8 Best Winter Hair Care Tips for Women Over 50

(Last Updated On: November 9, 2021)

Winter Wellness Series Part 3

It seems like everything changes as we age. Our skin, our body shape, our weight, sometimes our height and shoe size…and of course, our hair.

As we age, our hair becomes drier because the oil glands have shrunk. The follicles get smaller, and can actually produce a hair that can’t be seen. Changes in hormones result in hair that is more coarse, and if you add in health issues and medications, it is even more pronounced.

And, our hair naturally loses pigment and turns gray as well as other shades of neutral.

So, when the cold weather arrives and wants to wreak even more havoc on our hair, it’s time for winter hair care tips and a consistent routine to help maintain the health of our lovely (if not aging) tresses.

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Winter Hair Care Tips

All of these winter hair care routine tips are helpful, friends. Hopefully there are a few that you’ll find particularly beneficial to your and your lifestyle, so take a peek and see which tips jump out at you.

1 | Avoid washing too frequently

Do you wash your hair every day? One of the downsides to this routine is that your hair can be stripped of its natural oils, and those oils help keep the hair moisturized.

Add in the cold, dry winter weather, and your hair could really pay the price for all of that washing.

Try going every other day, or every third day if you can, before washing your hair. Also, note the comments below about using dry shampoo in between washes.

2 | Lower the water temperature

We can’t talk about winter hair care tips without pointing out water temperature. Water that is too hot can remove moisture from your hair and make it prone to breakage.

So, keep the temperature at a moderate level of heat when washing your hair and if you can, rinse with cool water. Okay, that might be asking a bit too much! But, for the sake of your hair, don’t use overly hot water when washing it.

3 | Use an oil-based conditioner

Is your hair naturally wavy or curly, perhaps relaxed? Then it is particularly sensitive to the cold weather, which can cause a brittle texture, breakage, and split ends.

An oil based conditioner, which is heavier than what you’d typically use, will evaporate more slowly and protect your hair.

4 | Reach for the dry shampoo

Give dry shampoo a try as a way to help keep your hair looking and feeling healthy during the colder months, or any time of the year. Not only is it a time-saver, your hair won’t be exposed to high heat from blow dryers, curling irons, flat irons, etc.

Your hair will retain more moisture, a precious commodity for our aging hair. And, if you color-treat your hair, less shampooing means a longer lasting color. (I am so happy that I don’t even have to think about hair color any longer, now that I’ve gone to my natural gray).

5 | Wear a hat when heading out

What’s more important – avoiding “hat hair” or protecting your aging hair from snow, wind, rain, and elements that will rob your hair of moisture?

I know. You’re weighing both, right? I’m right with you, friends. Wearing a hat in winter is not something I enjoy. But, protecting my hair is more important.

Here are couple of tips for selecting the right winter hat:

• find a hat that is lined with silk or satin (or do it yourself) to minimize the breakage that wool, cotton, and other fabrics can cause. It will also help minimize the “hat hair” situation.
• use a dry oil spray to fight static electricity under your hat. They’re weightless and help moisturize your hair (and make it shiny, too) with natural oils

6 | Silk pillowcase

Sleeping on a silk pillowcase is similar to the recommendation to line your winter hat with silk fabric. It is naturally hypoallergenic, is known to prevent thinning, knotted hair, and stimulates hydration to minimize split ends.

If you have frizzy hair, a silk pillowcase will help, as it glides over your hair without any friction.

And, here is another benefit that will make you smile: a silk pillowcase tugs less on the skin when sleeping, so it can actually help you look younger. You know those temporary wrinkles you sometimes get on your face if you sleep on your side or your stomach? A silk pillowcase will minimize those.

This winter hair care tip won’t break the budget, either:

7 | Get a trim

It is such a simple thing, really, but keeping your hair trimmed in the winter months will reduce the chances of getting dry, split ends.

Apply a nourishing hair oil to the ends of your hair, too, and it will help protect them as well as replenish moisture.

8 | Hydration counts!

Hydration plays an important role in just about every aspect of our health, and our healthy appearance. Winter hair care is no different.

A single strand of hair is made up of 25% water. Drinking plenty of water encourages hair growth from root to tip, as well as stimulating a healthy scalp.

When you drink plenty of water every day, you also help prevent split ends and brittle hair. So, let’s raise a glass of H2O to our healthy hair, friends!

These winter hair care tips may take a little bit of time, or cost a few dollars to implement, but benefits far outweigh the investment when we give ourselves the gift of self care, from head to toe!

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