Pull off a toque in January and you know the look. Hair standing straight up, ends that feel like straw, and a halo of frizz that no amount of smoothing settles. Winter is hard on hair for the same reason it is hard on skin. The air is dry, and dry hair behaves badly.
Why does hair get so staticky in winter?
Static is an electrical charge, and moisture is what normally lets that charge dissipate. In humid air, a thin film of water on each strand carries the charge away. In dry indoor air there is nothing to carry it, so friction from a sweater, a scarf or a hat builds up a charge that stays put. Strands carrying the same charge push away from each other, and your hair stands on end.
Dry hair is also more prone to static than well-conditioned hair, so the problem compounds as the season goes on.
What causes winter frizz and breakage?
The outer layer of each hair, the cuticle, is made of overlapping scales. When hair is well conditioned, those scales lie flat and the strand looks smooth and reflects light. When hair is dry, the scales lift. Lifted scales catch on each other, which reads as frizz, and they leave the inside of the strand more exposed, which is why dry hair snaps more easily when you brush it.
Add hot showers, hot tools, and the friction of wool and synthetic fabrics, and the ends take the worst of it.
How do oils help with static and frizz?
A small amount of oil coats the strand, helping the cuticle lie flatter and reducing friction between hairs and against fabric. Smoother strands build up less static, catch less, and look shinier. Oil also helps slow moisture loss from the strand itself.
The key word is small. Too much oil weighs hair down and looks greasy by the afternoon.
A simple winter hair routine
Oil the lengths before washing. Once or twice a week, work oil through the mid-lengths and ends 30 minutes to an hour before you shampoo, or overnight if your hair is very dry. This is the heart of hair oiling, and it is especially useful in winter.
Wash with lukewarm water. Hot water lifts the cuticle and strips more oil from the scalp and lengths.
Seal damp ends. After washing, warm one or two drops between your palms and smooth them over the ends while your hair is still damp.
Tame static on the go. Rub the faintest trace of oil over your palms and smooth them over the surface of your hair. One drop is plenty.
Change what touches your hair. A silk or satin lining in your toque, or a satin pillowcase, cuts friction considerably.
Which oil for which hair?
Argan is the all-rounder. Light enough for fine and medium hair, and ideal for finishing damp ends and smoothing static.
Batana is rich and dense. It is at its best as a pre-wash treatment for thick, coarse, curly or very dry hair.
If your scalp also feels dry and tight in winter, Rosemary + Castor Hair Oil is made as a scalp ritual oil, massaged in before washing. Our piece on scalp skinification explains why the scalp deserves as much care as the lengths.
