While it's well-known that cold weather isn’t great for our skin, clients are only recently becoming aware of the harmful effects of winter conditions on their hair. From icy winds and hot, dry central heating, to hats and harsh festive styling techniques, it’s hard to maintain that healthy, shiny look and feel throughout the season.
Google searches for ‘winter hair’ have been on the rise for the past five years, with the peak in searches jumping by 50% from 2022 to 2024, and in the past month, interest in ‘winter hair care’ has shot up by 100%.
Marie Nieuwoudt, Stylist and Group Educator at CLOUD NINE, offers some expert advice on how to help clients with the top 5 most searched winter hair problems.
1. Hair Shedding
Searches for ‘hair fall’, ‘hair shedding’ and ‘hair loss’ usually peak between September and November, but this year, they’ve begun earlier than usual, indicating the issue is becoming more of a concern.
The hair’s natural seasonal cycle sees increased hair shedding during the colder months due to changes in daylight and hormones which send more hairs into the telogen (resting) phase. Extreme temperatures such as icy weather and indoor heating, which can dry out the hair and scalp, further encourage shedding.
While it’s normal for your clients to notice more hair than usual on their hairbrush during autumn and winter, you can help them slow down seasonal hair loss:
- Advise them to handle their hair with care. As part of their at-home haircare routine, they should wash, dry and style gently, avoiding tight hairstyles and harsh treatments which can exacerbate hair fall. Suggest they detangle their hair in the shower using a brush specifically designed for wet hair while it’s smothered in a hydrating conditioner.
- Encourage a balanced diet. Suggest clients choose foods rich in essential hair-building proteins like keratin and collagen to encourage continued growth.
- Promote hydration. Drinking two litres of water per day can help hydrate from the inside out and ensure essential hair-building nutrients are delivered to the scalp.
2. Colour Woes
‘Winter hair colour’ is one of the most searched keywords around the topic of winter hair, with particular interest from early September until late December. This year, hair enthusiasts seem to be planning ahead, beginning their search for solutions back in August.
Whether your clients are looking to maintain their highlights in cold weather or are thinking of switching to a low-maintenance shade for the winter months, there are some universal winter colour care tips you should share with them:
- Prolong colour with safe straightening. Advise your clients to turn down the temperature on their heated styling tools to help colour last all winter long. CLOUD NINE straighteners come with Variable Temperature Control and Revive Mode vibration, so clients can style at the lowest possible temperature, avoiding damage while still achieving flawless results.
- Choose colour or blonde-safe shampoos. Clients can keep highlights, lowlights or full head colour looking as vibrant as the day they walked out of the salon with the right products.
3. Menopausal Hair
Menopause is associated with various hair problems, including changes in texture, dryness, and even hair loss, all of which can be worsened by harsh winter weather. It’s no surprise that searches for ‘menopause hair’ and ‘menopause hair loss’ both peak in the late autumn and winter months. So, what can be done to help clients with these concerns?
- Talk about adding supplements to their diet. Ensure your clients get the right balance of nutrients to keep menopausal hair healthy, strong and shiny over winter. Some important ones for hair health are iron, collagen, omega 3, magnesium, and vitamins B, D and K.
- Educate them on the impact of different styling temperatures. Using unnecessarily high temperatures on menopausal hair can be particularly damaging, as it may be more delicate than it previously was. Combine this with freezing winter winds, and damage becomes inevitable. You can recommend the CLOUD NINE Temperature Calculator to work out the best temperature for their hair’s type, texture and condition.
4. Frizzy Curls
Searches for ‘frizzy hair’ usually peak between September and November each year, while searches for ‘frizzy curls’ spike in November, December and January.
Whether wearing a woolly hat is leaving your clients struggling with tussled-up hat hair, or their curls just aren’t enjoying the dry air of winter, there are a few steps you can recommend to help them tackle the frizz:
- Talk to your clients about a satin or silk-lined hat and scarf. Protect curls from excess cold and dryness with silk-lined accessories that are breathable and friction-free.
- Recommend washing and styling in the evening. To dodge dehydration, clients should avoid heading outside with wet or damp hair, which is easily damaged when it comes into contact with icy cold air. Instead, they should wash hair the night before and allow it to air dry or diffuse once partially dry.
5. Men’s Haircare
Search interest in men’s haircare peaks every winter as seasonal hair worries – from thinning and scalp irritation to grease and styling – become more prominent.
If your clients are looking for the perfect Christmas haircare gift for the man in their life, here are a few essentials:
- Scalp care matters. Chilly temperatures can cause hair follicles to lift, preventing moisture from locking into the hair shaft, leading to damaged hair follicles and a dry, sensitive scalp. Men can prevent irritation and itching while also reducing the chances of thinning by indulging in weekly hair oil scalp massages to moisturise and promote blood flow.
- Stop hat hair in its tracks. If they’re prone to that frizzy, fuzzy look, they don’t need to compromise warmth to keep their hair looking good. Anti-frizz mists to spritz on your hair daily are a great option.
- Avoid grease with lightweight hydration. The combination of harsh weather and frequent hat-wearing can cause hair to dry up, sending the scalp into sebum overdrive. To tackle excess oil, clients should keep up a frequent washing routine with clarifying shampoo, and leave the heavy styling products on the summer shelf. Instead, opting for a lightweight moisturising serum can help to prevent build-up.
