Have you stocked up on winter hair care products yet? If not, I suggest you read on to learn a cheap and 100% natural way to care for your hair in the wintertime, without spending hundreds of dollars on useless products (and get some nail care tips as well).

In the last article I wrote, I shared my best tips to avoid and treat dry skin caused by the cold winter air.

What I also mentioned is that your skin isn’t the only thing that can be affected by dry air… Your hair and nails can suffer too.

So, today I wanted to follow up on my promise and teach you how to take great care of your hair and nails as well…

Some of my recommendations from last time still apply to hair and nail care, like:

• Avoiding long, hot showers

Remember I told you that hot water dries out your skin and causes it to be flaky?

Well, it has the same effect on your scalp.

And I can tell you for a fact that if you have dandruff in the wintertime, taking hot showers is likely a big part of the problem…

As for your nails, they hate water in general (I’ll elaborate on this a bit later).

So, opting for quick showers with lukewarm water is the best decision you can take to help your skin, hair, and nails survive the winter months.

• Using a humidifier

When you start using a humidifier, you’ll see that it’s a life-changer…

It doesn’t just help your skin retain moisture – it has the same effects for your hair and nails.

And if you don’t want to invest in a humidifier, you can also get a similar effect by boiling a pot of water on the stove and letting the steam bring some moisture back into the dry air.

• Drinking water

Did you know that your nails are 18% water? How about that your hair is 25% water?

The problem in the colder months is that because they face harsh conditions on a daily basis, this percentage gets lower and they’re more prone to damage…

So – hydrate, hydrate, hydrate!

And yes, I know I said your nails hate water, but I was talking about contact with water. They actually love hydration.

With these three basics, I hope I’ve cleared up why these steps are indispensable to keep your skin, hair, and nails happy in the wintertime…

But if you want to achieve the best results possible, there are still some things you need to keep in mind for each one in particular.

So, let me give you a few extra tips to maintain your luscious hair and strong nails even through the coldest nights of the year…

My Top Tips For Winter Hair Care

Winter Hair Care Tip #1: Wash your hair less frequently

You might have heard this before, but here’s what you must know: frequent washing strips your hair of its natural oils.

And this can be damaging for your hair year-round, but especially in the wintertime…

This is due to your hair already being vulnerable to the dry air zapping its moisture. When you add the extra stress of frequent washing, your hair will look dull and start breaking off.

So, if you wash your hair every day, try cutting back to washing it every other day. And if you already wash it every other day, go even further and try to wash it every three days.

It might surprise you that the hairstylist-approved number of hair washes per week is actually one or two.

Yes, you read that right. Now, on to the next one…

Winter Hair Care Tip #2: Don’t leave the house with damp hair

Think your hair is vulnerable to dry air?

Try leaving your house with wet or damp hair. Then you’ll see the true damaging powers of the winter air…

Because when your hair is wet, the hair shaft expands and the strands are more prone to breakage.

So, make sure your hair is fully dry before you adventure out into the cold.

If you find that you don’t have enough time in the morning, try washing it at night and give your hair enough time to dry while you sleep.

Winter Hair Care Tip #3: Moisturize your hair

If your hair is dry already, I recommend you give it some extra love with a nourishing hair oil.

There are many to choose from (like jojoba oil, castor oil, or coconut oil) but I have to say my favorite one is argan oil.

That’s because it’s packed full of beneficial substances like antioxidants, vitamin E, fatty acids and ferulic acids – which nourish the hair, prevent frizz and even protect the hair from UV rays.

Apply a few drops daily and mix it in by running your hands through your hair for best results (and try to avoid the roots).

Now, I don’t want to give you a 12-step program that’s too complicated and takes too much time to implement.

So I’m going to stop here.

But trust me. If you take these simple tips to heart, I guarantee that your hair will feel as healthy as it does in the warm summer days…

With no need for expensive treatments or long hours getting ready in the mirror.

And you’ll see that my nail care tips aren’t hard to implement either…

My Top Tips For Winter Nail Care

Winter Nail Care Tip #1: Avoid contact with water

Why? The answer is simple.

Nails absorb water. And when nails absorb water, they get softer. And this…

You guessed it… makes them more prone to breakage.

Now, I’m not saying don’t ever wash your hands again. I’m just saying take shorter showers, and wear gloves when washing the dishes.

And since we’re talking about gloves, here’s a bonus tip: wearing gloves when going outside doesn’t only protect your skin from external stress, but your nails too!

Winter Nail Care Tip #2: Cut and file your nails

If you want to minimize the chances that your nails will become brittle and break off, you might want to cut your nails a bit shorter during the winter months.

Or, if you love the look of long nails, you can file them a few times per week to avoid snags or breaks. Just make sure to be gentle.

Winter Nail Care Tip #3: Moisturize your nails

By now, you’ve probably noticed that moisturizing is a key part of skincare, hair care, AND nail care. This is because the moisturizer acts as a protective layer against dry air.

So, forgetting to moisturize frequently can be really damaging to the health of your skin, nails, and hair in the wintertime.

I realize that I’m repeating myself quite often in this guide, but this is just because I want to reinforce the importance of keeping up with effective hair and nail care routine.

And some tips might seem silly or obvious, but forgetting about them has a real negative impact on the health of your skin, hair, and nails.

So, back to the topic at hand (pun intended), how do you moisturize your nails?

• Use a hand lotion or plain simple coconut oil multiple times per day, making sure to cover every single nail (and you can do this for your feet and toenails as well);
• Use vitamin E oil or grapeseed oil on your cuticles to soften and nourish the tissue.

Implementing these steps will keep your nails strong and shiny throughout the freezing winter and have you looking your best when spring rolls around.

This concludes my winter guide for skin, hair, and nail care. I tried to keep things as simple as possible – so please let me know if you found my tips helpful by commenting below.

If you haven’t read the first part of this guide, you can check out my winter skincare tips here.