On a hot summer day, there’s nothing more refreshing than a dip into a cool swimming pool. But before you dive in, it’s important to take the necessary steps to ‘summer-ify’ your healthy hair routine and protect your strands from the damaging side effects of chlorine.
Can chlorine damage your hair?
Chlorine serves as a very necessary disinfectant to help keep our swimming pools safe from accumulating dangerous bacteria, but is also damaging to our hair and skin.
Chlorine can strip hair of vital moisture, causing cuticle damage and split ends; it can also dry out and irritate the scalp. Even worse, if your pool has copper deposits in it, the chlorine can cause the copper to oxidize and bond with the hair, turning it a greenish color while severely damaging the cuticle.
Tips for protecting your hair from chlorine damage
Take these simple yet necessary steps to protect your strands from chlorine damage:
- Prevent your hair with fresh water before getting in the pool. Hair can only absorb so much water, so saturating it with clean water in the shower greatly decreases the absorption of chlorinated water.
- Apply a product with an occlusive barrier. Occlusive ingredients like oils, butters, and waxes work to seal the hair’s cuticle and prevent water from getting in or out. This effectively keeps the fresh water in and the chlorinated water out. A few ideas:
- Spritzing on a leave-in spray is the easiest way to hydrate, detangle, and protect the hair. Our Avocado + Kiwi Mega Moisture 3-in-1 Leave-In Spray uses avocado oil, chia seed oil, and cocoa seed butter to help hydrate and reinforce the cuticle.
-Using a hair oil in addition will offer even more protection, as they’re made up completely of occlusive ingredients. Our Farewell Frizz Rosehip, Argan, & Coconut Oil Blend combines nutrient-rich rosehip, argan, and coconut oils to smooth the hair cuticle and also protect hair from free radical damage.
- Applying a great hair mask works overtime to protect the hair and simultaneously repair it while you swim. Our Don’t Despair, Repair! Deep Conditioning Mask infuses the hair with rosehip and almond oil for hydration and shine, plus B vitamins to strengthen and restore all hair types and textures.
- Once you’re done swimming in the pool, make sure to rinse your hair again with fresh water. If possible, wash and condition as well to ensure no traces of chlorine are left behind.
- To protect your scalp against the drying and irritating effects of chlorine, replenish lost hydration with the Scalp Revival Charcoal + Tea Tree Cooling Hydration Scalp Mask.
