Confused about my hair in winter?!

[isabelx]

Gah! I hate winter :-(

I'm confused about what's going on with my hair. It's been feeling extremely dry and tangles easily lately, and firstly I put it down to being winter.

But when I check the weather forecast for my area it says humidity = 95%, and you can feel it as well, the air is very damp. So why is my hair suddenly really dry? it can't be that I need a trim, my last trim was early October and I took a whopping inch off. I'll be upset if I can't find the culprit and do have to trim :(

I didn't think high humidity made your hair dry, is it somthing to do with the products I'm using? I have a basic understandings of humectants I think :confused: but it'd be nice if somebody could clear it up for me and suggest what's going wrong.

My current conditioner contains glycerin, but shouldn't this be a good thing if the air is damp?! :justy:

I hope this makes sense! please ask if there's anything I haven't made clear :)

[Diamond.Eyes]

Do you use any products containing high amounts of protein or cones? If so, you could just have product build up. I would recommend using a clarifying shampoo or an ACV rinse. :)

[isabelx]

Do you use any products containing high amount of protein or cones? If so, you could just have product build up. I would recommend using a clarifying shampoo or an ACV rinse. :)

My hair hates both cones and proteins, so none of my products contain them. I did clarify earlier today and it feels a tad better, but it's still gross :(

[tinywife]

Even if the humidity is high, if it's cold, people may be using their heat instead of air conditioning. It's the indoor heat that really dries hair up. Have you turned on the heat in your house or car?

[jacqueline101]

I'd say clarify your hair and try using maybe on the dry parts oil. My hair in the heat seemed to drink up oil like it was thirsty. In the fall I'm able to oil weekly.

[isabelx]

Even if the humidity is high, if it's cold, people may be using their heat instead of air conditioning. It's the indoor heat that really dries hair up. Have you turned on the heat in your house or car?

We have had the heating on the house lately, not often though, only when everybody get's in at around 4pm and then it's turned off at around 9pm.


I'd say clarify your hair and try using maybe on the dry parts oil. My hair in the heat seemed to drink up oil like it was thirsty. In the fall I'm able to oil weekly.

My hair seems to dislike the oils I've tried on it already (coconut and olive) it seems to be okay with honey, do you think honey would be okay to use in cold yet moist environments?

[ktani]

I do not think you need to trim your hair.

I would consider clarifying.

If this dryness is new to you I would think about what you used on your hair last winter and try that unless the problem for you is seasonal and this has happened every winter.

ETA: Honey is a humectant.

However it is the amount used and what you use after it that can make the difference. Frizz has not been reported following honey lightening. Adding honey to shampoo is going to be rinsed and mostly washed out. It is more about what you put on your hair after that.

Conditioners contain waxes and waxy ingredients that will prevent the honey used to absorb water from the air. Oil used after that helps keep the moisture from the air being absorbed as well. Any honey residue that is not a problem for being drying will help keep miosture in the hair.

I would avoid any humectant laden leave-ins used in place of conditioner.

[isabelx]

I do not think you need to trim your hair.

I would consider clarifying.

If this dryness is new to you I would think about what you used on your hair last winter and try that unless the problem for you is seasonal and this has happened every winter.

I clarified today and my hair feels a little better but not a lot. This is the first year I've held any interest in my hair, no idea what I used last year, probably products loaded with cones and proteins, ew.

[ktani]

I clarified today and my hair feels a little better but not a lot. This is the first year I've held any interest in my hair, no idea what I used last year, probably products loaded with cones and proteins, ew.

There is nothing wrong with either of those ingredients as such.

See also this thread, http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=55490&page=5

[isabelx]

I do not think you need to trim your hair.

I would consider clarifying.

If this dryness is new to you I would think about what you used on your hair last winter and try that unless the problem for you is seasonal and this has happened every winter.

ETA: Honey is a humectant.

However it is the amount used and what you use after it that can make the difference. Frizz has not been reported following honey lightening. Adding honey to shampoo is going to be rinsed and mostly washed out. It is more about what you put on your hair after that.

Conditioners contain waxes and waxy ingredients that will prevent the honey used to absorb water from the air. Oil used after that helps keep the moisture from the air being absorbed as well. Any honey residue that is not a problem for being drying will help keep miosture in the hair.

I would avoid any humectant laden leave-ins used in place of conditioner.

Thanks ktani :) I have a great conditioner that contains quite a few humectants, although it doesn't seem to be as good since winter has arrived, do you think I should ditch it and find one without or continue to use it just not as a leave in? And then maybe I could use honey after using conditioner?

Blast you winter!

[ktani]

Thanks ktani :) I have a great conditioner that contains quite a few humectants, although it doesn't seem to be as good since winter has arrived, do you think I should ditch it and find one without or continue to use it just not as a leave in? And then maybe I could use honey after using conditioner?

Blast you winter!

You are very welcome.

I would relpace it for now. It has proven to be a problem.

See also this, http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=82219&page=2

[isabelx]

You are very welcome.

I would relpace it for now. It has proven to be a problem.

See also this, http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=82219&page=2

Thanks :) now off to find a cone, protein and humectant free moisturising conditioner, wish me luck!

[ktani]

Thanks :) now off to find a cone, protein and humectant free moisturising conditioner, wish me luck!

Good luck!

[weddy]

I hope it's not against the rules here to post about another hair site, if so, feel free to delete this reply.

Naturally Curly website had a frizz forecast based on either US zip codes, or cities (I checked, yours works). If you have an acct there, then enter in your curl type into your profile, the frizz forecast will tell you how to deal with your hair based on your current weather conditions, as well as for the next 5 days.

Then if that's not cool enough, below are links for the products you'll be needing based on your hair+weather report. Which goes to their order page of course LOL, but I enjoy reading the ratings/comments for the products. Also, you can filter which products appear, so at the bottom of the filters is an area for Product Availability, that lets us choose drugstore or beauty supply store for those of us that prefer shopping the old fashioned way.

Here's your five day forecast (http://www.naturallycurly.com/frizzforecast?hair_type=4&zip_code=Birmingham,%20UK&mode=5day) (but for my spiral/waves, so set your hair settings for your curl type):
http://www.naturallycurly.com/frizzforecast?hair_type=4&zip_code=Birmingham,%20UK&mode=5day

[isabelx]

I hope it's not against the rules here to post about another hair site, if so, feel free to delete this reply.

Naturally Curly website had a frizz forecast based on either US zip codes, or cities (I checked, yours works). If you have an acct there, then enter in your curl type into your profile, the frizz forecast will tell you how to deal with your hair based on your current weather conditions, as well as for the next 5 days.

Then if that's not cool enough, below are links for the products you'll be needing based on your hair+weather report. Which goes to their order page of course LOL, but I enjoy reading the ratings/comments for the products. Also, you can filter which products appear, so at the bottom of the filters is an area for Product Availability, that lets us choose drugstore or beauty supply store for those of us that prefer shopping the old fashioned way.

Here's your five day forecast (http://www.naturallycurly.com/frizzforecast?hair_type=4&zip_code=Birmingham,%20UK&mode=5day) (but for my spiral/waves, so set your hair settings for your curl type):
http://www.naturallycurly.com/frizzforecast?hair_type=4&zip_code=Birmingham,%20UK&mode=5day

Wow! :laugh: I'm going to have great fun messing around on this, thanks weddy!

[KwaveT]

Wow! :laugh: I'm going to have great fun messing around on this, thanks weddy!

I second that. I have done not on my hair type for where I live but also for when I visit family. I noticed a lot more frizzy days for when I visit family popping up. I guess that is why my sister has trouble with frizz. That isn't no reason for her to cook her hair with the straightener that she uses though.

[ccmso12]

I put a humidifier on my bedside table this winter and have noticed a huge difference! Using wood heat my house gets very dry in the winter . . .to the point of painfully dry nasal passages and sore throats upon wakening, I can only imagine how my hair was feeling!
You can get a good one at walmart for less then 50.00 . . .make sure to change the filter at least monthly