Renewing Fatigued Hair

By NiaOnline

Has the cold weather done a number on your do? Here's how to nurse it back to health and get it ready for showing off this spring.

Sisters know how winter can wreak havoc on highlights and other chemical processes. "During the season, there is little moisture in the air," explains New York-based celebrity stylist Anthony Dickey, author of 'Hair Rules! The Ultimate Hair Care Guide for Women With Kinky, Curly or Wavy Hair' (Villard; $13.95).

This means that black textured hair, which is already lacking moisture, runs the risk of increased dryness and breakage. "In winter, hair is also deprived of vitamin D from the sun." NiaOnline asked Dickey to reveal three guaranteed tress savers to help your hair survive the cold and spring back to life.

Go Deep: The Cream-Conditioner Fix

"Conditioning treatments under a hood dryer are the best thing you can do to reverse the effects of winter," says Dickey. Stay under the dryer for at least 30 minutes every time you wash. "The longer the better, because the heat helps to open cuticles, meaning the conditioner can penetrate even deeper."

While he acknowledges that it may seem like a time-intensive hassle, Dickey, who has styled the hair of Naomi Campbell and Alicia Keys, suggests asking yourself, "What do I want to make a priority?" If you treat your hair as well as you do your skin, then it will look good no matter what the season. To give your hair intensive care, check out PhytoSpecific Intense Nutrition Mask ($22).

Striking Oil: The Good and the Bad of Hair Oils

"Hot-oil treatments are a big myth," believes Dickey, who explains that the oil in the treatment actually removes your own hair's oil by breaking it down, which allows it to be washed away during shampooing. This means that hot-oil treatments do not add moisture to the hair; at best, according to Dickey, they can provide some nourishment to the scalp and get rid of product buildup.

Instead of hot-oil treatments, Dickey recommends scalp massages with essential oils done on freshly washed hair. These gentle oils can normalize and condition a dry, parched scalp while unclogging pores. Jojoba and almond oils are both excellent for restoring lost moisture to hair and scalp. One to try: Aveda Scalp Remedy ($11).

The Wet Set: A Style Saver

"Wet setting is a must for anyone who has a chemical relaxer or who wears straight styles," says Dickey, who also recommends the routine for women with natural hair who want to create textured looks by setting wet hair with braids or twists. Because you are eliminating the heat of blow dryers, curling irons, and flat irons, it is a safer, healthier way to style hair.

Here's how to do it: After shampooing and conditioning hair, use a setting lotion or mousse on very wet hair. Roll the hair into plastic magnetic rollers (not Velcro or sponge rollers, which can cause breakage), remembering that the larger the roller, the less curl. Sit under a hood dryer until hair dries and then let cool for five minutes before removing curlers. Finger-comb hair, or brush with a paddle brush, to achieve the desired style.

Article written by NiaOnline.com, an online community by, for, and about Black women and their interests. Go to www.niaonline.com for more articles like this one, plus info on 'The Nia Guide For Black Women: Balancing Work & Life.'