. :)

[lapis_lazuli]

Huh, I've never thought to cover my hair going out in the winter, and it's regularly 20 below here. I haven't had problems. I'm only concerned with keeping it out of coat zippers!

[lapushka]

Posted this in the wrong thread, I think. She sometimes has good tips & tricks:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YtCGDEPRxqA&list=WL&index=5

I might have been wrong on cold hair and such.

But like lapis, I just don't cover my hair... much at all.

[JasminxCat]

I always cover my hair completely in the cold. It really helps retain moisture in my experience. I have a big wooly hat that’s lined with satin. I love it!

For indoor dry air, I’ve just began doing ROO but using a good silicone serum every other day works well also for my hair.

That sounds nice, I need one.
I go outside often and I cover my hair with a hoodie to help retain moisture. If I don't then my hair always becomes dry. I have a lot of problems in the winter, worse season for my hair

[ZoeZ]

Funny you should say that as it is -20°C where I am. Heading out to walk the dog very soon (she has a huge fluffy coat and loves the cold). :-)

Winter hats don’t work well with buns so I’ve become a big fan of earmuffs for keeping hair up and away from coats, scarves and other winter clothes that pull.

Lol, -29 C last night where I am. I have a big beanie that sits nicely over my bun - although it doesn't look so good when I take it off!