Why Hair Gets More Tangled in Winter And How To Fix It | Cache' Salon Hanford

Tammy Brown
Jan 28
4 min read

Close-up of smooth, dark hair with soft waves, showing healthy texture and reduced frizz during winter.

Why Hair Gets More Tangled in Winter and How To Fix It

Winter can turn even well-maintained hair into a tangled mess. If your hair feels harder to manage during the colder months, you’re not imagining it. Seasonal changes affect the hair’s moisture balance, surface texture, and flexibility in ways that make tangling far more common.

The good news is that winter tangles are preventable. With a few intentional adjustments and the right products, you can keep your hair smooth, healthy, and manageable all season long.

Why Winter Makes Hair Tangle More

Winter creates a combination of conditions that disrupt how hair behaves day to day. Understanding what’s happening helps you prevent tangles instead of constantly fighting them.

Dry, Cold Air

Cold outdoor air and heated indoor environments both lack humidity. This pulls moisture out of the hair, leaving strands dry, rough, and more prone to breakage. When the cuticle is dehydrated, it lifts instead of lying flat, which causes strands to catch on each other and knot.

If you want a deeper explanation of how seasonal dryness affects hair health, our guide on why winter hair feels dry and how to restore moisture goes into more detail.

Static Electricity

Low humidity also leads to static. When hair lacks moisture, it can’t properly distribute electrical charge. The result is flyaways, cling, and strands that attract each other in unpredictable ways, increasing tangles throughout the day.

Friction From Winter Clothing

Scarves, coats, beanies, and high collars constantly rub against the hair. Many winter fabrics are coarse and disrupt the hair cuticle through repeated friction, especially around the nape and ends. Over time, this leads to surface damage, split ends, and more frequent knotting.

In short, winter tangles come down to dryness, static, and friction.

How To Fix (And Prevent) Winter Hair Tangles

You don’t need to overhaul your routine. A few targeted changes and the right product choices can make a noticeable difference.

Restore and Maintain Moisture

Hydration is the foundation of tangle-free hair. Moisturized hair is softer, more flexible, and far less likely to knot.

For most clients struggling with winter tangles, Keune Care Vital Nutrition is the go-to foundation. The updated formulas are designed specifically for dry, stressed hair and are clinically shown to leave hair 77% more nourished and up to 84% less prone to breakage. The Nourishing Shampoo and Conditioner support daily hydration, while the Nourishing Mask is ideal once a week to replenish moisture and smooth the cuticle.

To maintain slip between washes, a lightweight leave-in is essential. The Vital Nutrition Protein Spray helps reinforce the hair structure without heaviness, making detangling easier and reducing static throughout the day.

According to research from the American Academy of Dermatology, leave-in conditioners help minimize frizz and static, which directly improves manageability.

Smooth the Cuticle and Reduce Friction

When hair tangles easily, it often means the cuticle needs smoothing and protection.

For clients dealing with both tangles and frizz, Keune Care Velvet Smooth is an excellent option. The reformulated line uses biomimetic lipids and vegan keratin to help repair the hair surface and deliver up to 48 hours of frizz control and smoother hair. The Velvet Smooth Mask is especially effective in winter for improving slip and softness.

A small amount of a lightweight finishing product can also help reduce friction. Applying a drop or two through the mid-lengths and ends helps strands glide past each other instead of catching. If you’re unsure how to do this without weighing hair down, our guide on using hair oils without weighing hair down explains how to apply product intentionally.

Protect Hair From Fabric Friction

One of the simplest winter upgrades is reducing friction wherever possible. Sleeping on silk pillowcases, using satin scrunchies, and layering a silk scarf between your hair and rough winter fabrics can dramatically cut down on tangling.

When hair is already moisturized and smooth, these small adjustments help preserve that work throughout the day.

Maintain Healthy Ends

Tangles often start at the ends. Regular trims remove dry, damaged hair before knots can form and travel upward. During winter, most clients benefit from trimming slightly more consistently to keep the ends clean and manageable.

Between appointments, applying a small amount of leave-in conditioner

or smoothing product to the ends daily helps maintain softness and flexibility.

Detangle With Intention

Always detangle gently, starting at the ends and working upward with a wide-tooth comb or flexible detangling brush. If you hit resistance, pause. Add product and work slowly. Hair that’s treated with patience and moisture stays healthier long-term.

Smooth, Healthy Hair All Winter Long

Winter doesn’t have to mean constant knots and frustration. When you focus on hydration, reduce friction, and maintain the hair’s surface, tangles become far less common.

At Cache' Salon, we believe education is part of luxury hair care. When you understand why seasonal changes affect your hair, you can choose products and routines that truly support it.

If winter tangles are still a concern, your stylist can recommend a personalized combination of Keune Care products based on your hair type, lifestyle, and environment. Thoughtful care makes all the difference.

Here’s to calm, healthy, beautifully maintained hair all winter long.