12 Ways to Keep Natural Hair Cozy This Winter

It’s getting colder and the sun has gone down for the season — to be honest, I didn’t think I’d make it. November 15th passed and I had some life challenges that were a little scary, to put it mildly. I left the house on Sunday with good intentions, to spend my afternoon with my cousins and there was someone out there with a prayer for me because I came out of a car accident with a few bruises (a bit of trauma to the body & mind) and sprains. I only live a few minutes away from them and traffic on the highway towards T.O was neutral despite the “CODE RED” the government has in place, in Ontario. I’m familiar with the area, so getting off of the highway should be easy, right? This day it wasn’t. Thank you to all of the people who checked in, to make sure I was alright. My community was there for me — Thank you.

• I have physiotherapy to attend for my neck, chest, right leg and other parts of my body

• Unfortunately, the car was a write-off but I was fortunate because it wasn’t my own tiny car (If you know me personally, you know mine)

• The windows never broke (later on I found out the make of the car was 2007 and had bulletproof/shatterproof windows)

• I’m getting better physically, I’m just a little offbeat

• I was told by EMS (Police and Firefighters mostly) that I wasn’t the only person that weekend to have an accident in the EXACT area. I ended up being No. 3

• I wasn’t charged (obviously because there’s nothing to charge me with) and everyone I dealt with was helpful, personable, kind and I will never forget that.

this time of year brings on new challenges please be safe (especially on the road) and give a little prayer to yourself and those around you. I didn’t quite expect that to happen but I guess (like my parents said) “That’s why it’s an accident, Zo.”

Now that I’m sitting…I realized that I still wanted to write my post. I’m grateful to still be able to communicate with you (y’all, all y’all lol.)

So let’s start somewhere, right?

If you know a person with wavy, curly, kinky, coiled-ish hair — send them this post. Hey! Even if they don’t have hair like this, there’s probably a tip on here for you/them too. ❄️

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1. Hair ENDS Must BE SEALED.

I know quarantine is kicking butt right now — if you can get your ends trimmed professionally, sweet! If not, that’s okay, at home trims are fine too (DON’T CUT OFF YOUR WHOLE HEAD OF HAIR, GET SOME ASSISTANCE.) Why does it matter? It’s because you don’t want split ends. Because the season isn’t as humid, the Canadian/Northern air becomes dry and this can break the hair ends. There are heavier oils like olive, castor, vitamin E that you can put towards the ends of your hair and edge line to keep it from freezing off.

• Cocoa butter and Shea butter also help the ends to keep strong

2. WET HAIR? YOU’RE LEAVING THE HOUSE?!

Oh — this one goes for everyone. Don’t leave the house with wet hair (or a scalp even.) IF you choose to leave the house in this condition you could risk hair loss and breakage! If you don’t have the time to wait for your hair to dry, change your routine this season to washing at night or even drying your hair with a blow dryer/diffuser. :)

• Leaving home with wet curls featuring LOC or LCO methods (If you detangle at night) count as frozen curls

• The damage can really mess with the curl pattern

3. GO SILK, DEAR

Wool is the best, right? Not always. The static from your cap can also cause damage to your awesome hair and you don’t want that. This can be changed by using your silk scarf to cover your hair before putting on your hat OR you can find a silk/satin lined hat. For the naturalistas, we know that silk/satin is awesome because it keeps our edges smooth BUT it can also stop friction, tangles and breakage.

• No frizz with satin/silk

• Wool traps the oil from your hair like a sponge; no hat hair

• Silk hydrates the hair

• Satin pillowcases are a MUST for natural hair (ALL SEASONS)

4. CONDITION, CONDITION, CONDITION.

You have so many oils/conditioning/shampooing products to choose from. Ones without parabens, sulphates, fragrance-free — the list goes on. What you want to avoid are products that will dry out your scalp such as but not limited to: Sulfates, Mineral Oil, Parabens, Denatured Alcohols, Synthetic Fragrances, Formaldehyde, Coal Tar, Silicones, Phthalates & Para-Phenylenediamine.

• Look at the label

• “IS IT VEGAN?!” it’s not a bad idea to ask if it is here.

• Nourish the roots and the tips

• A deep condition to that mane, 1 - 2 times a month

• Speak to your stylist about suggestions and advice on products to use for your curl pattern

5. SCALP TLC

Flaky as heck?! No worries. Dandruff?! That’s fine. A piece of gum stuck to your hair?! I can’t help you, lol. Give your scalp some love though — Sometimes I’ll use products with aloe, tea tree, coconut oil to give my roots and scalp some healing.

• Tea Tree cools the scalp

• When olive oil is warm, it’s an amazinggggggggggg feeling on the scalp for hot oil treatments

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6. VITAMIN C, D, A, B12, OMEGA, FOOD, WATER.

Are you still taking your vitamins or did you break halfway through and forget? It’s okay, we all do sometimes. Making sure you watch what you eat, matters as you grow. To avoid brittle hair, you take vitamins and eat vitamin oriented food. Fish is great because of its omega volume. You can find the same nourishment through flax, avocados, peanuts etc.

• Eating properly can stop or tame the frizziness of hair

• Eat broccoli to promote thicker, faster-growing hair

• You grow from the inside out

• If you can’t get it through food, supplements at your local health store can fill some of the gaps

7. “DON’T FORGET YOUR SCARF…YOUR HAT TOO!”

That means snow and dry air will obviously make your curls crunchy and they’ll break like chips. By using a scarf and having a hat that isn’t too tight, you stop tangles from occurring. I prefer the infinity scarf because it keeps my hair from rubbing up against my neck if it’s left out.

• Don’t forget your satin/silk head tie underneath and try not to tie it too tight

• Pack a comb/pick if you need to re-fluff

• Bring a tiny bottle of your preferred oil/sheen/serum/batiste if you need to on your way out

8. I been sweating, doing calisthenics!

They count: The gym or even working out from the yoga mat on your bedroom floor — it matters. The hair will grow a 1/2 inch no matter what but it also matters to get rid of the nasty bits in your system. You as a human can produce nice new bits in your system, lush hair and balanced skin. Avoiding sweets isn’t going to grow your hair so don’t be afraid to have that candy cane or piece of chocolate cake once in a while.

• You avoid Seasonal Affective Disorder by exercising (this can promote great eating habits)

• Exercising keeps the blood flowing through your body to keep growth happening

• Playing in the snow counts because you sweat in winter gear — Go have some fun out there!

9. SKIP THE GLYCERIN THIS SEASON

I remember one time I was walking outside during the winter season at night with some friends and I left my hair curly and out in this really nice pushed back style…I reached back and why was my hair hanging straight down?! I was shocked but I realized my products and shampoo had a bit of glycerin in them. Lol

Glycerol is not the best thing to use at this time because it attracts moisture in the COLD air. This would be considered a humectant similar to lactic acid, honey, aloe vera or dehydrated goat milk.

• If you use Jheri curl juice in the summertime, your hair curls and stays moist looking but during the winter, the opposite can happen

• Moisture can be removed with glycerin in the hair during the colder season

10. BANANAS & ALMONDS

Directions to prepare: Smush a small/medium-sized banana and add five tablespoons of almond oil to a bowl.

Mix well, apply to the hair, leave it in for 45 minutes and then rinse it all out really well! :D

Benefits of Bananas in Hair

• Growth

• Thickness

• Texture

• Dandruff Control

• Prohibits brittle ends

• Stimulates shine

• Natural conditioner

• Boosts protein

• Has potassium in them

• Adds natural vividness

Benefits of Almonds in Hair

• Reduces scalp inflammation

• Stimulates shine

• Stronger roots

• Prohibits hair loss

• Vitamin D and E

• Adds bounce

11. Protecting THE CURL

Collecting all of the edges is not the best idea — obviously, you’ll lose them quickly if you braid/manipulate your hair too tightly. It is great to have a low-maintenance style because it prohibits weather damage too.

• Braids

• Buns

• Half up/half down

• Loose top knots

• Glueless wigs/Wigs that don’t pull at the edge line

12. NO HEAT, PLEASE.

This one is a no-brainer — don’t flat iron your hair too often during the winter months. It will definitely break especially if you’re someone who applies hairspray in addition. Rebuild the amount of moisture you may have lost from the dense air and sometimes, this is the first issue. When flat ironing, knowing if your hair feels thick or limp is very important — ONLY YOU will know the difference.

• Deep-condition

• Leave-in conditioners help to prepare strong hair follicles, taming frizz

• Pro-Vitamin - B5 penetrates the hair follicle — read the ingredients on serums and heat protectants

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This concludes 12 Ways to Keep Natural Hair Cozy This Winter. Until next time, stay strong and know that on this earth, you belong. -- JoyX

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  Apr 5, 2023, 11:08 PM
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