A curly hair routine in winter isn’t just a haircare habit it’s a true protection strategy.
As soon as temperatures drop, your curls and coils feel it immediately. Outdoor cold, indoor heating, wind, and friction from hats and scarves: winter is a real challenge for the hair fiber. The result? Dry hair, uncontrollable frizz, definition that fades, and a head of hair that lacks softness and elasticity.
Yet with the right gestures, the right ingredients, and a routine adapted to the season, it’s absolutely possible to get through winter—from Christmas celebrations to the last days of February with defined, hydrated curls full of vitality. At Rodolphe & Co, we have developed a holistic, natural approach to hair care, designed for curly, coily, and kinky hair alike.
In this article, discover all our tips and advice to care for your curls in winter—from the scalp to the ends—and adopt a curly hair routine using the right products.
Why Is Winter So Tough on Curly Hair?
Cold Weather Lifts the Cuticle and Causes Dehydration
The hair fiber of curly and coily hair is naturally drier than straight hair, because the sebum produced by the scalp struggles to travel down the spirals. In winter, the cold compresses and stiffens the fiber, then lifts it as soon as you step into a heated space. This constant alternation between outdoor cold and indoor warmth creates a yo-yo effect on the cuticle: it opens, lets moisture escape, and encourages dryness.
Indoor Heating Makes Dryness Worse by Drying the Air
Indoors, heating significantly reduces the humidity level in the surrounding air. Yet curly hair needs a certain level of moisture in the air to maintain its shape and definition. Without that humidity, it dehydrates quickly, and the lengths start to break or go in every direction. Heating, while necessary for our comfort, is therefore one of the main factors behind hair dehydration in winter.
Wind, Hats and Scarves: The Threat of Friction
Wind directly assaults the hair fiber and amplifies water loss. Scarves and hats made of wool or synthetic materials create mechanical friction that damages the cuticle, causes breakage, and promotes tangles. This is especially problematic for coily and kinky hair, whose spiral structure makes it naturally more vulnerable to friction. To protect your hair, choose satin or silk against the hair—wearing a satin bonnet under your wool hat is the season’s essential hack.
Invest in a satin bonnet or a satin pillowcase for the night. This simple step protects the cuticle, reduces frizz, and preserves your curl definition.
Adjusting Your Shampoo Routine for Winter
Space Out Wash Days to Preserve Natural Sebum
In winter, the scalp needs more time to rebuild its natural hydrolipid film. Spacing out your shampoos—ideally to 1 or 2 times per week at most—helps preserve the naturally produced sebum, which plays an essential protective role for the fiber and lengths. Washing too often would strip this natural protection and worsen dehydration.
Choose a Gentle, Sulfate-Free Shampoo
Choosing the right shampoo is the foundation of a good winter routine. Sulfates (SLS, SLES) found in many conventional shampoos strip away not only impurities but also the hair fiber’s natural lipids. In winter, opt for a gentle shampoo, free from harsh sulfates, enriched with nourishing ingredients. Certified organic formulas, like those developed by Rodolphe & Co, respect scalp health while cleansing effectively.
Clarifying Mask: Useful Once a Month
Even in winter, a clarifying shampoo remains useful once a month to remove product buildup from styling products. Be careful not to overdo it: using it too often would dry your hair out even more. Always follow a clarifying shampoo with an intensive hydrating mask to restore balance.
Deep Hydration: The Cornerstone of a Winter Routine
Hydrating Mask: Your Weekly Deep Treatment
Once a week, treat your hair to an intensive nourishing mask. It’s the secret weapon against dryness and winter loss of elasticity. Masks enriched with shea butter, castor oil, and essential fatty acids penetrate deep into the hair fiber to restore softness, elasticity, and vitality. Leave on for 20 to 30 minutes under a heated cap to maximize the absorption of active ingredients.
Pre-Shampoo Oil Bath: The Magic of Plant Oils
The pre-shampoo oil bath is one of the most effective treatments during the cold season. Generously apply a plant oil to your lengths and ends (or your whole head of hair) the night before shampooing, cover with a plastic cap, and leave on overnight. Coconut oil, thanks to its small molecular structure, can penetrate the hair fiber to nourish from within. Castor oil, thicker and rich in fatty acids, is ideal for nourishing dry ends and strengthening elasticity. Lighter plant oils (argan, jojoba) are better suited to more sensitive scalps or finer curls.
Leave-In: Your Daily Shield Against Dehydration
Leave-in (a no-rinse treatment) is a winter must-have for curly hair. Applied to slightly damp hair after each wash, it forms a protective barrier over the cuticle, retains moisture, and makes styling easier. In winter, choose a richer leave-in than in summer: favor creamy formulas enriched with aloe vera and plant oils. This is the first step of the LOC method (Leave-in, Oil, Cream), especially effective for coily and kinky hair.
The LOC method (Leave-in > Oil > Styling cream) is your best ally in winter. It seals hydration layer by layer for long-lasting protection against cold and dryness.
Styling and Defining Your Curls in Winter Without Damage
Work on Thoroughly Wet Hair
In winter more than any other season, it’s essential to apply your styling products on thoroughly wet hair, not just damp hair. Water is the first source of hydration for the hair fiber. Styling on very wet hair helps products distribute evenly, curls form more easily, and definition becomes noticeably stronger.
Styling Techniques: Scrunch and Plopping
The scrunch technique consists of gently squeezing the lengths from bottom to top to shape curls and encourage their natural spring. Avoid rubbing or smoothing hair with a cotton towel, which creates harmful friction. Prefer a microfiber towel or an old cotton T-shirt to absorb excess water without disrupting the curl pattern. Plopping—wrapping the hair in a T-shirt or microfiber towel for 20 to 30 minutes—is also very effective for defining curls before drying.
Richer Textures Than in Summer
In winter, switch to richer, more nourishing formulas for styling. Where a light mousse was enough in summer, in winter choose a nourishing styling cream, an aloe-vera-based defining gel, or a combination of both. Rodolphe & Co products, formulated with natural and organic ingredients, offer excellent definition while providing the hydration your curls need against seasonal aggressors.
Gentle Drying: Diffuser or Air-Drying
A classic blow-dryer used at maximum power should be avoided in winter: it dries out the hair fiber and promotes frizz. Prefer a diffuser, which distributes heat evenly and preserves the curl shape. Always dry on low or medium heat—never fully cold in winter (you risk going outside with hair that’s still damp, which weakens the fiber when exposed to wind and cold). If you choose air-drying, make sure you’re in a warm room.
Tip: don’t hesitate to use a pearly jelly to make detangling easier.
Maintaining Your Curls Between Washes in Winter
Refresh Curls with a Hydrating Spray
Between shampoos, curls can fall flat or lose definition. Refresh them with a spray based on water and aloe vera: lightly mist the lengths, then scrunch from bottom to top to revive the spirals. This daily habit helps maintain hydration and counter the drying effects of indoor heating.
Protect Your Lengths at Night
Nighttime often means friction and moisture loss. To protect your lengths while you sleep, choose a satin bonnet or a satin/silk pillowcase. These smooth materials reduce friction, don’t steal moisture from the fiber, and help preserve curl definition until morning.
Protective Hairstyles: A Seasonal Asset
Winter is the perfect season to try protective styles: braids, twists, bantu knots, protective buns… These styles are on-trend and help shield your lengths from external aggressors (cold, wind, friction) for several days or even weeks. They reduce hair manipulation (and therefore breakage) and support length retention—an ideal ally for caring for your hair all winter long.
Limit daily manipulation as much as possible: each time you touch, detangle or restyle your hair, you weaken the fiber. In winter, less is more!
Adjusting Your Routine to Your Curl Type
Wavy Hair (Type 2A-2C): Lightness and Balanced Hydration
Wavy hair generally tolerates lighter products. In winter, simply strengthen your routine with a richer conditioner and a lightweight leave-in. Avoid formulas that are too heavy, which can weigh waves down. A daily hydrating spray and a weekly oil bath are usually enough to offset seasonal effects.
Tighter Curls (Type 3A-3C): Intense Nourishment and Definition
Tighter curls need more hydration and nourishment in winter. Rely on the LOC method, weekly rich masks, and generous styling creams. Aloe vera and shea butter are key allies to preserve curl definition and fight frizz linked to winter humidity.
Coily and Kinky Hair (Type 4A-4C): Cocooning and Maximum Protection
Coily and kinky hair is the most vulnerable to winter aggressors, because its naturally more raised cuticle makes it highly prone to moisture loss. To care for this hair type, focus on pre-shampoo treatments (oil baths with coconut or castor oil), shampoo, ultra-rich shea-butter masks, hold gels, and protective styles. A winter routine for coily and kinky hair should be designed like an intensive cocooning program.
Support Your Hair from the Inside: Supplements
Hair health isn’t only about external care. In winter, our diet can lack certain nutrients essential to hair vitality. Supplements rich in biotin, zinc, iron, omega-3s, and B vitamins may help support growth and fiber strength, reduce seasonal shedding, and improve curl elasticity. Before taking any supplements, consult a healthcare professional to identify your real needs.
Our Rodolphe & Co Selection for the Perfect Winter Routine
At Rodolphe & Co, each formula is designed to respect the health of the hair fiber and scalp while delivering professional results. Our products are certified organic and formulated without harsh ingredients, making them ideal for building an effective, hair-respecting winter routine:
- A gentle sulfate-free shampoo for delicate winter cleansing
- A rich hydrating mask for your weekly deep treatment
- A nourishing leave-in to protect the fiber every day
- A defining styling cream for hydrated, protected curls all day long
- A quality plant oil for oil baths and the LOC method
Discover our full range and visit our salons, where our expert stylists can advise you on the best routine for your curl type.
In Summary: Key Steps for a Curly Hair Winter Routine
Winter doesn’t have to mean dehydration and frizz. With a suitable routine, quality products, and a few well-chosen tips, your curls can stay defined, soft, and hydrated all season long. Key steps to remember:
- Space out shampoos and choose gentle sulfate-free formulas
- Deeply hydrate with masks, oil baths, and a leave-in
- Style on very wet hair with richer textures than in summer
- Protect lengths at night with satin and choose protective styles
