Every winter I become that person. The shower gets hotter, the blankets get heavier and my skincare routine somehow doubles overnight because my face suddenly thinks it’s living in the Sahara. My hair, though? It usually gets whatever shampoo is within reach, a quick conditioner and a hopeful blow dry.
Turns out that’s where I’ve been getting it wrong.
When I sat down with Brisbane hairstylist Cam Craig from ColourxCam, I expected to hear the usual advice about masks and cutting back on the heat styling. Instead, he compared haircare to skincare and suddenly everything clicked.
“Your shampoo cleanses, your conditioner or mask is like your serum, but your leave-in treatment is your moisturiser,” he says. “That’s what seals everything in and protects your hair from what’s happening outside. Then, once you’ve blow-dried your hair and reached for the straightener or curling wand, your heat protectant is your SPF.”
It’s one of those analogies that makes you wonder why nobody has explained it that way before. Because when you think about it, most of us would never spend money on lovely serums only to skip moisturiser every single day. Yet that’s exactly what many of us are doing with our hair.
According to Cam, leave-in treatments are easily the most overlooked step in a haircare routine. “Everyone knows about shampoo and conditioner. People know about rinse-out treatments and styling products. But that step in between is probably the most essential.”
As someone with an entire drawer full of leave-in treatments collected through beauty reviews, I confessed that I rarely use them because I’m convinced they’re going to leave my hair looking oily. Thankfully, Cameron says that’s usually a product mismatch rather than user error. “If you’ve got really fine hair, go for a spray. If your hair is thicker or denser, creams work well. Really coarse or very dry hair benefits from oils.”
Application matters too. Instead of slathering product over the top of your head, work it through your mid-lengths and ends first, then use whatever is left on your hands around your hairline and part. I was disproportionately pleased to discover I’d accidentally been doing that part correctly.
Winter itself is surprisingly tough on hair, especially here in Brisbane where we’re used to humidity doing some of the hard work for us. “The air is much drier, so all that moisture gets pulled from your hair,” Cam explains. Then we climb into showers hot enough to steam the mirrors off the walls.
“Hot water dries your hair out just like it dries your skin.”
He’s realistic enough to know nobody wants to give up a gloriously hot winter shower. His compromise is beautifully achievable: enjoy the lava-temperature water if you must, then turn it down just while you’re washing your hair before cranking it back up again.
One of the first signs your hair is craving extra moisture is when your brush starts snagging through the ends.
“It starts to feel a bit like straw,” Cam says. Winter can also bring an itchy, flaky scalp as the colder weather dries everything out. Rather than reaching for harsher cleansing products, Cam often recommends switching to a richer, more moisturising shampoo.
“If your shampoo is clear or translucent, it’s usually designed to really cleanse the hair, which is great for fine hair. But if your scalp is becoming dry, it might be time to move to an opaque shampoo because they’re generally much more moisturising.”
He’s particularly fond of the Kinactif range from Kin Cosmetics, which is formulated with prebiotics to support a healthy scalp microbiome while caring for the hair itself.
Salon treatments can also make a noticeable difference during winter, although Cameron knows many clients see them as an optional extra they’d rather skip.
His comparison makes perfect sense. “It’s like having a facial, but for your hair.” And suddenly it REALLY makes sense because how come I will happily go out and drop $$$ on a full facial of potions expertly applied, but leave my hair blowing in the wind begging for a morsel of moisture?
The products used professionally are far more intensive than what most of us can buy for home, giving hair a concentrated boost when it’s feeling dry, dull or overworked. It’s one of the reasons he’s built treatments into every colour appointment rather than offering them as an add-on.
After 16 years of hairdressing, Cameron still hears clients marvel at how incredible their hair feels when they leave the salon. “My hair never feels this good at home,” they’ll tell him.
His response? “It could!”
Which brings us back to that moisturiser analogy. If there’s one thing worth borrowing from your skincare routine this winter, it’s this: don’t stop halfway through. Your shampoo gets your hair clean. Your conditioner gives it nourishment. Your leave-in treatment locks that goodness in.
Your skin has probably known that for years. Maybe it’s time your hair got the same treatment.
ColourxCam, Studio 11/2 Harbour Rd, Hamilton. p. 0406 705 606
In her spare time, she likes long walks down the makeup aisle and performing in Brisbane theatre. You can follow her adventures on Instagram and TikTok @thebeautypalate.
