Essential winter tips to protect your locks from drying out and creating frizz.


It’s that time of year again! The holiday season usually means lots of travel, snow and turning up the heat indoors.

But keeping warm in the winter can do a lot of damage to curly hair! Fireplaces, dry air and heating systems all dry out our curls, but there are some simple curly hair tips and tricks to protect your locks from drying out and creating frizz.

Follow just a few of these steps for your curl type and you’ll be good to go any wintery day!

1. Use that Conditioner!

Because curly hair is very porous, conditioner helps to fill the “holes” and lock in moisture.

  1. Type 2 (Waves): Use a daily conditioning treatment when you shower. Try a light leave-in for afterwards, such as a spray leave-in or light creme. Treat your curls to a deep conditioning treatment once a week.
  2. Type 3 (Curls): Condition regularly while you shower. Leave conditioner in your hair for an extra five to eight minutes as you shower. Apply a leave-in conditioner, or even some of your regular conditioner as your leave-in. Treat your locks to a deep conditioning treatment 1 to 2x per week, depending on your exposure to the elements and curl type. The colder your climate and tighter your curl, the more you need to deep condition.
  3. Type 4 (Kinks): Condition with every shower, leaving conditioner on an extra five to ten minutes in the shower. Apply a heavy-handed amount of leave-in conditioner afterwards (cremes work best) and use a deep conditioner treatment twice a week.

For all hair types, it’s best to stay away from blow-drying and heat tools. However, if you absolutely have to use them, make sure to cut down on drying time and use them as little as possible.

2. Brushes and Combs are a No-No!

Except in your shower! All curl types can use a wide-tooth comb to go through their curls. Types 3 and 4 should comb through with conditioner applied to the hair, and keep it sopping wet.

3. Lock in Moisture

After your leave-in, it’s time to lock in the curl pattern. Keep hair as wet as possible and create three to five sections (depending on hair length) to apply curling gels or cremes.

  1. Type 2 (Waves): Apply a non-alcohol based curling spray gel to your curls or waves.
  2. Type 3 (Curls): Apply a non-alcohol based curl gel. Be generous, and keep your hair wet. If you need to, keep a water bottle handy and mist your curls as you apply the gel to any drying areas.
  3. Type 4 (Kinks): Apply a curl creme or gel generously and finger twist curls into place as you apply.