A Post-Swim Routine That Will Protect Your Hair from Chlorine (2024)

Summer is almost here, and that means warmer temperatures, summer vacations, road trips, and summer camps. For many curly girls like my daughter, who’s a camp counselor, she has to find fun things for the kids to do every day. One of the biggest and best is always swimming.

Image Source: @ash.karat

Swimming is one of the best parts of summer, and while many of us only go a few times throughout the entire summer, some curlies have to take a dip in a chlorine bath every day. That is a load of harsh chemicals, heat, and sun for two or three months, and our NaturallyCurly community is finding itself in dire need of some help.

Question

How do I keep my hair from drying while swimming every day? I work at a camp and have to swim every day, and wearing a shower cap is not an option. I am scared my hair is going to get so dry! Are there any options that I can do that will still get the chlorine out?

Answer

With as much exposure to sun, heat, and chlorine as you are getting, you will need to work harder than the average swimmer this summer. You will need to prepare your hair before the swim and care for it after to ensure you keep dryness at bay.

Wet and coat your hair with a conditioner (cheap ones work just fine) or coconut oil to prevent it from absorbing too much chlorinated water. Then, you can focus on a post-swim routine that will keep your hair gorgeous and won’t take much time out of your schedule.

Use a Chlorine-Fighting Shampoo

You must wash your hair after swimming to remove the chlorine and mineral buildup. This may require a shampoo with sulfates, EDTA or phytic acid. Curly favorites Ouidad Water Works, EDEN BodyWorks Peppermint Tea Tree Shampoo and Kinky Curly Come Clean contain sulfates, EDTA and phytic acid respectively.

See Also

How to Protect Hair From Chlorine Tap Water

You can also find shampoos specifically designed for swimmers, like Babo Botanicals Swim & Sport Citrus Mint & Passion Fruit Shampoo or Malibu Hair Treatment for Swimmers.

Put That Moisture Back Into Your Strands

Image Source: @chandacosta

With all the chlorine, sun and cleansing you have to replenish your strands and give them some real love nightly. Here you want to use products that will hydrate as well as soften and deter tangles like SheaMoisture Jamaican Black Castor Oil Strengthen, Grow & Restore Leave-in Conditioner, which is a reparative leave-in that will soften, detangle and control your frizz.

Weekly or Bi-weekly hot Oil Treatments

Image Source: @chineykpopgirl

Your hair will be taking a beating with all the chlorine, and one way to rejuvenate it is to take weekly or bi-weekly hot oil treatments. They will not only help your strands but also help your scalp, which will be taking a beating just as much as your hair.

Coconut Oil Hair Mask

Image Source: @studioanna

• ¼ cup coconut oil
• 1 tsp. honey
• Plastic cap
• Small microwave bowl
• Plastic squeeze bottle (optional)

Combine oil and honey in a small bowl and mix gently before warming for 30-45 seconds in the microwave. Apply starting at the tips of the hair and working up towards the scalp. Once fully coated, place hair in a plastic cap for 10-15 min. Rinse out of hair and cleanse as usual.

This is just one of several hot oil treatments that will combat dryness from all the swimming you will do this summer. Applying it weekly, bi-weekly, or even a couple of times a week (if you find you have severe dryness) will help to keep your strands healthy and soft.

Enlist an Awesome Deep Conditioner

Deep conditioning should be done after every shampoo to close the hair shaft. Mielle Organics Rosemary Mint Strengthening Hair Masque is a great one for deep conditioning, as it is an intensive antioxidant-rich product that will restore any dryness caused by avid swimming.

A pre-poo before your weekly or bi-monthly cleansing would help restore those strands and get them ready for cleansing is good to like Darshana Natural Indian Hair Oil.

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