how to stay warm, hydrated, + happy during an East Coast winter
If you live in New York City, you know that the winter can be a bit…*ahem*…bleak. Not only is it dark and cold, but the frigid air wreaks havoc on our skin and hair. Plus, can we talk about the radiators in New York apartments? All that heat can’t be good for our hair either. While thinking about these winter woes, we got to thinking…how do people at amika HQ get through a New York winter? How do they keep their hair hydrated and their spirits high? We talked to 4 amika employees who had a lot to say about their winter routines.
- meet Julia Travaglia, amika pro account coordinator
- meet Lauren Carter, territory brand manager
- meet Nic Valley, anti-diversion program lead
- meet Ally Harasym, assistant trade marketing manager
meet Julia Travaglia, amika pro account coordinator
Please introduce yourself! What’s your name, and what do you do for amika?
A: “My name is Julia (she/her) and I’m the account coordinator for amika pro! I’m the point of contact between our distributors, salons, and the brand.”
Do you find your hair is dryer in the winter months? If so, what products do you use to combat that? If not, what products do you use to maintain hydrated hair?
A: “My hair and scalp are drier in the winter months! I live in the “wash less” philosophy, which means I go through a lot of perk up dry shampoo and a lot of dream routine overnight hydration treatment. Washing once a week with the kure shampoo and conditioner and using the soulfood nourishing mask with every wash has helped keep my hair from drying out any further. I rely on my Sephora Collection Shampoo Massage Brush to really get into the root and pull all that dry shampoo residue off my scalp. After the shower, I load up on the hydro rush leave-in conditioner and the closer to seal in that moisture! I have found that air drying my hair instead of heat styling it right away has helped keep that hydration in. If I heat style, I’ll do that once my hair has dried 90% of the way, with the shield as a heat protectant of course!”
Speaking of hydrated hair, over the summer we launched hydro rush—our most hydrating collection. What’s your favorite product from the lineup?
A: “Definitely the hydro rush leave-in conditioner! It has been a go-to for me anywhere from refreshing curls to being a detangler.”
What other products do you use during the winter?
A: “I have eczema and very dry skin, so the cold and I don’t always get along. The skinfix eczema+ repair line, which has a body wash, body cream & hand cream is my key to survival in the New York City winters. I also swear by the Ilia lip mask for these frigid temperatures!”
Even though winter in New York can bring its own set of magical qualities, we know how dark, cold, and…depressing it can be. How do you get through that? What brings you joy to keep your spirits up during the winter months?
A: “My favorite cold nights are when I put on some jazz music and sit on the couch under a blanket and read a book with a hot cup of tea (or glass of wine). A matching pajama set, or fuzzy socks are a necessity for that! Extra points if the book was adapted into a TV show or movie that I can watch after! My most recent reads were “Everything I Know About Love” by Dolly Alderton, “Conversations with Friends” by Sally Rooney, and “Daisy Jones and the Six” by Taylor Jenkins Reid.”
meet Lauren Carter, territory brand manager
Please introduce yourself! What’s your name, and what do you do for amika?
A: “I’m Lauren Carter, the Territory Brand Manager for the Central North.”
Do you find your hair is dryer in the winter months? If so, what products do you use to combat that? If not, what products do you use to maintain hydrated hair?
A: “I have seen a shift in the wintertime since moving from the West Coast to the Midwest; climate can directly impact your hair on top of all the other fun stuff I put it through on a daily basis. The thing I love about amika is that you can mix and match what shampoo and conditioner you use to ultimately address dryness, so my winter haircare wardrobe kicks off with hydro rush shampoo, conditioning with velveteen dream, and masking once a week with the kure, and overnighting it with dream routine. Styling routine is all about keeping moisture locked in and frizz far away, prep the wizard silicone free, supernova, the shield, water sign, and fluxus to finish. I also live in a can of perk up plus, so all my wash days start with the reset cleansing oil.”
Speaking of hydrated hair, over the summer we launched hydro rush—our most hydrating collection. What’s your favorite product from the lineup?
A: “This is a tough to pick just one thing from the hydro rush collection, but dream routine is my winner.”
What other products do you use during the winter?
A: “Face mask, hand mask, and a happy lamp for that extra vitamin D are winter staples in my household!”
Even though winter in New York can bring its own set of magical qualities, we know how dark, cold, and…depressing it can be. How do you get through that? What brings you joy to keep your spirits up during the winter months?
A: “I am probably one of the rare weirdos out that truly loves the winter, and ways that I have combated the seasonal depression that sets in, is by a lot more self-care, really listening to what my body needs, make sure that I stay as social as I can, (happy lamping it up…haha) going outside even when it dips under 20 degrees. Get caught up on reading and projects that get put on pause during the warmer months. My partner and I just got a puppy, Joey; she fills the house with a ton of laughter these days. I look at winter as a time to reset my body and it makes the cold, dark, and snowy months not as daunting as they can be!”
meet Nic Valley, anti-diversion program lead
Please introduce yourself! What’s your name, and what do you do for amika?
A: “Hi everyone, my name is Nic Valley and I’m the Anti-Diversion Program Lead for amika and a member of our Diversity Equity + Inclusion Committee!”
Do you find your hair is dryer in the winter months? If so, what products do you use to combat that? If not, what products do you use to maintain hydrated hair?
A: “In the winter months, my hair becomes extremely dehydrated due to the change in weather. Thankfully, amika has a range of products to combat the cold and add desperately needed hydration to keep my hair healthy year-round! Having fine-textured hair that can be easily damaged, I opt for products that offer preventative care. When washing my hair, my go-to products are the kure bond repair shampoo, the kure intense bond repair mask, + the kure multi-task repair treatment. For added moisture + shine, I complete each wash with flash instant shine mask. When it comes to styling, I use the dream routine overnight hydrating hair mask on damp hair and blow out my hair with the alpha 360 dryer. Finally, I work in the closer instant repair hair cream and finish with the confidante moisture maintenance styler!”
Speaking of hydrated hair, over the summer we launched hydro rush—our most hydrating collection. What’s your favorite product from the lineup?
A: “My favorite product from the hydrating collection would have to be the dream routine overnight hydrating treatment.”
What other products do you use during the winter?
A: “I could not survive the winter without the Aesop Damascan Rose Facial Treatment (to keep my skin as hydrated as my hair!), a kobodon ceramic candle wax warmer (favorite wax scents are sandalwood and smoky cedarwood!), + a well-stocked assortment of Yogi tea.”
Even though winter in New York can bring its own set of magical qualities, we know how dark, cold, and…depressing it can be. How do you get through that? What brings you joy to keep your spirits up during the winter months?
A: “I habitually hibernate in my apartment during the winter months, and make sure I create healthy routines to avoid cabin-fever. Each day, I start with a ten-minute meditation after 30 minutes of yoga to clear my mind and set my intentions. When scrolling through reels on Instagram, I save recipes to focus my social media usage and ensure I avoid repetitive meals (and the urge to order Seamless). Lastly, to guarantee I have a balance of sociability, I will trudge through the cold for a Kra-Mojito at Kava Social in Williamsburg!”
meet Ally Harasym, assistant trade marketing manager
Please introduce yourself! What’s your name, and what do you do for amika?
A: “Hi there! My name’s Ally and I am the assistant trade marketing manager here at amika.”
Do you find your hair is dryer in the winter months? If so, what products do you use to combat that? If not, what products do you use to maintain hydrated hair?
A: “I have thick, coarse hair so during the winter months, my hair gets DRY. The products I use in my winter routine include the kure bond repair shampoo and conditioner. I also use the bust your brass intense repair mask once a week to help tone my hair and give extra hydration. I will then use water sign hydrating hair oil and curl corps defining cream. Throughout the week, I will use the dream routine overnight hydration treatment for nights I don’t wash my hair and will also use power hour curl refreshing spray to help enhance my curls.”
Speaking of hydrated hair, over the summer we launched hydro rush—our most hydrating collection. What’s your favorite product from the lineup?
A: “My favorite hydration product is dream routine! It helps eliminate frizz for me and still lock in hydration with days between washes.”
What other products do you use during the winter?
A: “A few products I use throughout the winter include the La Roche-Posay Double Repair Face Moisturizer. My skin is pretty sensitive and dry so this moisturizer is gentle yet hydrating!”
Even though winter in New York can bring its own set of magical qualities, we know how dark, cold, and…depressing it can be. How do you get through that? What brings you joy to keep your spirits up during the winter months?
A: “I have a few tricks that keep my spirits high during the winter! I try to get movement in 2-3 times a week whether that’s taking a workout class or going to the gym! I also try to do a daily walk on my lunch break to get some sunshine. I always like to plan out a day where I’ll cook or order my favorite meal for take-out! Finally, having a weekend activity such as going to the movies or a museum always boosts my mood!”