Winter Scalp Care

Our scalp becomes more sensitive during winter months and this may cause an increase in your scalp being tender, you may have dry scalp that is constantly itching and you may see flakes. One symptom I experience is 'tight' scalp, I regularly wet my scalp and oil it to alleviate this symptom of dry scalp or do my mid-week steam treatments which really help regulate any dryness I experience. I listed a few tips we can all use to help us alleviate dry scalp during the winter months.

Mid-Week Steam Treatments: Mid-week steam treatments is basically lightly oiling your scalp and hair with your favourite oil before a shower or bath, the natural steam for the warm water helps the oil to penetrate your hair and scalp, I get soft fully hair and my scalp rarely is irritated like it once was, my favourite oil for my steam treatments is avocado oil.

Weekly Hot Oil Rinses: Hot oil treatments using natural oils like coconut oil can be done as an oil rinse, you can use your heating cap or conditioning cap in the shower for the desired time and than simply rinse your hair with warm water and style as desired, no need to shampoo the nutrient packed oil off you hair. In harsh weather like winter your hair and scalp needs to be lubricated well.

Buttering Your Scalp: Using a nourishing butter on you scalp may do the trick for you. Butters like AfroVeda's CocoLatte Moisture Mask or Shea-Amla Whipped Butter, Karen's Body Beautiful Hair Butter, Qhemet Biologics Amla & Olive Heavy Cream or Burdock Root Butter Cream, you can also use plain shea butter on you scalp which is also very nourishing.

Co-washing: Many of us already know about co-washing, co-washing allows you to mildly cleanse you scalp while nourishing your hair and scalp. I am loving my TRESemme Moisture Rich Conditioner. When co-washing focus on you scalp and use the pads of your fingers to rub gently.

Mild Cleansers/Moisture Rich Cleansers: Natural cleaners like apple cider mixed with water is a good way to balance your scalp's pH level while not stripping your hair and scalp of its natural oils, also you can add in a small amount of baking soda into your apple cider rinse for additional cleansing. Another cleanser I stumbled upon was at the beauty supply store, on a whim I picked up a liter size of Elasta QP's Creme Conditioning Shampoo which is sulfate free and very moisturizing. This cleanser is inexpensive, I got it for 9.99 CAD, it was so good I ran back a week later and picked up another liter size bottle to keep in my stash.

Water and Spritzing: My hair and scalp likes to be wet every few days, it helps to minimize the tightness of my scalp I experience during the winter. Sometimes I mist my hair and scalp with water before bed and add in my moisturizer or an oil of my choosing throughout my hair and scalp. Some of us prefer using leave in conditioners like Qhemet Biologics Karkady Replenishing Mist or Oyin Handmade's Herbal Leave-Ins. I prefer using plain water to mist my hair and scalp and than laying product over my damp hair and scalp, this works best for me.

Drinking Water: Drinking plenty of water helps your skin including you scalp to stay lubricated. This is a natural way to help keep our skin supple and easier to retain moisture.

Soothing Herbs, Plants and Extracts: When I purchase hair care products I look for ingredients that are known for soothing and/or healing the scalp. Herbs and plants like yarrow, burdock, neem, amla, aloe, coltsfoot, nettle, rosemary, sage and horsetail are ingredients that assist me in knowing that the product I want to purchase will help to nourish my scalp.