Chlorine and salt can be damaging to our hair, not only causing dryness but also potentially increasing its brittleness. So, although t...
The NUYU team have gathered together the best tips for hair care after swimming.
Rinse through before swimming
To protect your hair, your routine needs to start before swimming. You may have used products in the styling of your hair, and these may interact negatively with the chemicals in the water. Therefore, rinsing these out before jumping in the swimming pool is a top tip.
Also, if you soak your hair through before going into the pool, then you can prevent strands from soaking up the chlorinated or salty water. Already wet hair is unlikely to soak up more water from the pool or the sea, and so it stays protected.
Braid your hair
One of the major pains of getting out of the pool is the tangle of hair, especially if your hair is long. Like electrical cables behind your TV, hair mysteriously twists and knots in the pool. Therefore, before getting in the pool, remove your tangles with a comb and then plait your hair into a loose braid. The braid will protect a large proportion of your hair from surface contact with the chlorine and will also prevent that inexplicable explosion of tangles.
A neat braid will also make it easier for those with long hair to put on a swimming cap. Although a swimming cap is not the sexiest choice in the world, putting a protective layer on your hair is the ultimate in sensible decisions.
Oil it up
We were in danger of losing your trust. We suggested a swimming cap, which is not the hottest look at the beach or by the pool. An alternative to this cap is a protective layer of oil. You can give your hair a bit of pampering before getting into the pool, rubbing coconut oil from roots to tips. Not only will your hair love this attention, but it will also seal out the chlorine. This is probably an essential tip for those with coloured hair, where chlorine can cause oxidisation and turn hair green.
Wash now. Right now.
Long summer holidays by the pool can be a mix of sunbathing and a quick dip. You may take a swim and then spend a couple of hours sunning yourself on a lounger. This sounds perfect, and it is, except each time you jump in and get out you risk your hair becoming dry and brittle. Part of your holidaying habit should be washing your hair through with fresh water each time you step out the pool. A quick rinse under the poolside shower will remove the chlorine that will damage your hair. It might feel like a pain, but just imagine how many times your hair will dry in the sun with the chlorine potentially baked in.
If getting in and out of the sea, it is not always practical to keep rinsing your hair with fresh water. An alternative is to keep a spray bottle of leave-in conditioner in your beach bag and mixing it with four parts water. Salt is particularly drying for the hair, so spraying this concoction on as soon as you get out should work just as well as rinsing.
Oh - and then slap on some sun lotion – we really should protect your skin as well as your hair!
Use specialist shampoos
If you are a regular swimmer, someone who uses it as a primary means of staying fit, then you could form a build-up residue of chemicals in your hair. This will not only dry your hair but could potentially create a layer on your scalp. A layer of chemicals on the scalp is a particular worry as it can damage new growth of hair.
Therefore, a specialist, detoxifying shampoo is essential for a regular swimmer. You just need to look out for those products that end with the "for swimmers" on the bottle. Then, make sure you massage this shampoo deep into the roots of your hair. Remember, you are trying to rid your scalp of this residue of chemicals too.
*Collaborative Post.
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