At some point in your life, you must have woken up to a bad hair day—a day when your hair decides to act on its own with no regard for how you look and what plans you have.
No amount of brushing and styling does the trick, and your efforts end up being futile (except for your now fabulously toned arms).
You give up all hope and do your best to constrain your hair with hair ties and hair clips or hide it under an awkward-looking hat (all the while praying that the next day brings forth a miracle). For those of you who feel that bad hair days are unnerving enough, the winter season—the bad hair season—is a nightmare.
Winter brings with it the dilemma of whether to reach for a pair of scissors or to make a conscious (and maybe yet again futile) effort to tame the wild beast on your head.
Hair Problems In Winter
If you are not one of the lucky few who get to live out their entire lives on a tropical island, you are bound to face the wrath of winter every year. Your well-exposed hair takes the brunt of the dry, cold air and gets brutally, unrecognizably damaged.
You have to face one or more (or all) of the following hair problems during winter:
- Dull hair
- Dry hair
- Dry scalp
- Dandruff
- Limp hair
- Frizzy hair
- Static in hair
- Split ends
- Hair breakage
Lucky for us, nature has provided remedies for these problems (the problems it caused in the first place!).
Ingredients That Work Wonders For Your Hair
1. Coconut Oil
Coconut oil is no less than a miracle if you have dry, unmanageable hair. Apply a generous coat of it on your tresses before you wash them. Being hydrophobic (repels water) in nature, it prevents water from penetrating your strands and, thus, stops the outer layer of your hair from chipping away.1 This helps preserve your hair proteins. It is also easily absorbed by the hair shaft, preventing your hair from drying out from your shampoo.
2. Olive Oil
Olive oil is rich in phenolic compounds (a class of chemical compounds) that act as potent antioxidants.2 Antioxidants coat hair strands, protect them from sun damage, and preserve their shine.3
Applying olive oil on your hair before taking a shower moisturizes your hair making it soft and shiny (just the way you like it).
3. Lemon
Lemon doesn’t usually come to mind when we think of hair care (it’s hard to look beyond the image of a chilled lemonade on a hot summer’s day). Surprisingly, lemon can be quite the handyman when you want to fight some horrendous hair problems.
If you are suffering from dandruff (and it looks like it only snowed on your head)…
…then lemon should be your go-to fruit. Lemon contains citric acid (a type of mild acid), which causes the top layer of your skin to remodel and to peel off.4 Massaging lemon into your scalp before taking a shower magically helps you get rid of that flaky dandruff.
4. Egg
Not only are eggs a global breakfast staple, they are great for your hair, too. Eggs are rich in proteins, fats, vitamins, and minerals, so they can cure most of our winter hair blues.5 Eggs contain a substance called lecithin which, along with proteins, softens the hair shaft resulting in lustrous manageable hair.
Eggs also contain sulfur, which helps get rid of dandruff.
5. Raw Honey
Nature has created a miracle serum in the form of honey that oozes with a hoard of hair benefits.
Honey is a humectant (something that attracts and retains moisture) as well as an emollient (something that smoothens and softens).6 So, treat your hair to some sweet honey (diluted with 10% water) before you wash it. You will be left with well hydrated, beautiful locks (quite the trigger for the green-eyed monster).
Honey is rich in vitamins that nourish your scalp, thus, removing dandruff and reducing hair loss.7
6. Banana
Banana is rich in carbohydrates, vitamins, potassium, and natural oils.8 The vitamins found in bananas help strengthen and volumize your hair. Vitamin B, in particular, helps prevent split ends.
Applying banana masks on your hair is a great way to provide nutrition to your hair and scalp.
7. Yogurt
Apart from being delicious and good for your stomach, yogurt has moisturizing properties. This makes it a convenient, natural hair conditioner.9
Yogurt is also rich in lactic acid which helps clear away dead skin from your scalp.
Hair Masks For Winter
Since winter dries out hair, it is advisable to deep condition it at least once a week. Explore different combinations of ingredients to do find what suits your hair the best.
1. Mayonnaise Hair Treatment
Thinking of a food condiment on your hair sounds weird, but mayonnaise and hair were meant to be. Mayonnaise contains a combination of oil, egg yolk, vinegar, and lemon juice (just make sure you don’t go for the flavored ones, you don’t want to end up smelling like a sandwich). Mayonnaise conditions your hair, prevents it from breaking, and restores its pH balance.
Method:
- Dampen your hair with water.
- Apply an even coat of mayonnaise throughout your hair.
- Cover your hair with a shower cap or a wet towel.
- Leave it for 15-20 minutes.
- Wash the mayonnaise off with a mild shampoo.
2. Egg White And Yogurt Treatment
Using a combination of egg white and yogurt is a great way to condition your hair. You can get smooth and shiny hair without having to shell out huge sums of money.
Method:
- Beat 1 egg white until you get a foam.
- Add half a cup of yogurt to the foam.
- Apply the mixture on your hair.
- Leave it for 15-20 minutes.
- Wash it off with a mild shampoo.
3. Banana Hair Mask
If you want to tame your dry and frizzy hair, a banana hair mask is the best option for you. You can use a combination of a few household ingredients to make an amazing mask for your hair.
Method:
- Take one ripe banana and mash it (you can use a blender for best results).
- Add half a cup of yogurt to it.
- Add a tablespoon of honey.
- Add a tablespoon of lemon juice to the mixture, if you have dandruff.
- Apply it evenly on your hair.
- Let it sit for 20-30 minutes.
- Wash it off with a mild shampoo.
4. Olive Oil And Coconut Oil Hair Treatment
When a combination of olive oil and coconut oil is applied to your hair, it can leave you with smooth and moisturized hair.
Method:
- Take 3 tablespoons of coconut oil.
- Add a tablespoon of olive oil.
- Slightly warm the mixture, if required.
- Apply it on your hair and scalp.
- Leave it for 25-30 minutes.
- Wash it off with shampoo.
These are just some hair masks to get soft, shiny, lustrous, and dandruff-free hair even in the midst of winter. Don’t hesitate to get creative.
Beat The Cold
Winters can end up being a hassle for many people who have a patiently grown mane. Just because the season is not hair friendly, it does not mean you have to silently endure dry, brittle, unmanageable hair throughout. A little more effort on your part can ensure you that you get lovely hair to flaunt no matter what the season.
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