Hair Treatment for Dry Hair: Editors’ Picks
Nexxus New York Salon Care Humectress Moisture Restoring Masque
“My natural hair gets so dry during the winter months, sometimes I think I’m gliding my fingers through sand. I’ve been using the Nexxus Humectress Moisture Restoring Masque and I love how it works to replenish and whip my dry hair back into shape in an instant. Not kidding! After washing my hair, as soon as I apply the masque it melts between my strands, softens my hair and drenches it with moisture. This for sure will be in rotation all season long.” Alyssa François, Associate Beauty Editor
Dove Nutritive Solutions Intensive Repair Deep Treatment Mask
“My hair is color-processed, therefore it needs all the help it can get. Dove Nutritive Solutions Intensive Repair Deep Treatment Mask handles my damage in two steps: First, it protects my roots from further damage, then penetrates to repair any existing gnarliness from root to tip. It’s non-greasy too!” Eunice Lucero, Editor in Chief
Suave Professionals Coconut Milk Infusion Intense Moisture Mask
“I’ve been loving Suave Professionals Coconut Milk Infusion Intense Moisture Mask as the has been weather getting colder. A summer of sun exposure combined with freshly bleached ends means that moisture is in high demand these days! I’m laying off the hot tools and going all in on this mask on a weekly basis to repair the damage and prep my hair for the inevitable dryness ahead.” Miriam Herst, Assistant Editor
Suave Professionals Moisture Mask with Almond & Shea Butter
“One of my favorite (and much needed) mid-week rituals has involved incorporating a hair mask into my hair care regimen. After I wash my hair, I apply Suave Professionals Moisture Mask with Almond & Shea Butter to my hair and let it do its magic for five minutes. The result? Moisturized hair that’s ridiculously soft. I also love the rich smell and long-lasting fragrance of the mask that’s infused with 100 percent natural almond & shea butter.” Serena Norr, Writer
How to Fix Dry Hair
1. Spread out your washes.
If you’ve ever wanted to try skipping a wash or two, now is the time. Being that winter air is notoriously drying (and that most of us have it bundled up under our pom-pom beanies anyway), this is also the most forgiving time to let that wash day slide. For better or worse, hair swells up and can lose moisture every time it’s exposed to water, which brings us to…
2. Have a leave-in moisturizer on lock.
A consistent, efficient conditioning routine is one of the best dry hair solutions one can have in the winter. Changes in temperature, i.e. entering a warm room from a freezing street, or even leaving hot yoga, can cause hair to frizz out from condensation. Keeping your hair’s moisture levels balanced will not only keep it shiny and healthy-looking, it will also help minimize tangling and unruliness. Stashing a leave-in conditioning spray in your gym locker or work desk can help during those in-between times when the temps and weather are inconsistent.
3. Book a trim.
You know when they say that there’s nothing like freshly cut grass? We’re that way, but with hair: A simple haircut or trim is one of the best dry hair remedies and can do wonders in maintaining the integrity of your locks, not to mention keeping split ends at bay. It’s also one of the most visibly effective dry hair solutions, as it rids hair of thinning, frayed or porous-looking tips.
4. Multi-mask.
Winter is an awesome time to experiment with different hair masks to find the best one for your hair type. Or, better yet, mix and match! Just as with the weather, your hair needs can differ day to day—you might find a rinse-off treatment more beneficial on the weekdays but need a creamier, more intense deep conditioner during your #SundaySlowdowns. Cocktail various deep conditioning combos, but try to at least pick up one that works for you—your parched strands will see the difference!
5. Use thermal protectant, always.
Blowdrying is oh-so-necessary, now more than ever (because icicles on your locks are never a good look—true story.). Hit a compromise between frequent heat styling and the need for efficient hair drying via a heat protect spray, like TRESemmé Thermal Creations Heat Tamer Spray. It helps coat hair with a protective layer of conditioning agents, so you’re free to blow-dry your hair another day.
Top Hair Problems and the Dry Hair Remedies to Solve Each
Issue #1: Breakage.
Hair that’s been overexposed to chemicals (bleach, chlorine) and heat (whether straight from the source, or from styling tools) can be particularly brittle and prone to breakage. Dry hair that has this level of damage needs a restorative treatment—usually protein-based—that delivers a potent shot of moisture, ASAP. Nexxus Emergencee Reconstructive Treatment has a keratin formulation that dramatically improves damaged hair in just one use. Tip: Its thicker consistency, once rinsed off and followed with conditioner, helps provide a renewed slip to your locks. Prepare to be surprised by these dry hair treatments.
Issue #2: Unruliness.
Can you say hot mess? Sun exposure, pool chemicals, salt water, scalp grease and humidity can act as a perfect storm for hair that just refuses to do anything except look like a giant bird’s nest. Calm down dry hair that’s also ventured into unmanageable territories with a botanical-infused mask that’s effective, yet gentle enough to be used every two to three days. A hair mask gets your hair touchably soft after one rinse, making it a nice indulgence every time we’ve put our strands through their paces.
Issue #3: Frizz.
Dry hair lacks moisture, which then begets frizz. Add a particularly humid day to the mix and things can get nuclear on the flyaway front. The solution is to ensure strands are optimally conditioned throughout the day, so they don’t find the need to soak up more moisture in the air—which is what swells them up, creating that pouf.
Issue #4: Split Ends.
The proof is in the pudding… or in this case, rough, fraying ends. Once the hair’s cuticle has been severely damaged—usually brought about by chemical processes such as relaxing and bleaching—it breaks and splays open, resulting in split ends. And since longer hair is believed to be older (and weaker, having endured more damage), it’s more susceptible. In more severe cases, sometimes, alas, a lob haircut is the answer; otherwise, prevent your ends from fraying—and preserve those beloved lengths—with an intensely restorative treatment that’s still lightweight enough to use daily. A hair mask can help to save your strands in two remarkable ways: first, by protecting and nourishing roots (without the weigh-down, hooray!), and two, by intensively repairing existing damage.
Issue #5: Allover Dryness.
Even those with normal hair types can experience acute bouts of dryness in the summer, especially when coupled with daily use of hot tools. Although not as alarming a case, an allover roughness can still prove frustrating, especially when you experience some breakage after unfurling that top knot or find that you’re frizzing out more than you usually do. A deep conditioning mask that you can enjoy weekly can breathe new life into tired locks. Redefine Sunday Funday with five minutes of steeping the intensely nourishing Nexxus Humectress Restoring Masque into your hair, while catching up on your glossies. Looking for more dry hair remedies? Check out some of the best products for frizzy hair.
