6 Gym Hair Care Tips Every Fitness Bunny Should Know
Gym hair, do care!
If you’ve been religiously sticking to your New Year’s fitness regime, congrats – it takes a lot of determination and discipline to hit your goals! But with such dedication to staying in shape, you could be unknowingly putting your hair through the wringer, too. Now, this doesn’t mean you should stop working out! You just need to make sure to follow our expert gym hair tips, below.
Whether you’re a beginner or a workout pro, these are the golden rules you should follow to get healthier-looking, happier tresses at the gym and beyond.
Apply Dry Shampoo Before You Workout
If you’re a sweaty Betty who loves HIIT or other intense classes, dry shampoo should be a staple hair product in your gym bag. Why? Well, dry shampoos work to absorb sweat, oil and keep your hair looking fresh and clean. Yet don’t wait to work up a sweat to reap the benefits of these miracle workers, you can also apply them to your tresses before you workout.
And just like regular shampoos, it’s important to make sure to pick the right dry shampoo for your hair concern. Our all-round fave is the VO5 Post Gym Refresh Spray, because it smells fresh and doesn’t leave your hair with any white residue – bonus!
Rock Protective Hairstyles
Are you guilty of wearing your hair down to the gym? Or maybe you’re always rocking a really tight ponytail? Well, we’re going to let you in on a little secret: protective hairstyles are the key to great workout hair. Your strands are more prone to damage when they’re worn down or pulled too tight, and combined with sweat, your hair is going to feel the strain (eek!).
So, whether you opt for stylish boxer braids, low or high buns, or even a half-up look, the right hairstyle should out last your gym sesh and see you to the office or brunch, in style.
Wash Wisely
Are you shampooing after every workout? Excessively washing your hair strips away the natural oils your mane produces to condition and moisturise itself, making your strands more prone to dryness.
To avoid this, consider making your washes less frequent by using a dry shampoo in between to help combat greasy-looking strands. But, if you’re really itching for fresh-feeling tresses, try the co-washing method (AKA washing with only conditioner!).
Editor’s tip: If you’re looking for a new co-washing product to add into your hair routine, we suggest you get your hands on the Love Beauty And Planet Happy & Hydrated Gentle Cleansing Conditioner.
Formulated with Shea butter, it helps protect your hair against dryness and leaves you with lush, grease-free locks.
Apply an Oil or Conditioner Before Swimming
If you don’t like wearing swimming caps, you, unfortunately, run the risk of causing damage to your locks via chlorine. So, we do suggest you wear one as much as you can.
You can also apply a thin layer of oil or conditioner in your hair before swimming to protect it. Both will act as a barrier between your hair and chlorinated water, keeping chlorine damage at a minimum.
Wear a Sweat Band
If all else fails, you could always wear a sweat band (even if it’s not the coolest look in the world). Wearing one will help absorb the sweat around your hairline, which is great for keeping your hair in check while you try to hit your PB.
Increase Your Protein Intake
Loading up on protein shakes? Don’t forget to give your strands a protein hit, too! 90% of your hair is made from it and keratin is a type of protein that makes up our hair.
Editor’s tip: After a week of hitting the gym, you can give your hair an extra dose of TLC with the TRESemme Keratin Smooth Mask. Enriched with keratin and marula oil it will help improve the look and feel of your hair, meaning you can have #greathairdays all the time.
