Cover Follow these expert tips to keep your hair healthy this winter (Photo: Courtesy of Love Hair)

Winter can take a toll on our hair and scalp just as much as the summer weather does. Now, you can say goodbye to unhealthy hair with these tips from the experts

Winter in Hong Kong this year is looking to be colder than the past year. As we refresh our closet with coats, scarves and sweaters and change our beauty routine to prevent dry skin, it's also time to be mindful of what we're doing to keep our hair healthy this cold season.

To help you get all geared up for the impending cold, we talk to Toni Ovenden, founder of Love Hair Hong Kong & Singapore—one of our recommended salons in the city–to give you the lowdown on how to keep your hair healthy this season.

Editor's Note: Each hair is different and the best way to know which product to use is to get stylist recommendation and personal advice on what your hair needs. The product recommendations are not for any specific type of hair but only for general use.

See also: 7 Nourishing Hair Oils For A Healthy, Hydrated Mane

Stop daily washing

Toni: Your scalp produces natural sebum which will moisturise your scalp and hair.  If you wash your hair every day, you don’t give the natural sebum a chance to do its job and this can be drying for the scalp and hair.

I recommend using Kevin Murphy's scalp range to treat your hair and scalp as gently as you would on your skin. The Scalp.Scrub gently cleanses and revives irritated scalp thanks to its celery seed extract. It's also important to detox the scalp by visibly reducing irritation and regulate sebum production that helps solve the problems associated with excess oil or a dry scalp.

The scrub is a pre-wash treatment and should be followed by a scalp wash and rinse or wash of your choice, we recommend Scalp.Spa Wash. Following this regime is optimal for both scalp and hair during winter months.

At Love Hair, we also use Briogeo Scalp Revival treatment for those with a dry, flaky and itchy scalp. It helps remove dead skin cells and product build-up from the scalp—perfect for winter months when we want to keep our hair and scalp more moisturised and nourished.

See also: 8 Luxurious Hair Oils For Every Hair Type

Dye your hair less

Toni: Colouring your hair can remove some of the hair's natural moisture and adding many levels of colour can also cause damage. If you're colouring your hair and concerned about the condition, you can do two of the following:

Stay on the shade

I recommend choosing a dye within three shades of your natural colour and opting for shades that are darker rather than lighter to limit the damage. Unnatural colours are more difficult to maintain and have to be touched up more frequently.

Cut back on dyeing

Extending the time between colour appointments can also help reduce damage. This is why balayage is such a popular technique as the regrowth is softer and allows you to go longer between touch-ups. If possible, wait for 8–10 weeks if you are a highlighting client or 12–16 weeks longer if you are a balayage client. Make sure you find an expert at this technique to ensure the right results and the perfect blend.

If you have coloured hair, the right products are so important, to prevent colour fade and maintain the condition.

Tatler recommends Olaplex No. 3 Hair Perfector doesn't just improve your hair's appearance but it also strengthens each individual strand, reducing breakage and repairing damaged bonds that colouring and heat styling can cause. To maintain your hair colour, we also recommend O&M's Maintain The Mane Shampoo and Fine Intellect Conditioner.

See also: Switch It Up: These Are Hong Kong's Best Hair Colourists

 

Rinse, rinse, rinse

Toni: Rinsing your hair after using a conditioner with cool water is a great way to make sure you close down the cuticle before your hair is exposed to any of the elements.

Tatler recommenders Philip Kingsley, which offers a lot of conditioners to choose from. We like the Moisture Balancing Conditioner which helps target your hair's weakest areas to help restore its strength and vitality. Alternatively, you can also use bhave's conditioner to gently moisture your hair.

See also: How To Care For Asian Hair In Hot And Humid Weather, According To Trichologist Andrea Clark

Stick to one service

Toni: Never combine colouring, keratin, perms or any other chemical services in one day or session. You should always check the guidelines when using any of these services and ask your stylist for advice on the specific brands that they use.

See also: 6 Luxury Hair Salons In Hong Kong

Use sun protection

Toni: The sun’s UV rays can harm your hair even during winter. You can also try wearing a wide-brimmed hat or hair wrap to protect your hair and scalp.

Tatler recommends using products to protect from the UV rays such as Balmain Paris Hair Couture's Leave-In Conditioning Spray and Rossano Ferretti Parma's Dolce Protective and Detangling Spray.

To protect your hair, we recommend Maison Michel’s hats and Slip’s hair covers.

See also: 7 Best Dry Shampoos In Hong Kong

Be extra careful with chlorine

Toni: Chlorine can turn your locks an unpleasant shade of green and strip moisture from your hair, leaving it feeling even more brittle and coarse. You can avoid this from happening by doing the following:

  • Rinse your hair with fresh water before going in the pool. This moisture may help prevent the chlorine from changing the colour of your hair and drying out your strands
  • You should also wash your hair thoroughly as soon as you get out of the pool
  • Using a hydrating shampoo and conditioner

Tatler recommends Oribe Gold Lust Repair & Restore Shampoo and Conditioner for Brilliance & Shine which strengthens and moisturises the hair all while boosting its natural lustre. Grown Alchemist's Nourishing Shampoo and Conditioner also provide hydration. We also recommend the 2-in-1 Shampoo and Conditioner For Dry Scalp from John Masters Organic.

See also: How To Cut Your Own Hair In Home Quarantine: Video Tutorials

Cut back on heated styling tools

Toni: Using heat from a hairdryer or any hot styling tools can cause damage as it removes moisture from the hair. If you're using them, please be mindful of the following:

  • Keep the heat of the hairdryer off the hair directly and let the heat move continuously
  • Make sure the hairdryer you're using is not overheating. I recommend changing your hairdryer every 5 years
  • Lower the temperature on the hairdryer to medium heat rather than the hottest
  • Make sure the heated styling tools you use are at a safe temperature to style without damaging the hair, the perfect temperature is 185 degrees
  • Use the Good Hair Day (GHD) tools when you're in the salon or even at home, as they have the vets technology to maintain the health of the hair whilst styling

See also: Hair Tools And Accessories To Keep Your Bad Hair Day At Bay

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