In South Africa, winter arrives in the blink of an eye. We’ve barely worn our in-between-weather clothing and already it’s time to dig out the parkas and puffer jackets.

For many of us, winter is a joy: sipping hot chocolate in front of the fire, a lazy lie-in on the weekend and the sound of the rain… But for those of us with brittle, dry or damaged hair, this season can get tricky.

When the colder temperature sets in, the humidity drops, which means that there is less moisture in the air. When this happens, the air draws moisture from anything it can – including your hair and skin! That’s why dry hair is one of the most common winter beauty concerns, and why we are more prone to breakage, frizz and split ends during the colder months.

We’re always told that we need to adapt our skincare routines when we move from summer to winter. Lighter products get swapped out for richer, more nourishing formulations to combat the effect of the cold on our skin. Our hair is very much the same: when the cold weather sets in, hair needs extra moisture and nutrients to keep it soft, hydrated and healthy.

Protect your hair from the elements and give it a moisture boost by following these winter hair care tips courtesy of Nilotiqa.

Don’t over-shampoo

Washing your hair regularly in summer is essential to rid your hair and scalp of sweat and bacteria. When the weather cools down, try to shampoo a little less frequently and change your regular shampoo for a gentler formula. When we shampoo our hair we also remove the natural oils produced by our scalps, and in winter, these are essential to keep our hair moisturised. Try: Nilotiqa Shea & Coco Moisturising Conditioner (R119.99). It is the perfect shampoo for winter as it replenishes lost moisture in dry and brittle hair. Active ingredients shea butter and coconut oil deeply nourish hair, while others gently cleanse and purify hair, removing build-up.

Look after your scalp

It’s not unusual for one’s skin to get dry during winter, and that goes for the scalp too! A dry scalp can become itchy and uncomfortable, and may even flake. Avoid this by moisturising your scalp frequently. Try: Nilotiqa Shea & Coco Scalp and Hair Oil (R99.99). This lightweight oil easily penetrates hair and skin to seal in the moisture and is packed with high amounts of vitamin E and C, leaving hair and scalp nourished and moisturised.

Try leave-in conditioning products

If you’ve never tried a leave-in conditioner, now is your time! It helps replenish moisture and combat the effects of hot styling aids and cold winds. Plus, it’ll leave your hair feeling soft, lustrous and moisturised. If you like a lighter texture, try Nilotiqa Shea & Coco Repairing Leave-In Conditioner (R99.99) which rehydrates hair and protects it from breaking. It has a creamy formula that softens the hair while restoring its moisture balance.

If you prefer a buttery texture, try: Nilotiqa Shea & Coco Deep Moisture Butter (R100.00). It replenishes the hair’s moisture and is suitable for daily use. The formula contains shea butter and coconut oil to replenish moisture – it deeply nourishes while locking in moisture.

Don’t skip your weekly hair mask

Most of us need the extra moisture boost that a hair mask offers, and during winter, a weekly mask can make a big difference in repairing and protecting hair. Hair masks contain more concentrated ingredients than conditioners, which includes stronger moisturisers and hydrators that replenish and lock in moisture. Try: Nilotiqa Shea & Coco Intensive Repair & Strengthen Mask (R129.99). It helps to strengthen and repair hair, while preventing breakage and damage. This intensive treatment deeply penetrates hair follicles to condition strands with a protein-enriched formula. It is perfect for restoring damaged natural hair. Enriched with protein, it penetrates the hair follicles for an intensive hair treatment.

Give curls some extra definition

Curly hair is naturally drier than straight hair, so it’ll need plenty of additional moisture during winter. Because of the low humidity, curly girls may also find their hair more prone to frizz, with less definition and less manageability. We recommend applying a curl enhancing product like Nilotiqa Shea & Coco Curl Enhancing Activator (R99.99), which contains coconut oil, shea butter, jojoba and sunflower to enhance and define your curls, adding healthy shine too. Simply apply to damp hair and leave in. Prefer a richer formula? Try Nilotiqa Shea & Coco Moisturising Curling Cream (R130.00) which combines coconut oil, shea butter, pro-vitamin B5, grapeseed oil and sunflower oil to turn dry, brittle hair into luscious curls, free from frizz.

Don’t let winter get the better of your hair this season – with these simple adjustments to your regime, you’ll have soft, healthy and moisturized hair all winter long.

Shop Nilotiqa products at selected Clicks, Dis-Chem & Pick n Pay stores.

Learn more at https://www.nilotiqa.com/

Facebook: @nilotiqa

Instagram: @nilotiqa

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About Nilotiqa

We offer a solution to allow black women to retain moisture that is necessary for healthy hair maintenance and healthy hair growth. Whether your hair is in protective styling, an au natural fro, or whether you’re transitioning, our goal is to help keep your hair as healthy as possible. Created by a Black Woman for Black Women to nurture, protect and care for their kinks and coils. A proudly South African brand where rich, nourishing and moisturizing ingredients are sourced from South Africa and Africa.

We pride ourselves in sourcing only the best, natural, qualitative, nutritive ingredients from the African soil

Our products are free from chemicals; parabens; sulphates; mineral oil; waxes; formaldehyde & petroleum. We are cruelty free.