When it comes to seasonal preference, I’m torn. I’m a firm believer that, undoubtedly, winter clothes are better: chunky boots over blister-inducing sandals, cosy jumpers over sticky vests. The thing that’s pulling me in the other direction? My haircare routine.

Summer can bring its own challenges: the sun can cause dryness, and don’t even get me started on the straw-like effects of chlorine from swimming pools. But, for my curly hair, winter is silly season. Without the warm weather (quick drying time) and the lack of rain (longer lasting definition), come November, I’m often left feeling like every day is a less-than-desirable hair day. 

As the now-iconic Fleabag scene goes: hair is everything. So, over the years, I’ve put a series of protocols in place to try to mitigate the impact of witching season (read: winter) on my hair. From drying with just enough heat to entering my mask era, here are the five changes I make to my routine when cold weather hits… 

1. Diffusing judiciously

My favourite thing about summer is that my hair air-dries quickly. Sure, mini Magnums might be a close second, but this has to top the list. So, when winter rolls around, I feel bereft that my speedy two-hour dry time has turned into eight hours. To go about my day – or even go to sleep – without sopping wet hair in winter, I turn to my hairdryer (diffuser attachment in place, of course). I find that my curls are less defined if I use a hairdryer fresh from the shower, so I leave it to air-dry with heaps of leave-in conditioner smoothed through for as long as I can (usually a few hours) and only finish things off with my diffuser. 

2. Spraying and reconditioning

Like most other people who have curls, the rain can wreak havoc on my hair: if I’m not careful, it can overturn all of my careful conditioning and diffusing. And, as someone with a propensity for forgetting an umbrella, having a strategy for resurrecting the situation is key. For this, I’ll spray my hair with more water so it’s damp all over, then smooth my usual leave-in conditioner (Mixed Chicks, £15.95, is my favourite) through the lengths and ends, and finish with an oil. The dry time is much faster than on wash day because the hair isn’t fully wet, but you’re left with well-moisturised, better-defined hair.  

3. Stepping up scalp care

Just as colder temperatures and days spent in central-heated offices can leave the skin on your face feeling dry, these conditions can do the same to your scalp. So, to keep my scalp feeling as comfortable as possible, I’ve started applying a scalp serum (I like Kérastase Nutritive Nutri-Supplement Scalp Serum, £45.80) after every hair wash. I use the dropper to concentrate it on my scalp when my hair is wet, massage it in, and smooth the remainder through the lengths of my hair. Moisturised but not greasy is the end result.

4. Upping the oil

Whether it’s the changing temperatures or the fact that I’m constantly taking a coat on and off, the ends of my hair feel dryer in winter, too. To tackle this, I’ve taken to applying an oil to the bottom third of my hair every night before bed. Moroccanoil, £36.45, is my favourite for this but, to be honest, any kind of oil will do; I’ve even been known to use a bit of the rosehip oil I usually apply to my face. In short: the purpose here is simply nourishment. If your hair is as dry as mine is, by the morning, it will have absorbed these few pumps overnight and be left feeling much less brittle. 

5. Leaning on masks

This is something I should be doing all year round but never manage to do during the summer (if my hairdresser is reading this, I’m sorry). However, I’ve found that long, dark evenings spent watching cosy TV are the perfect opportunity to use a hair mask. I like to apply mine in the evening, brush it through using my WetBrush, sleep with it in and wash out in the morning. If I keep it up, my winter hair curse should be broken in no time.

Images: Getty