Swim Hair, Beware!

While we all love to dive into the pool during the hot summer days, chlorine can lead to damaged locks if hair is not taken care of properly. Fortunately, there are several ways that you can be sure to protect your crown without wearing those dreadful looking swim caps.

The key to protecting your hair from chlorine is taking care of your hair before you even enter the pool and, of course, after.

Rinse your hair with water: Rinsing your hair with water allows your hair to be saturated before entering the pool. Chlorine is a powerful chemical that sucks out the moisture especially if hair is already dry, so by rinsing your hair with water it helps with the chlorine not being able to soak up moisture as quickly.

Apply your favorite oil: Before you enter the pool apply your favorite oil, my personal favorite is coconut oil, to add a protective layer against the chlorine. Concentrate the oil on the ends of your hair as that is considered the driest.

Braid or Twist your hair: Braiding, twisting, or pulling back hair not only keeps hair out of face while swimming, but it also ensures that your hair does not tangle. Chlorine is known to have hair in a tangled mess. So by braiding or twisting your hair it prevents the creation of a bird nest in the hair.

Rinse hair immediately following the pool: It is extremely important to make sure to rinse out hair as soon as you get out the pool to get some of the chlorine out before shampooing and conditioning.

Deep Condition: After shampooing it is critical to your hair to apply a deep conditioner to have your hair bounce back after all the chemicals. I recommend leaving the deep conditioner in at least 10 minutes longer than normal.

Written By: Arianna Herriott