South African winters can be unforgiving to the strict maintenance of a natural hair routine. We chatted to lifestyle blogger (and overall natural hair goddess), Robyn Thomas who played muse for the new TRESemmé Botanique campaign.
Keeping your hair hydrated and healthy during winter is no easy task. Try these five tips to help keep your mane luscious no matter the season:
Protective style
Whether you’re flaunting an afro or a head of bouncy curls, there’s no need to dodge rainfall, just adjust your routine. Regardless of your hair type, cold climates can leave our hair feeling fragile. Fixing your hair in protective styles like braids or buns, that hide your ends are great ways to retain moisture.
Moisturise using non-comedogenic oils
We all have our favourite oils and butter – and we learnt the hard way that very few of the popular options like coconut oil and flaxseed oil can actually be absorbed by our hair follicles. Make sure that you’re using the right ingredients to boost hydration rather than adding to product build-up and blocking your hair follicles from getting moisture. Argan oil, mango butter and botanicals like aloe vera gel are your best bet to prevent clogging.
Go easy on the head scarfs and beanies
If you’ve already gone shopping for hats and head scarfs in preparation for the colder weather, be aware that covering your hair with cotton fabrics can cause breakage and dry out your hair. A cool trick to continue wearing your favourite accessories is to first cover your head with a satin or silk sleep cap before layering your cotton material.
Learn to co-wash
Maintaining a healthy scalp means avoiding product build-up. But some shampoos can leave our hair feeling extra dry and stringy. Clarifying hair with a conditioner can also help to cleanse your hair while helping to retain its natural moisture.
Don’t leave your hair wet
Have you ever noticed how soft your nails get when you’ve been soaking in the bath for a while? In the same way, your hair becomes fragile if you don’t allow it to dry. Make sure that your hair is dry before going out so that it regains its strength to endure the harsh weather.
Robyn’s top 5 products to try:
Definitely TRESemmé Botanique shampoo and conditioner. The shampoo clarifies my hair without leaving it feeling dry and stringy. The conditioner works well as a detangler since I don’t use a comb but rather finger detangle my hair. My hair also doesn’t shrink as much when using the conditioner, so I know that it’s really retaining moisture.
Then number three is unrefined Shea butter. I buy the Organic Ugandan Shea butter from wellness warehouse but you can get it anywhere. This helps to hydrate and lock in moisture. I apply it straight after rinsing my conditioner before styling.
My favourite styling product is homemade flaxseed gel. There’s a tutorial on how to make it on my blog. Flaxseed is rich in protein and gives my hair a lovely sheen.
Auntie Jackie’s Curl La La Defining Curl Custard is one of my top five favourites. Until I find a curl cream that smells as great and locks my twists as perfectly, this is my favourite substitute for when I don’t have time to cook up some gel.
Learn more about how to maintain natural hair and retain length from Lifestyle Blogger, Robyn Ruth Thomas: Bewhole
Facebook: @bewhole Instagram: @robynruththomas Twitter: @robynruththomas
5 Responses
My sister-in-law is Afrikaans and really battled with taking care of my niece’s hair (mixed race), I found Aunty Jackies and recommended she try it, she was so grateful, Aerin’s hair is not dry and brittle any more, her frizz is tamed and her curls are so well defined, the moisturisers aren’t greasy and it contains all the good stuff.
I have naturally curly hair, and it can be hard to manage most of the time. When I first used Aunt Jackie’s Curl Custard I was absolutely amazed at it, my curls are more defined and look amazing. I absolutely love this product for my hair.
Winter is my best time for bad hair days. Nevertheless, I colour less in winter and leave my hair in its natural look instead of straightening so much. These are great tips for winter hair!
I love using the Tresemme hair products! They are amazing value for money
Aunt Jackie’s curl lala smells amazing I’m obsessed with the smell and i like that you can apply as much as you want and hair is not left feeling greasy or weighed down.