Dry Winter Hair

Why do your hair and scalp become dry in the winter months?  

In the winter months, there’s naturally less humidity in the air. That effect is compounded by indoor heating, which dehydrates your hair and scalp even more. 

What are the tell tale signs that your hair and scalp are dry? 

Robbed of its natural lipids, dry hair looks flat and dull. It loses its youthful translucence, so the low lights and highlights in your color blend away to one lackluster shade. The texture may also feel dry and brittle or thin, and be more prone to static, breakage, frizz and split ends. A dry scalp will feel itchy and may flake.  

What are some ways you can revive your hair if it’s dry?

The best way is with one of my Rejuvenating Oil treatments (also known as my Four Step Hair & Scalp Treatment Kit), which delivers lipid moisture back into the hair. The natural oils on your scalp (sebum) are a perfect conditioner, but they only reach a few inches past the roots. That’s why Rejuvenating Oil is so important. It contains plant and flower oils that replicate that conditioning effect, feeding lipids back to your hair to leave it looking shiny and bouncy, with a smooth, lush feel. It’s much different than a conventional oil treatment, which sits on the surface of your hair. The molecules in Rejuvenating Oil are so tiny that they absorb into the hair fiber, plumping and conditioning it from the inside out. 

You can also revive dry hair with Safflower Oleosomes (AKA nanomolecular lipids). Those also impart into the hair fiber to activate your curl and wave, and moisturize to eliminate frizz and make your hair shine brighter — it’s like turning a light on. You’ll find them in my Everyday Beautiful and Forever Shine shampoos and conditioners.  

What are some ways you can prevent your hair from becoming dry in the winter? 

Ramp up your conditioning routine. You might switch from using my Weightless or Lightweight Deep Conditioner to Everyday Beautiful or Forever Shine products; the latter both contain time-released Safflower Oleosomes for an ongoing moisture infusion. Or step up from Everyday Beautiful to my Forever Shine or Russian Amber collections. Just a few adaptations can make a huge difference. 

Condition while you sleep. Run some Rejuvenating Oil through your ends at bedtime, or apply one of my deep conditioning masques (like Weightless Conditioning Masque or Russian Amber Imperial Gold Masque) and top it with one of our Silky Smooth Beanies. The beanies are specially designed for hair-oiling and masking. They protect your pillowcase and trap moisture from your scalp to help the conditioning agents sink in. Wake up, rinse out your hair, and it will feel incredible — lush and bouncy with lots of gorgeous shine. 

Should you change your routine in the winter? 

Definitely. Use richer products. Hydrate more. Use a humidifier. Steam baths are wonderful, too. Steaming moisture into your body is great when the weather is rough. 

Which PHILIP B. products do you recommend for the winter months and why? 

I recommend using Rejuvenating Oil once a week, or more often if your hair is super-parched from chemical treatments. 

The shampoos and conditioners in my Everyday Beautiful and Forever Shine collections contain potent, time-released Safflower Oleosomes to condition hair and they work very similarly, just at different strengths

Russian Amber Imperial Shampoo and Conditioner contain a heady mix of Amino Acids and Peptides to help your hair hold moisture and color longer and keep strands feeling plump and bouncy. Good for any hair type, they also make your hair look incredibly glossy, taking highlights higher and lowlights lower. 

Some people experience more itching and flaking in the winter; in that case, you'll want to use one of my life-changing Anti-Flake shampoo formulas. 

And lastly, if you have a dry scalp, I suggest my Scent of Santa Fe Hair + Body Shampoo. It’s made with Sage, Juniper, Piñon and natural Chlorophyll to condition your scalp and your hair. The formula also delivers an exquisite aromatherapy experience. It’s one of my favorite things to use in any season.