The four commandments for heavenly hair in winter

CONTRARY to popular belief, the winter months don’t have to wreak havoc on your healthy, glowing locks. Oscar Oscar artistic director Jess Longhurst gives us the low down on the four hair commandments you should abide by to keep your tresses looking lustrous well after the winter chill sets in.

1. Thou shall put down thy hair straightener

The mercury has dropped to the single digits, your hair is in a state of disarray and the only way to remedy the frizz situation is with that magical straightening wand, right? Wrong! “Hot tools will make your hair look sleek in the short term, but in the long run you’re just drying your hair out more than it already is from the changing seasons. Try blow drying and straightening your hair and then vetoing the tong in favour of a little dry shampoo in between washes – you’ll end up with a tousled look that is effortlessly chic and still on trend,” says Jess.

2. Thou shall use heat protection

If you do find yourself reaching for the straightening iron, make sure you’re using a heat protectant to stop your hair from getting fried and damaged from the heat. Try Redken’s Iron Shape 11 Finishing Thermal Spray.

3. Thou shall treat thyself

Treatments are your hair’s knight in shining armour during the cooler seasons. “Using an intensive hydrating treatment each week will bring even the most lacklustre hair new life,” explains Jess.

4. Thou shalt visit thy hairdresser

With extreme temperature changes in winter, hair is more prone to developing split ends. “While there are many ways to try to lessen the look of split ends, once the hair is well and truly split the only real way to banish splits for good is to cut them off. This means regular trips to the salon – ideally every six to eight weeks for a small trim. And if you take this advice as gospel, your tresses are guaranteed to look a million times better once summer rolls around.