winter hair tips
Accompanying the drop in temperatures as we head into Winter,
low humidity brings its own raft of challenges to keeping hair moist and supple, coupled with the fact that most heating in Japan is created through reverse cycle air conditioning, another major cause of dry air, most people are going to need to switch up their hair care routine to combat the dryness if you don’t want your hair feeling like dried up fallen leaf.
There are many tips I could share with you for keeping your hair’s moisture quotient where it should be but to keep it short, these would be my top 5.
Some of them you’re probably already doing but if you can find one or two below to add to your routine then that’s really great and hopefully will make some differences!
1) Humidifiers, they make a massive difference to the ambient moisture levels in your home, keep a couple around the house, particularly in living areas and bedrooms, their effect is not usually something easy to discern but I guarantee you, they make a world of difference.
Try and buy them with the largest ( over 3 liters) water tank so you’re not refilling all day.
2) If your hair is thick enough and not struggling with lack of volume, then this little tip can make a significant difference.
When you next rinse the conditioner from your hair, try not rinsing it too thoroughly, rather leave a small amount of residue in your hair, particularly towards the ends.
This will go a long way toward keeping your hair supple and moist, not recommended for fine or thin hair types.
3) Whilst I’m on the subject of conditioner my next tip is almost not a tip but a reminder,
I recently surveyed a small number of our clients ( around 20 people) to ascertain just how long they leave their conditioner on their hair after shampooing.
Shockingly, the average appears to be approximately 1 minute.
Now most directions for conditioner use request 3~5 minutes as the processing time.
Simply put, most people are not leaving the conditioner long enough to get the effects and benefits that the product sets out to achieve. I’m sure most of our clients are using high quality hair care with the understanding that it is better. Unfortunately even the best products cannot really shine unless used correctly, I recommend you go into a ¥100 shop, buy a little timer, keep it in your shower, and set it for at least four minutes next time you use conditioner, I’m certain you’ll notice a huge difference.
4) As mentioned above, this months Hero product is a real game changer for creating shiny hair, but a real Hero is the one that saves you and to be honest, they come in all shapes and sizes from light, almost water based leave in conditioners, smoothing creams all the way through to oils and serums. I do believe that during the dry winter months adding something extra to your hair after you’ve washed out your conditioner, can and in almost all cases make a massive difference to how supple and shiny your hair will look and feel.
So next time you’re in the salon, please ask your stylist which wearable product/s might be the one to become your next Hero….
5) Simply put, wash your hair a little less please.
Particularly in Winter when perspiration is no longer much of an issue, if you can stretch out your shampooing routine even just a day or two, that could lead to 50~100 times a year less you are washing your hair, and this would be a major benefit to your hair and scalp’s overall health.
