Ever since cutting over eight inches off of my hair a few months ago, I’ve found a renewed dedication to keeping my hair as healthy as possible. I have extremely thick hair that tends to be on the dry side, and every winter, as soon as we start turning on the heat at home, my hair suffers from additional dryness and static. Combined with curling my hair a few times per week, winter quickly becomes the toughest season for me to keep my hair strong, shiny, and breakage-free in. Knowing that season will be here before we know it (don’t the weeks between Thanksgiving and New Year’s always seem to fly by?), I’m proactively changing up my hair care routine now so I can heal any existing damage and strengthen my hair before the effects of winter begin to occur.

I have been a big fan of L’Oréal Paris shampoo and conditioner since college, so when searching for a regimen to get my hair ready for winter, I eagerly picked up their full Elvive Total Repair 5 system. It includes a shampoo, conditioner, mask, and leave-in cream that work together to combat the five signs of damaged hair (split ends, weakness, dullness, dryness, and dehydration). The product that stood out to me as a game-changer was the L’Oréal Paris Elvive Total Repair 5 Protein Recharge Treatment, a leave-in conditioner that you apply to towel-dried hair after showering. Even though I exclusively use a wide-toothed comb, I’m always on the lookout for a new product that will help detangle my hair without leaving an oily residue.

Adding a dollop of L’Oréal Paris Elvive Total Repair 5 Protein Recharge right after I washed and conditioned my hair allowed me to quickly comb through it without causing any breakage. Hair is made of protein, and since this treatment contains protein, it effectively helps to increase strength, nourishes the hair fiber, and protects against everyday damage.

I try to let my hair air dry before curling it as often as possible, but sometimes, my schedule doesn’t allow for that waiting time. The L’Oréal Paris Elvive Total Repair 5 Protein Recharge also serves as a heat protectant, so on a busy day, I could rest assured knowing that my hair was protected without needing to layer on an additional product. Instead, I could continue with my usual styling routine and then head out the door, confident my hair both looked great and was well cared-for.

Thank you to L’Oréal Paris for sponsoring this post.