Establishing a routine is something that takes time, trial and error and patience. It’s probably one of the most personalized portion of your entire journey- finding exactly what works for your hair and what doesn’t.

But what many women don’t realize is that what works for your hair during one season may not work for the next.  Changing your wash regimen for each season is important to ensure that your hair maintains its health and retains as much moisture as possible. So here’s what you need to know about changing your routine per season:

During hot months you’re out in the sun more than any time of the year. Whether you’re at the pool, walking the boardwalk or just having a picnic at the park, your tresses are more likely to develop sun damage and bleaching from the harshness of UV rays.

It’s important to find hair products including shampoos with UV protection in order to keep your hair at its healthiest.  Hats and scarves are not just fashionable but help in protecting hair from the harsh wind and sun. Also, maintain a healthy amount of moisture retention by deep conditioning weekly and locking the hair with a light oil.

During warmer months there’s a higher chance of humidity which means more frizz which is not something that is sought after. Sealing the hair with serums is a great way to keep frizz at a minimum when maintaining your style and using shampoos or cleansing conditioners that that fight frizz are great assets to com combating summer frizz.

In addition to this, both seasons are perfect for using products with humectant properties. The amount of humidity in the air is perfect for drawing additional moisture into the hair so that it doesn’t dry out as quickly.

The blistering cold, winds and freezing temperatures can wreak havoc on your hair. Also, the constant dramatic change in temperature when going from the dry heat of indoors to the freezing cold outside can leave your hair in shock and weaken the hair’s elasticity.

Do yourself a favor and bulk up on the thick leave-ins, butters, creams and oils to both moisturize and lock moisture into your hair. Also, increase the amount of times you deep condition and treat the hair with protein treatments monthly especially if using color or straightening products.

For many this is just the normal way to go but if you begin to notice the new season change brings on more frizz or dryness then tweak your routine to accommodate the weather issues. Remember, the path to healthy hair is listening to what your hair needs and that often means changes throughout the year.