Winter conditions can be harsh on your hair. Keep locks lush and lustrous with these top tips from leading hairdresser, Sabrina Maxwell, from Marc & Maxwell Hair in Surry Hills, Sydney.

Just as summer bodies are made in winter, so too, long, lustrous summer hair begins with proper care throughout the colder months.

“I have so many clients who crave long, thick hair during summer but they don’t realise the work has to start in the cooler months,” explains Sabrina. “It’s kind of like coaching your hair into its best state of health. You’re helping your hair recover from any damage UV rays and swimming in salt or chlorinated water may have inflicted during the previous summer, as well as preventing further damage from the environmental aggressors of winter.”

Stop With The Styling

Sabrina notes that winter is the perfect time to pull back on over-styling and ramp up on hydrating and strengthening treatments.

“The beauty of colder weather is you can hide your hair under a hat. Embrace your trusty shower cap so you don’t spoil your style in the shower. Refresh your locks with dry shampoo and don your favourite fedora so you can skip the blow-dry and your straightening/curling irons a few days each week.”

1. Sisley Hair Pre-Shampoo Purifying Mask, $130, 2. Sisley Hair Rituel Revitalizing Fortifying Seru m, $260, 3. Redken Dry Shampoo Powder with Charcoal 60g, $38, 4. Oribe Gold Dust Dry Shampoo 286 ml, $68, 5. Thanks To Nature Hydrate & Nourish Masque 350 ml, $20
1. Sisley Hair Pre-Shampoo Purifying Mask, $130, 2. Sisley Hair Rituel Revitalizing Fortifying Serum, $260, 3. Redken Dry Shampoo Powder with Charcoal 60g, $38, 4. Oribe Gold Dust Dry Shampoo 286 ml, $68, 5. Thanks To Nature Hydrate & Nourish Masque 350 ml, $20

Wash With Care

“When you do wash your hair, choose a nurturing, hydrating formula that will quench thirsty strands as well as protect them from dehydration caused by icy winds and cooler temperatures,” advises Sabrina.

“Gently massage the scalp only and allow the suds to cleanse the lengths of the hair as you rinse them away. Don’t forget to condition your scalp as well as the lengths of your hair though. It’s skin and just like the skin on your face, it requires hydration, too.”

1. My Soda Australia Hydrate Shampoo & Conditioner 350 ml, $10 each, 2. Oribe Shampoo for Moisture & Control 250 ml, $68, 3. Oribe Intense Conditioner for Moisture & Control 200 ml, $72, 4. TRESemmé Pro Pure Damage Shampoo and Conditioner 675 ml, $12.99 each, 5. Pump Anti Frizz Shampoo & Conditioner 205 ml, $34.95 each, 6. Thanks To Nature Hydrate & Nourish Shampoo & Conditioner 500 ml, $16 each
1. My Soda Australia Hydrate Shampoo & Conditioner 350 ml, $10 each, 2. Oribe Shampoo for Moisture & Control 250 ml, $68, 3. Oribe Intense Conditioner for Moisture & Control 200 ml, $72, 4. TRESemmé Pro Pure Damage Shampoo and Conditioner 675 ml, $12.99 each, 5. Pump Anti Frizz Shampoo & Conditioner 205 ml, $34.95 each, 6. Thanks To Nature Hydrate & Nourish Shampoo & Conditioner 500 ml, $16 each

Make a Regular Date With Your Hair’s Best Mate

That’s right … your hairdresser. Make a once-a-month (or at least every six weeks) to get any split strands nibbled away by a professional’s scissors, while adding flair to your style at the same time. “You don’t need to go for a dramatic cut,” says Sabrina,” however we do see an uptrend in clients cutting quite a few inches off in the winter months. This helps get rid of any dry, split or compromised strands and ensures hair is at a just-perfect length once summer rolls around again.”

Trend Alert

It’s impossible to talk seasonal hair without talking seasonal trends. According to Sabrina, bangs are back, big time. “Fringes are more popular than ever for winter,” she explains. “Typically, it’s because the lack of humidity in the air means there’s less chance of frizz and your fringe is a good deal more controllable than in summer. trends as the humidity plays less havoc and they are easier to maintain. Grown out bangs that are on the longer side are perfectly en pointe for winter.”

1. ghd Unpluggedin Black and White, $475, 2. Pump Frizz No More 125 ml, $32, 3. White Sands Smudge Texture Crème 58 ml, $27.95, 4. White Sands Australia Gel-Us 218 ml, $22.95, 5. Sisley Hair Rituel La Creme 230, $125, 6. REF Spray Wax 434 250 ml, $35.50,7. REF Rough Paste 150 ml, $35.50, 8. PURE PACT Ginseng Control Butter 80 ml, $35.50
1. ghd Unpluggedin Black and White, $475, 2. Pump Frizz No More 125 ml, $32, 3. White Sands Smudge Texture Crème 58 ml, $27.95, 4. White Sands Australia Gel-Us 218 ml, $22.95, 5. Sisley Hair Rituel La Creme 230, $125, 6. REF Spray Wax 434 250 ml, $35.50,7. REF Rough Paste 150 ml, $35.50, 8. PURE PACT Ginseng Control Butter 80 ml, $35.50
1. R+CO Sun Catcher Vitamin C Leave In Conditioner 119 ml, $49, 2. Aveda Nutriplenish Leave-In Conditioner 200 ml, $53, 3. INNOluxe V2 Elixir 100 ml, $69
1. R+CO Sun Catcher Vitamin C Leave In Conditioner 119 ml, $49, 2. Aveda Nutriplenish Leave-In Conditioner 200 ml, $53, 3. INNOluxe V2 Elixir 100 ml, $69

Cut Back On Colour

For the sake of your hair’s health, you may also wish to stretch colour out an extra week or two as well. As for colour trends, Sabrina is encouraging a step away from the ash blondes and welcoming in honey tones. “By adding warmer dimensions around the face, you create more depth of tone to the complexion, and you get a lift and glow that will last all winter.”

“For brunettes, we are all about embracing shine and gloss, which means enriching your existing colour with colour gloss treatments and toners,” says Sabrina. “This prepares them for the warmer months by keeping their ends sealed and their overall mane feeling and looking glossy. That mega-shine is the key to keeping your hair looking and feeling amazing right throughout the year. The darker you are in winter the better … save your pastel hues and highlights for summer.”

Don’t forget to apply a leave-in UV protectant to your hair before heading out, to protect against the sun’s rays, which are often just as strong in winter as they are in in summer.

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