The holidays can be a warm, festive, lovely time of year, but it can also be a source of major stress. Traveling, visitors, cooking, cleaning, decorating, and picking out the perfect gifts demand a lot of time and energy.

Big gatherings of family and friends and constant photos mean that you’ll want to look your best, and the last thing that you want on your mind is your hair.

Take steps now to get your hair in the best possible shape and ease your holiday stress.

Don’t Let Nutrition Go Out the Window

This is the season of eating. Rich foods with little nutritional value abound, and parties cause an uptick in our consumption of heavy foods and alcohol.

Take a look around at the next holiday party. How much of the cookies are left and how much of that veggie platter is untouched? We tend to gravitate toward comfort foods in the cooler months, and that can equal a lot of empty calories.

Not only is it important to keep your nutrition up to keep your body healthy, but your hair depends on the nutrients that you consume, too. In fact, if you don’t get the proper nutrition, you could see more of your hair going down the shower drain.

Vitamin A, B-complex vitamins, zinc, and folic acid are just a few examples of key healthy hair nutrients that support shiny, strong locks.

No holiday party is complete without cocktails, beer, or champagne. Just remember to drink water along with your boozy beverage of choice, and not only will you help stave off a headache the next day, but your hair will thank you, too.

Hydration is key for optimal overall health as well as your skin and hair.

We’re not saying that you need to forgo all of the delightful holiday treats that abound, but keep an eye on getting enough vitamins and minerals in. At the very least, taking a multivitamin is a good idea.

Save the Heat Styling for Special Events

Of course we’d all like to have a perfectly coiffed ‘do every day, but using blow dryers, flat irons, and curling wands constantly really does a number on your hair.

If the thought of going to an event without the perfect blow out makes you cringe, opt for no-heat styling for the rest of the season. There are plenty of air dry products on the market to keep your hair smooth without the heat—not to mention wraps, scarves, hats, and braids that will keep you stylish sans damage.

While you’re taking a break from your heat tools, treat your hair to repairing and moisturizing masks, serums, and treatments to get it in the best shape possible. This way, when you have a big event and reach for your curling iron, your hair will be stronger, shinier, and more able to take the heat.

Schedule Your Haircut

Have you ever gone into a simple haircut with dull, lifeless locks and walked out with magically bouncy, shiny hair? It’s amazing what cutting those dead, split ends can do for your hair.

Not only do you get an instant lift, but cutting off those split ends before they travel up your hair prevents tons of unnecessary damage. Split ends are bad enough, but if left untrimmed, that split can lead to the hair shaft breaking, causing frizz and flyaways.

Get your hair cut sooner rather than later! A lot of the time, you need an adjustment period to get used to your new cut, and it’s infinitely better to get that out of the way early. It means you’re not stressing about it the night before you’re going to be in a ton of family photos.

Take Time to Pamper Yourself

You’re going in a million different directions, so don’t let taking care of yourself go by the wayside. Carve a half hour out of your week to light some candles, draw a bath, and put on a hair masque.

Relaxing during this hectic season is so important. Stress can lead to hair loss, so you’re really multitasking while you kick back and let your hair mask do its thing.

A deep conditioning treatment with nourishing oils, vitamins, botanical extracts, and essential oils can strengthen your hair give both it and your scalp the extra boost that they’ve been craving.

Happy Holidays, Happy Hair

There isn’t really a way to make a holiday season completely stress-free, but taking these steps can take a part of the load off of your plate.

Keep healthy, take care of yourself, and don’t forget to take a step back and enjoy this special time of year.