Olympic Medalists Share How to Winter-Proof Your Hair
Raika Studio salon owner Kathleen Firth and her team of Paul Mitchell stylists got Olympians Gus Kenworthy (silver medalist in freeskiing) and Alex Deibold (bronze medalist in snowboarding) red-carpet-ready for the New York Gold Medal Gala last week.
And with dropping temps and Old Man Winter hovering around the corner, it only seemed natural to ask Kenworthy, Deibold, and Firth how to keep hair in tip-top shape, especially when it’s being ravaged by extreme elements like cold, wind, and humidity.
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There was one tip everyone agreed on, and it’s this: shampoo less. “I shower every day, but don’t wash my hair every day,” Kenworthy said. “I wash it every other or third shower.” Diebold added, “People think I style my hair all the time, but I just wash it once a week. I know it sounds gross, but it keeps my hair healthier. And I have to do less with it.”
Below, they share additional tips (both athlete- and everyday-guy-tested) on keeping your hair healthy this fall and winter.
Balance
Yes, shampooing daily is a no-no come cold weather. But why? According to Firth, it’s about achieving balance between your scalp and your strands. “By not shampooing every day, you can prevent a dry scalp while preserving the natural oils in your hair.” And since you’ll be lathering less, why not make the experience as awesome as possible? Diebold’s go-to is Paul Mitchell’s Tea Tree Special Shampoo: “It makes my scalp tingle, and it feels really good.”
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Condition
Swap out your daily shampoo for conditioner. Yes, conditioner. “It’s all in your head about your hair not feeling clean if you don’t wash it,” Firth asserts. “Even just wetting the hair can make you feel cleaner. It’s a psychological thing.” Kenworthy agrees: “I use conditioner all the time, but I don’t think it’s something most guys use.” Firth advocates the use of daily conditioner yearlong, in fact, because it settles down and softens all hair types, from coarse to curly to fine.
Protect
Beyond conditioning, Firth recommends layering in the right product to protect hair before blow-drying. Especially if you sport longer locks like Kenworthy’s. “Very few people have wash-and-go hair,” Firth says. “We tell women that all the time, and the same thinking applies to guys.” But besides shielding against heat damage, the right product can also make hair look thicker and fuller. And when’s the last time you heard a guy complain about that?
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Look for styling products that are water-soluble. That way, “you can reactivate your style without shampooing your hair. You can do it one way in the morning for work, then change it later that night with just a little water.” Mitch Clean Cut is a favorite of Firth’s: “It’s a styling cream with a light-to-medium hold and works great on a lot of different hair types.”
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photos: Getty Images
