Be Frizz-Free This Winter

Winter-proof your hair by beginning with a good cut to get rid of dry and damaged ends. Split ends can travel up the hair shaft making it look even more fluffy and frizzy. Once that’s sorted, make sure you invest in a good hair mask or conditioner. By far the most effective way of fighting frizz is pumping moisture back into your hair. But there are other things you can do to make your hair more manageable when winter arrives.

Always wash your hair in lukewarm water. Too hot and it will damage the hair. Hot water can cause the hair cuticle to rise. Wash in warm water, and you can always blast hair with a cold rinse to help close those cuticles and add shine. You don’t need to wash your hair every day – especially if it is dry or damaged. Try and reduce washing to every four or five days, but be aware that colder weather typically means a drier scalp and possibly dandruff, which means you may want to wash and treat your scalp more frequently.

When you wash your hair, avoid shampoos with a high alcohol content which will strip the hair of more moisture. Look for a hydrating shampoo such as Bumble & Bumble’s feather-light Invisible Oil Shampoo, £25.50, or Briogeo’s Farewell Frizz Smoothing Shampoo, £22.99, infused with ultra-nourishing rosehip, argan and coconut oils.

There are a mind-blowing number of conditioners and hair masks on the market, including those specifically design to fight frizz. Often it is a matter of trial and error to find your favourite, but we love Drunk Elephant’s Cocomino Marula Cream Conditioner, £21, designed to fortify and protect both hair and scalp, and Frizz Dismiss, £25.80 from Redken, formulated with humidity-resist complex to control frizz and flyaways without weighing hair down. When you do condition your hair, make sure you cover the mid-ends and ends (rather than the scalp) which is where it is needed most.

Once a week use a hair mask – sleep in it if you want to. By infusing as much moisture as you can into the hair shaft you are fighting the frizz in the best way possible. Masks to try include the iconic deep conditioning Elasticizer, £34, from hair guru Philip Kingsley. Apply liberally to damp hair, cover with a towel or shower cap and leave for a minimum of 20 minutes, or overnight, and then wash off.

You can lock-in moisture effectively by combing through a leave-in treatment such as Kérastase Discipline Keratin Thermique Creme, £24.50, which resurfaces and protects hair and tames frizz by sealing-in active ingredients. Living Proof’s Restore Perfecting Spray, £26, strengthens, adds shine, smooths and conditions whilst protecting from heat and weather.

Don’t rub your hair dry. The friction will disturb the cuticle and cause more frizz. Simply pat dry carefully. And if you often wake up to fluffy hair, try investing in a silk pillowcase to cut down on friction as you sleep. For those with long hair, a loose bun will protect hair as you toss and turn and prevent morning tangles.

Don’t over brush your hair but opt for a wide tooth comb instead. Less bristles means less friction and less damage, which equals less frizz.

We all know direct heat damages hair so try and keep your use of straighteners and curling tongs to a minimum. If you need to use them, try and apply a heat protectorant – most will have built-in anti-humectants to fight frizz too. Olaplex No7 Bonding Oil, £26, is a highly concentrated, nourishing oil which instantly adds gloss and shine and helps manage flyaways and frizz, and provides heat protection too. Dream Coat Supernatural Spray, £25, by Colour Wow acts as a mini keratin treatment transforming hair for a frizz-free, glossy finish. Simply spray on damp hair (it needs blow drying into hair to activate the ingredients) after every three or four shampoos.

Once your hair is dry, you can fight flyaways using a clean mascara brush or toothbrush sprayed with an alcohol-free hairspray such as the deliciously scented Soft Hair Spray, £22 by Ouai, and comb it gently through your hair for a super-sleek finish.