How to protect your hair when swimming

Summertime is great. It means sunshine, good vibes and if you’re lucky, swimming! What’s not so great are the effects that summertime fun can have on your hair…

Although swimming is a fun way cool off, it can wreak havoc on your strands. Whether you’re swimming in a pool or at the beach, chlorine and salt in water could leave your hair brittle and lacking moisture — IF you don’t protect it.
Luckily, we’ve got 5 tips to help you protect your hair, so that you can enjoy a good summer swim!

1. Soak your hair with fresh water

Make soaking your hair with fresh water the routine before every swim (you’ll thank us later).

Instead of absorbing the chlorine or salt water, your hair will first absorb all that fresh water, leaving little space for any of the ‘bad stuff’ in your follicle. This will help prevent loss of moisture and damage caused by the chemicals.

2. Wear a swimming cap

They might not fashionable, and may give you ‘ET phone home’ vibes, but they can help protect your hair. Wearing a latex swimming cap can prevent your hair from absorbing tons of water. Place it carefully over your strands and make sure your edges aren’t too tight to prevent any hair from being pulled.

3. Coat your hair

Adding a coat of oil or an oil-based product to your hair before swimming is a simple but effective trick. The oil will help seal your strands which prevents that nasty chlorine or salt water from penetrating your hair.

Coconut oil or a product like the TRESemmé Botanic Nourish & Replenish Hair Food are good options to try.

4. Protective hairstyles

If a swimming cap is not your cuppa tea, protective hairstyles can also help — especially if you’re a curly-girl. Whether it’s braids or twists, a protective hairstyle will keep your hair from tangling whilst swimming. PLUS, help minimise the amount of chlorine or salt water that your hair absorbs.

5. Rinse, rinse, rinse

After swimming the best thing to do is wash it straight away. Chlorine can linger in your hair, so make sure you wash your hair properly, and rinse A LOT.

Using a more moisturising shampoo and conditioner, like the Shea Moisture Raw Shea Butter Moisture Retention Shampoo and the Shea Moisture Virgin Coconut Oil Daily Hydration Conditioner will also help to give your hair some TLC after the swim.

Bonus tip:

6. Use a hair mask

After a swim, your strands may feel weaker and drier due to the chemicals or salt which absorbs moisture. This means you’re going to need to give your hair the nourishment it’s missing.

A deep treatment like the Shea Moisture Raw Shea Butter Deep Treatment Masque is packed with natural ingredients like shea butter, argan oil and olive oil. Each ingredient offers intense moisture to your hair which is exactly what’s needed after a swim!