Web Exclusive: Winter Hair Tips from Aveda's Allen Ruiz

With winter now in full force, and most areas of the country covered in snow, it's more important than ever to help your clients protect their tresses from the harsh elements. Winter can wreak havoc on hair - icy winds, dry air, plummeting temperatures and, in turn, constantly running indoor heat can lead to dryness, brittleness, and damage. Aveda Global Artistic Director for Hair Styling, Allen Ruiz, has some quick and easy tips to keep locks looking their best, especially in this winter wonderland. Pass these tips along to your clients, and ensure that this winter, they have their healthiest hair!

• "Buy a humidifier. As we get deeper and deeper into winter, your clients' hair, just like their skin, can become dry and brittle, especially when the heat is on at full blast. It’s important to always think about adding moisture back into the hair, and this is a simple and easy first step.
• "Wash on cold, and don’t over dry. After your client conditions (or deep conditions) their hair in the shower, she should turn the faucet to cold and finish with a cold water rinse. This will quickly seal the cuticle and help her strands retain their moisture. Additionally, instead of blasting her hair with high heat, she should spend an extra ten minutes drying her hair on the low/medium setting. Together, these steps will prolong your client's hair’s suppleness and shine.
• "Condition, condition, condition! Especially in the winter, it’s important to condition – that means daily conditioning, weekly deep conditioning and let’s not forget a daily application of a light-weight, leave-in conditioner. My favorites are Aveda's Damage Remedy Daily Hair Repair or Color Conserve Daily Color Protect. Just a coin-sized amount will protect hair from all sorts of winter woes, ranging from excessive heat styling to an unexpected white wintery mix.
• "Your washcloth is your new best friend. Before she leaves the salon, spray Aveda Brilliant Spray On Shine onto a dry wash cloth and gently run over your client's hair in sections from roots to ends. Voila! The Vitamin E in Aveda’s Brilliant Spray On Shine is a powerful anti-oxidant which helps protect hair against environmental aggressors. This simple trick is one your client can also try at home, and will keep her hair static-free and looking fresh throughout the day."

[Image credit via Flickr: Faylyne; www.flicker.com//photos/bellafaye8/]