Ah, the joys of winter are many—from the simple pleasure of drinking hot chocolate to getting ready for a day of ice skating—winter is a season to look forward to. It’s warm, comforting feeling seems to bring a glow to the face and a bright shine to the hair. But in reality, the harsh weather conditions can cause serious stress to your lovely tresses. Add a winter hat to all of this, and you’ve got yourself quite a crisis.

Fortunately there are many ways to avoid your hair issues this season. Starting with a snug (not tight!) lined knit hat, we’ve got your mane problem covered from what hairstyles to choose to what products to use.

Canadian hairstylist Marc Anthony, an expert in his field who is often quoted for his winter hair care tips, says moisture is key in preventing hat hair.

“Moisture creates a barrier preventing static from forming,” he explained to the Associated Press.

Create this barrier by using a leave-in conditioner, which will protect your strands from winter hair tear. Constantly raved by hairstylists and consumers alike, and always a best seller at retail salons, Frederic Fekkai’s popular Glossing Cream is a leave-in conditioner that promises to give manageability to hair. The product absorbs quickly while imparting a shine, getting to the root of your problems effectively. Other great products to try include Bumble and Bumble’s leave-in conditioner and Garnier Fructis’ leave-in conditioning cream.

Now that you’ve applied the right protection products, styling your hair is next. Cold weather usually leaves hair limp and flat, and a hat adds to that. Pump up the volume with a lightweight mousse to ensure your hair remains your crowning glory even through the weather and the hats. Parting your hair in several different ways keeps the volume up, and spraying each of those sections with mousse solidifies that.

To achieve this, take a comb and separate small ½ inch sections of your hair, and start parting them on opposite sides. It might look silly at first, but the end result of volume is worth it.

From here, style as you please. Big, bouncy curls are heating things up during this chilly season, so don’t be afraid to go for this bold look. With the right amount of moisture, separation, and mousse, you’re set to go. For sleek strands, you can’t go wrong with the moisture, parting and mousse formula either. For extra protection, bring along a lightweight leave-in conditioner to pat down those pesky stand-out strands after the hat goes off.

Follow these tips and return to the warm, comfortable feeling that winter has to offer. So go ahead and kick the winter blues out—luscious locks are here to stay.

- Ritu Sharma, Freelance Writer