The Bond Girls

For those of you who live in the Midwest, it's obvious: winter is right around the corner.

Blistering winds, unbearable cold weather, and snow, snow, snow…Although winter brings lots of joy and happiness (holidays, festive parties, family functions), it can also wreak havoc on your hair.

Whether it's frizz you're fighting or damage you're undoing, we've got some great tricks for restoring your dry, brittle hair and protecting it from winter's harsh elements.

Here are our tips for treating your hair during winter:

No Hot Showers!

As tempting as a hot shower may be, avoid them if you can. Hot water opens the hair shaft, and unless you rinse with cool water, it remains open. When you step out of the shower the dry, cold air can damage the open cuticle. We recommend taking warm showers but if you must take a hot shower, be sure to do a quick cool water rinse or spray your hair with a leave-in mist before getting in the shower (try the Ostia Collection's Detangling Mist).

To tame frizz and make hair silky smooth, use a conditioning mask at least once per week. We love our Ostia Conditioning Mask—it was formulated with real vanilla bean and calendula extract, jojoba oil, and sage and wheat protein. It reduces inflammation and redness of the scalp, increases elasticity and strength (an essential part of healthy winter hair), and restores your hair's natural luster and shine. For extra conditioning, apply a generous amount of the mask all over your hair and wrap with saran wrap. Let it sit for 30 minutes, rinse, and style as usual.

Shampoo Less

Central heating and drier air can lead to dry, brittle hair. Shampooing less not only saves you time, but it also saves your hair from innumerable extra blasts with the blow-dryer, heat from curling and flat irons, and hot water. Use a dry shampoo in between washes to absorb excess oil and prevent damage.

If you're blond, nearly any dry shampoo will do. However, if your hair is darker, you'll want to find something that doesn't create a white, powdery film on your hair. We love the Ostia Collection Dry Shampoo- it contains aluminum starch, which absorbs oil without caking (so you can use it for more than one day!) and can be used on any hair color.

Do a Night Treatment

Your hair and skin restore themselves while you sleep. Once a week, try applying a night treatment to your hair before bed. Put your hair in a ponytail, sleep with it in, then shampoo, condition, and rinse the next morning. Your hair will feel awesome…really!

We love using good ole' Moroccan Oil for this kind of treatment. Another great restorative night hair cream is Redken's Real Control Overnight Recovery. Apply a generous amount to the hair, concentrating on the ends and areas that need additional moisture.

Seal and Protect

Aside from doing at-home treatments, you'll also need to apply products designed to protect your hair from winter elements. The best way to do this is to apply a product while the hair is still damp, and before blow-drying. Be sure to choose a product that is designed to protect, restore and rebuild hair while fighting frizz.

The Ostia Collection's Smoothing Polymer contains aloe vera, chamomile, rose hip, and a thermal protectant. Combined into one powerful product, these elements help to fight frizz, soothe and moisturize the hair shaft, replenish hair with vitamins A and C, and protect from environmental aggression and heat. You can even apply a small amount to dry hair to tame flyaways and winter static.

For more helpful hints and winter hair tips, check out this blog by iVillage.com.