We still have a few weeks left before Old Man says good bye so I thought I would share my routine for anyone who maybe struggling with one during this harsh winter.

• Shampoo: I wash once a week with shampoo to make sure my hair is clean because I tend to use heavier products to keep the moisture in my hair and protect my hair from the cold wind and temperatures. You want to get all of the old products and oils off your hair and scalp to avoid build up which can become drying and make your hair appear dull. So I shampoo vs co-washing.
• Deep condition: Deep conditioning is important year around but even more so in the winter because of how cold and dry the air can be inside and outside. I use my hot head for an extra boost to get the product penetrated into my strands.
• Leave-in:  Always use a leave-in! I know this may seem crazy but I prefer the spray leave-ins in the winter because I do use heavier styling products this prevents extra build up. Also if you read the ingredients on the spray leave-in they contain better oils and wates or aloe juice that sometimes aren’t in the cream leave-in.
• Style: I alternated between wash and go, twist outs and protective styling. I will typically check the weather for the upcoming week( my wash day is typically on Saturday). If the majority of the week will be below 50 degrees I do a protective style ( bun or flat twist pinned up. Temperature over 50 I go with wash and go or twist out. I always sit under the dryer post styling to help my style set and products better penetrate vs air drying.
• Night care: For twist outs only re-twist twice during that 5-7 day time frame other nights I will pineapple my hair taking care to tuck my ends under. Wash and go will pineapple but also cover with my satin bonnet. Protective style I will just wrap a satin scarf around my style and go to bed. I like to cover my hair because the heat can be extremely drying on the hair and skin. I always sleep on a satin pillowcase so the nights I don’t have an extra layer of protection I’m not worried about my hair drying out to bad. 

I hope this helps anyone looking for some steps to help with your winter natural hair routine. The ultimate goal is making sure your hair is has plenty of moisture and your ends are sealed against the cold and wind.  I have linked a few of my favorite products to use in each section.