Source: Shutterstock.com

When most think of the Fall season beautiful autumn leaves, adorable overcoats, and fashion-forward boots come to mind. Something else that seems to go hand in hand with the lovely Fall season is dry, brittle and damaged hair. Lucky for you, this doesn’t have to be your story. Check out these tips on keeping your tresses in tip top shape this Fall.

Deep condition regularly. 

This tip probably sounds like the same old broken record playing over and over, but deep conditioning is extremely important to any hair care regimen and even more important during the Fall and Winter months. Having clean hair is extremely important, but while shampooing helps to rid your hair of any impurities, it can also strip your hair of its natural oils leaving hair dry and brittle. Cold weather only seems to worsen these conditions. Moisturizing deep conditioners assist in combatting this issue. Adding a deep conditioner to your haircare regimen may add a few more minutes to your routine, but it is certainly worth it in the long run.

Suggestions: Shea Moisture Organic Raw Shea Butter Deep Treatment Hair Masque or Miss Jessie’s Super Sweetback Treatment 

Trims.

Getting rid of split and brittle ends that have been damaged by hair summer rays  is one of the best things that you can do for your hair this time of year. There are some who suggest that you should trim your ends every six to eight weeks. Then, there are others who believe that trimming your ends that frequently isn’t necessary. I don’t feel that there is one blanket trimming schedule that applies to all women. When you notice that your ends are damaged and splitting, get rid of them.

Learn to not only moisturize, but  to seal as well.

As your hair is forced to endure beatings from high winds and cold weather, it tends to dry out a bit.  Adding moisture to  your hair is great; but it is not enough to keep your hair hydrated.Once you’ve washed or wet your hair, try applying a water based leave-in conditioner or moisturizer and following up with an oil or butter such as coconut oil, grapeseed oil, jojoba oil, olive oil, mango butter or raw shea butter. Water and moisturizers are what add moisture to your hair, but the oils or butters are what seals it in.

Beware of the wool scarves and jackets.

Ugh, wool scarves and jacket collars are guilty of damaging the ends of fabulous tresses across the globe. As temperatures drop, many ladies are reaching for the wool scarves and pea coats. I know the temptation to strut down the street in your fine wool pea coat with with your hair “flowy” and flying in the wind like Sarah Jessica Parker out of an episode of ‘Sex and the City’ but, unless you have a FULL weave or an up-do that style is not for you. Wool causes breakage due to friction, it also has a tendency to deplete your hair of necessary moisture.

Protective styling. 

Due to the dry condition that the cold weather has a tendency to put hair in, protective hair styles are super helpful. Protective hair styles that require low or no manipulation styles that put hair up and away giving it a break and shielding it from harmful elements, which helps in preventing breakage.

While these tips are applicable to any season, they extremely crucial during the Fall and Winter months.

Jazmine Denise is a  freelance writer living in New York. Follow her on Twitter @jazminedenise

Photo courtesy of Shutterstock

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It seems like everywhere you look, folks are doing the big chop! Although many women are donning a short cropped look for style purposes, many others are cutting off their locks to speed up the transition from relaxed to natural.

Although cutting your chemically-treated hair is a quick and fast option, for those not ready to take that leap, there are ways you can ease your transition. Here are a few tips:

Consult a consultant. When starting your journey, why not meet with a hair stylist who specializes in natural hair? She can not only recommend products, but also provide you information about protective hair styling options.

Moisturize. Keeping your hair nourished and conditioned is a must for any hair type, but especially critical when you’re caring for two different textures. Chemically-treated hair tends to be weaker than natural hair, so it’s very important to deep condition weekly and use natural oils to keep it supple during the week in order to avoid breakage. One option to aid your transition is the Transitioning 1-2-3 kit from Carol’s Daughter, the first hair care system that specifically targets transitioners. It includes a cleanser, scalp spray, and anti-breakage treatment.

Lay low on heat: Again, since you’re caring for two textures and want to protect against breakage, it’s critical to style your hair with as little direct heat as possible.

Trim: We all get behind on our trims from time to time, but you can’t let that happen when you’re transitioning. Getting regular trims will help promote healthy growth, reduce breakage, and just give you an overall more polished look.

YouTube and Uncover The Blogs: I bet you’re wondering, where do you find out about these new style options? YouTube of course. The resources for natural hair has exploded in recent years past so you won’t be short of any blog videos to choose from. You can also go directly to the blogger’s websites for more information. One great resource is Afrobella.com

Happy transitioning!