The arrival of a new season oft coincides with a style and wardrobe make-over. A new hairstyle is the best way of updating your entire look but with winter fast approaching, it also means the onset of hair problems such as dry and brittle hair. Before investing in a sleek new cut, experts suggest giving the hair some much needed TLC to counteract the negative effects of the cold weather.

The chilly air causes harm to the skin as well as the hair, making the latter excessively dull and dry. As a result, there is breakage of hair and an onslaught of the dreaded split ends. While there are many high-end hair products such as masks to treat dry hair, sometimes all that one needs to do is follow the advice of our mothers and grandmothers and try out simple home remedies. Warm a little olive oil and massage it slowly through your scalp. This slow massaging helps the oil penetrate deep into the roots and gives hair much-needed shine. It can also lead to a decrease in dandruff and frizz, while controlling hair fall.

Another thing to watch out for is the use of excessive products in the hair. Too much shampooing and regular use of straighteners and hair dryers can damage the hair shaft. Shampoo is a drying agent and can contribute to the roughness of the scalp in the dry winter months. It is recommended to use luke warm water while washing hair to lock moisture in the tresses.

We thought it would be best to get hair advise from an expert so we caught up with beauty guru Redah Misbah of Depilex for some in-depth info. Here’s what she had to say about treating two common cold weather hair problems:

Itchy Scalp

"In Pakistan we are truly blessed to experience the best of all four seasons and while this might be something friends and family in Europe are jealous of, it comes with its downside in the beauty department. Come spring and summer, our skin and scalp starts producing an excess of sebum, making our skin and hair oily. During the monsoons, our hair falls and during winter, our scalp becomes a dry, itchy mess. The solution for this is something I have taken years to come upon and is the perfect combination of products and treatment. The cold weather does not only dry your scalp but also dehydrates it severely and if not treated, this makes your scalp flaky - this is often mistaken for dandruff.

To rid yourself of flaking skin and a dry, itchy scalp, you must not only give it moisture but also hydrate it with oxygen. Contrary to popular belief, loading the hair with anything other than specifically cold pressure oils might condition the hair shaft but coats your scalp, restricting oxygen from getting to it. Which is why it is of utmost importance to get a weekly high frequency hair treatment paired with an oil of your choice. The high frequency current allows pores to open and oxygenate the scalp and allow deeper penetration of the oil that you use along with having a germicidal effect to cleanse your skin. The trick is to accept that there are simply no shortcuts and that in order to see good results, we must be consistent."

The following are my top 3 products to combat dry, itchy and flaky winter scalps:

1.       Guinot Oxygenating Hair Treatment

2.       High Frequency Protein Hair Treatment

3.       Label.M Lab Remedy for Dry and Itchy Scalp

Dull Hair

"My clients often complain of dull hair as the temperatures start to drop. In the winter the air and wind naturally make the hair coarse, which results in dull hair. For this, I recommend deep conditioning your scalp by using oils, masks or hair treatments. A mask that I love using is a mixture of pure aloe vera extract and yoghurt. Apply on your hair as a mask and leave it in for 20 minutes, then rinse thoroughly. A professional service I highly recommend is getting a hair glossing done which adds instant shine and luster to the hair."

My top three products to combat dull hair are:

1.       Conatural Intense Lustre Hair Oil

2.       Hair Gloss by L’Oreal

3.       Shine Spray by Label.M