Winter Is Coming!! - Winterizing your hair for under $6

WINTER IS COMING!!

The phrase is so played out right now but the threat is real.

It's winter time which means winter weather in much of the US. Which means dry warm air inside to cause the frizzies and dry cold air outside to make you feel miserable.

You've probably heard/read all the winter advise before but I thought I'd list out the "poh" girls version for those of us with a little less money in the bank/ more financial obligations than most.

1. Get a humidifier.

The dry hot air inside the office, your apartment and your car actually contributes to messing around with your hair. I can't explain the science behind it but basically it causes frizzyness and dryness and makes your hair more prone to breakage.

A good way to solve this is to use a humidifier to put some moisture into the hair and air. However most humidifiers are pretty pricey ($30+) and not always easy to budget for.
Now some people will say well it's your hair and you should get the best for it but let's be honest though...that is not always possible.

Solution: Plain ole water in a cup/bowl (FREE). A couple of strategically placed bowls or cups of water in your apartment can raise the humidity level. You'll have to refill them every week and clean out the bowls/cups but it really works!

2. Stop using moisturizing products with glycerin.

Glycerin is awesome because it pulls moisture from site A (the air usually) into site B (your hair). During the winter however, there's usually more moisture in site B than site A and so the pull of moisture is reversed. This can lead to dry, brittle hair; potentially more breakage and (if you happen to be stretching like I am) very stubborn new growth. 

It's very hard to find moisturizing products that don't contain glycerin so sadly this is where you have to pull out your wallet. How do you avoid buying a product that your hair doesn't like?

Solution: Travel size samples. Many of the natural ingredient manufacturers have sample sizes that you can buy for about $5 each to see if their product works for you. Shescentit and Komaza are two of those labels. Then you can wait till Black Friday to stock up on the products that worked. (The shipping is staggering)

A cheaper fall back is water mixed with a few drops of oils you already have in your haircare repertoire. If you haven't bought any oils yet...the best choice for winter is castor oil.

2. Use a heavy oil to seal

$5.99 at CVS

In the winter it may see like you have to moisture and seal twice a day. Or your hair will feel stiff and may have white residues. This may be a symptom of low porosity hair but (unless you have it) it can also be a result of using the wrong oils to seal your strands. Coconut oil solidifies at low temperatures and maybe causing the residue and stiffness. Other oils may be too light for the harsh winter winds.

Solution: The oils that weighed your hair down over the summer are now the perfect solution for winter. Luckily they're reasonably priced and easy to access. My personal favorite is castor oil. It doesn't have to be Jamaica black, any castor oil that is cold pressed and 100% pure will work wonders on a dry scalp and as a sealant for hair.  Apply it on hair that is about 70% dry and then blow dry with tension method. I don't usually air dry my hair in the winter because (1) its too cold to leave my hair exposed and (2) 'ait nobody got time for that?

Do you feel ready to face the winter?