Caring For Your Hair In Autumn/Fall

Seasonal Changes In Your Hair

How are we in Autumn already? The sliders have been swapped for boots,
the Kimonos for coats and now it is also time to think about how Autumn is
affecting changes in our hair and what we need to do to ensure that our
manes stay as healthy as possible.

The colder months trigger a collection of potential problems that your hair
might endure if not cared for correctly. Not only are our damaged, split ends
in need some major TLC from the sunshine and beach waves that summer
brought, a mixture of cold winds, central heating and overuse of styling tools
in Autumn will also have a detrimental effect on our hair cuticles if not cared
for correctly. The cuticle is a protective layer around each strand of hair and
when this gets damaged, hair shine decreases and porosity, dryness and
tangling increases.

Unfortunately, split ends cannot be saved, which is why going for a chop is
very popular at this time of year. If a daring bob is not for you, your hairdresser
will let you know exactly how many inches you need to say goodbye to ensure
that you make way for the healthier hair to grow through.

Our Health

We all know how in recent times; it is more important than ever to look after
yourselves both mentally and physically. With the dark nights drawing in and
the sunshine making less of an appearance, your body may not be getting the
amount of Vitamin D that it needs. Vitamin D is essential for healthy hair growth
so ensure that you are stocking up on fish! Yoghurt, whole milk/almond milk and
mushrooms are also great sources of Vitamin D.

Stress levels can also increase too at this time of year and this, along with the
temperature and a change in diet can cause more shedding of the hair than
usual.

So What Can You Do To Care For
Your Hair?

Washing

Ensure that when washing your hair, you shampoo twice and then comb
conditioner through your mid lengths and ends preferably with a wide
tooth comb so that all of your cuticle layers are smoothened. Treating
yourself to a weekly mask (we recommend TAOH Moisture Mask) is also
a great investment and will help pump in that extra moisture that is much
needed in Autumn. Just leave it on for 5 minutes after conditioning, comb
through and rinse!

Brushing

Try to avoid bristle brushes with metal prongs as these can pull on
the hair and therefore damage it. Opt instead for a vented brush with
rounded prongs and a cushioned base. A great brush that we use all
of the time is PhD The Knot Dr Brush. Gently brush from the ends
upwards. This will avoid creating tension in the hair and reduce pulling,
especially if you wear extensions. Another great product to spray on before
brushing your hair is the TAOH De-Tangling Spray. As well as ease brushing
problems it will also give you another nourishment boost ready for drying.

Drying and Styling

The biggest mistake that we make at home when caring for our hair is
drying it on the highest heat. It’s definitely quicker, but your hair will not
thank you. Keep to a medium heat to reduce dryness and ensure that you
are using heat protect on your hair when drying or styling. We love TAOH
oil which you can put on your ends both before and after drying and styling.
Use between two to three times a day, in particular if you wear extensions
(because they are not directly attached to your head, they do not receive the
nourishment from us that our natural hair does) so keep your ends nourished
and moisturised.

Sleeping

After a tiring day, it is so easy to just yank that bobble out and dive into bed
not giving our hair a second thought. However, in just 20 seconds, you can
save a lot of stress and damage that our hair endures when tossing and turning
by popping a loose side plait in (this is a must with our hair extensions). Our brand
owner Katy has just shared an easy ‘how to video’ on our Instagram, so check it out!

Our last top tip when sleeping…a silk pillow! Silk stops hair friction when sleeping
and helps to keep hair super smooth during the night.

So now you know the perils of Autumn on your hair, you can make sure it
remains silky smooth by following our hair care guide above. Make sure to
head over to our Instagram @spectrumonehairextensions for more help
and advice when caring for your hair.