Scarily Good Hair: My 4 Tips to Beat Winter Dry Hair
Halloween is the one night of the year when looking frightful is the whole point. Your costume can be as terrifying as you like. Your hair, on the other hand, should be scarily good. As autumn turns into winter, winter dry hair is the horror story I hear about most in my salon, so here are my four top tips to keep your hair looking and feeling fabulous all season.
The only thing that should be frightening this year is your costume. Not your hair.
Why Is My Hair So Dry in Winter?
Your hair has not suddenly changed. Its surroundings have. From October onwards we spend far more time indoors with the central heating on, and heated air is dry air. Step outside and the cold air holds very little moisture either. Your hair spends the whole day moving between the two, and both are quietly pulling moisture out of it.
When hair loses moisture, the outer layer (the cuticle) stops lying flat and smooth. That is when hair starts to feel rough, look dull, frizz more easily and tangle at the slightest excuse. If your scalp feels tighter or itchier in winter, the same dry air is usually part of the story.
Woolly Hats, Scarves and Static
Then come the hats and scarves. I love a cosy knit, but wool rubbing against your hair all day creates friction and static. Your hair lifts and clings, then gets roughed up every time you pull a hat on and off. Dry hair suffers most, because well-moisturised hair is far less prone to flyaways. So the answer to most winter hair horrors is the same: put moisture back in, and treat your hair gently.
Tip 1: Great Hair Comes From a Great Scalp
Everything I do starts at the scalp. Healthy, fabulous hair grows from a scalp in great condition, and in winter your scalp needs a little extra love. That is why I recommend making time for a scalp treatment twice a week through the colder months.
My multi-award-winning Hair and Scalp Recovery Elixir is made for exactly this. It is a scalp-first treatment with Amla, Rice Aminos, Baobab Oil, Argan Oil and Caffeine, and it is silicone-free, so it nourishes without leaving anything behind to weigh your hair down.
How to Use the Elixir as a Scalp Treatment
For an intensive treatment, massage the Elixir into your scalp shortly before bed, comb it through to the ends with a wide-tooth comb and leave it on overnight. Wash thoroughly in the morning with your GF Fabulosity shampoo and conditioner. For a quick boost, leave it on for 20 minutes to an hour, then wash as normal. Either way, take your time with the massage. It is the best part.
New: The 250ml Elixir Refill Pouch
The Elixir now comes in a 250ml refill pouch, so you can refill your favourite forever bottle instead of buying a new one. Same award-winning formula, less waste. No glass bottle yet? Simply pour it into any clean, dry pump bottle you already own.
Tip 2: Change Your Shampoo With the Season
You change your wardrobe when the clocks go back. Your hair care should change too. The shampoo that was perfect in July may not give your hair the moisture it needs in December. For autumn and winter, I recommend switching to one of my two most moisture-rich ranges: Reviving or Moisturising.
The Best Shampoo and Conditioner for Dry Hair in Winter
| Winter need | Reviving Range | Moisturising Range |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Thirsty hair that dries out in heated rooms and cold air | Dry, over-treated hair from colour, sun or heat styling |
| Star ingredient | Sea Lavender extract | Manketti Oil |
| Supporting cast | Shea Nut Oil, Vitamin B5, Carrot Seed Oil, Bamboo extract | Babassu Oil, rich in vitamin E and fatty acids |
| How it helps | Forms a light, protective film on the hair to slow moisture loss to the air | Deeply regenerative, adding hydration and volume |
Shop the Reviving Shampoo and Reviving Conditioner, or the Moisturising Shampoo and Moisturising Conditioner.
Turn Up the Moisture in Your Conditioner
If you only change one thing this winter, make it your conditioner. Stepping up to the Reviving or Moisturising Conditioner gives your hair lasting moisture that carries it through a day of central heating and frosty air. How you apply it matters just as much. Milk the conditioner through your hair section by section along the full length, so every strand is coated and the cuticle can close smooth and flat.
Because my conditioners are silicone-free, you can also take them right up to the scalp if your scalp is not prone to greasiness. In winter, a dry, tight scalp often loves it.
Oily roots, dry ends? You do not have to switch everything. Keep the shampoo that suits your scalp and change only your conditioner to Reviving or Moisturising, applied from mid-lengths to ends.
Tip 3: Brush With Ease, Never Breakage
Scarves, collars and windy days mean more tangles in winter, and dry hair snaps more easily when you tug at it. This is where The Fab Brush earns its place. Its super-soft bristles vary in length, so they gently flex through knots and tangles instead of ripping through them. It is kind on wet or dry hair, and it was named Beauty Shortlist 2026 Best New Hair Tool.
My Top Brushing Tip: Start at the Ends
Most of us start brushing at the roots and drag the brush down into the tangles. That pushes every knot together and puts huge strain on the hair. Do it the other way round.
Hold a Section
Take a section of hair and hold it gently above where you are brushing. This takes the pull away from your scalp.
Brush the Ends First
Start with the last few centimetres and brush out any knots there before you go any higher.
Work Upwards Towards the Roots
Move your starting point a little higher each time, always brushing down through hair that is already tangle-free.
Keep the Tension Low
Keep tension to a minimum at all times. If the brush catches, stop, go back down and work the knot out slowly. Never force it.
Once the whole section glides from root to tip, move on to the next. It feels slower the first time. It is actually quicker, because you are not fighting the same knots over and over.
Tip 4: Consistency Is the Root of Fabulous Hair
Here is the real secret. None of these tips work if you only do them once. Fabulous hair comes from looking after it week in, week out, and the easiest way to make sure you never run out halfway through winter is a hair care subscription.
"Great hair is not a treatment you have once. It is a habit you keep."
With a GF Fabulosity subscription you save 25% on your first order and 10% on every order after that. You are in full control of your bundle throughout the year, so you can switch to Reviving or Moisturising for winter, add the Elixir refill for your twice-weekly scalp treatment, and change things back again when spring arrives.
Winter Hair Questions, Answered
Why is my hair so dry in winter?
Winter air is dry both indoors and out. Central heating dries the air inside, and cold air outside holds very little moisture. Your hair loses moisture to both, so the cuticle lifts and hair feels rough, frizzy and dull. Woolly hats and scarves add friction and static, which makes it worse.
How do I stop my hair feeling so dry?
Put moisture back in and treat your hair gently. Switch to a moisture-rich shampoo and conditioner such as the GF Fabulosity Reviving or Moisturising ranges, milk your conditioner through the full length, do a scalp treatment twice a week and detangle with a soft brush, starting at the ends.
Why does my hair feel different in winter?
Your hair is the same. Its environment is not. Dry heated air, cold weather and friction from hats and scarves all strip moisture and rough up the hair's surface. That is why hair can feel coarser, frizzier, more static and more tangled in winter, even with the same routine.
What is the best shampoo for dry hair in winter?
Choose a gentle, moisture-rich, silicone-free shampoo. The GF Fabulosity Reviving Shampoo, with Sea Lavender, suits hair that dries out in heated rooms and cold air. The Moisturising Shampoo, with Manketti and Babassu oils, suits dry, over-treated hair from colour, sun or heat styling.
What is the best conditioner for winter?
A richer conditioner than you use in summer. The GF Fabulosity Reviving Conditioner uses Sea Lavender to form a light protective film that slows moisture loss to the air, with Shea Nut Oil and Vitamin B5 for lasting hydration. The Moisturising Conditioner, with Manketti and Babassu oils, suits dry, over-processed hair.
How do I stop static in my hair from hats and scarves?
Moisture is your best defence, because dry hair holds static far more than well-conditioned hair. Use a moisture-rich conditioner through the full length, avoid over-brushing, and smooth hair gently with a soft brush after taking your hat off rather than rubbing it.
How often should I do a scalp treatment in winter?
Twice a week is ideal through autumn and winter. Massage the GF Fabulosity Hair and Scalp Recovery Elixir into the scalp and leave it overnight for an intensive treatment, or for 20 minutes to an hour for a quick boost, then wash as normal.
What is the best brush for tangled hair without breakage?
A brush with soft, flexible bristles, used from the ends upwards. The Fab Brush has super-soft bristles of varying lengths that flex through knots instead of tearing them, works on wet or dry hair, and was named Beauty Shortlist 2026 Best New Hair Tool.
Is a hair care subscription worth it?
If you want consistent results, yes. A GF Fabulosity subscription saves 25% on your first order and 10% on every order after, and you can change your bundle through the year. Subscriptions have a minimum of three orders (see the terms and conditions).
The Short Answer
Winter dry hair is caused by dry heated air indoors, cold air outside and friction from hats and scarves. To keep your hair scarily good, treat your scalp twice a week, switch to a moisture-rich shampoo and conditioner, brush gently from the ends upwards, and stay consistent with your routine all season.
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Save 25% on your first subscription order and 10% on every order after. Choose your winter range, add the Elixir refill, and never run out of fabulous.
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