Summer has officially kicked off and many of my clients have started to ask about how to take care of their hair as a swimmer. Therefore I decided this would be the topic for this weeks post!
I love summer!
It is by far my favorite season of the year!
Yea, if you are local to Makers Make Parlor then you are probably laughing at me. You see, if you aren’t from around San Francisco, our weather is pretty much always the same. Somewhere between 55-65 degrees, foggy in the morning, sunny long enough to wish you didn’t have layers in the afternoon but not quite long enough to not be grateful in the end you do when the wind picks up and its cold again in the evening.
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Regardless, I love the feeling of the air in the summertime. An activity I enjoy most in the summer but definitely not limited to is, swimming, and I know a lot of you out there enjoy that too. Despite our enjoyment of the water though, the harsh reality is, its awful for our hair!
In addition to our hot tools, coloring our hair and probably not trimming it as often as we should, the exposure to the sun when our hair is wet, the chlorine or salt water depending on the type of swimming and lack of moisture in our hair leaves it extra extra brittle!
I have given you some of my favorite advice I give my personal clients when they ask me what they should be keeping an eye out for.
Preparing your hair for swimming
Whether you are swimming in a pool, lake or ocean there are a few things you should do to get your hair ready to be dunked. Wearing a swim cap can really help with how much it is exposed to chlorine or the salt in the water. It also shields your hair from the sun if you are outdoors.
Remember that when you jump in the water your sunscreen can come off and you are more likely to burn your skin because of how intense the water makes the rays. This is true for your hair too. Although it is important to put a sunblock on your hair too it will come off as you swim so by using a cap you are ensuring your hair will be protected.
Before you put said cap on, it is very beneficial for your hair to be thoroughly saturated with a leave-in conditioner. You can also reach into your cabinet and use some olive oil or coconut oil for this. This not only gives your hair a deep conditioning treatment while you are swimming it creates a little bit of protection from the harshness of the water.
If a cap is really not possible, tie your hair up into a bun with the conditioner or oil on it and you are still starting off ahead. Whatever you do, don’t mess with your hair once you are in the water. This will help keep it from being too tangly when you get out.
Post-Swim Hair Care
Directly after you get out of the water your hair is pretty fragile. Don’t try to detangle the hair at this point especially not if its super tangled if it fell out of however you had it during the swim. If you are going to use a towel to remove some of the water from it, use a towel that is not very abrasive. Like a microfiber towel, the Aquis Towel, or a t-shirt.
Now that it is shower time, let’s talk about shampoo. If you are a regular swimmer, it is time to invest in a shampoo that is clarifying enough to help you remove the chlorine or salt from your hair but not so strong you are taking all of your natural oils off every single day, like AG Hair’s Balance Shampoo.
If you are only going out in the water while on vacation or for quick weekend getaways, then you can follow these instructions I recommend my daily swimmers to do once a week.
A clarifying shampoo will remove all of the unwanted debris from your hair. This will also help you are blonde and you find your hair goes a little greeny after a dip in the pool! Clarifying shampoos like Bumble and Bumbles Sunday Shampooed, named such to remind you to only use once a day (does not have to be Sunday, lol) are very cleansing and also remove all natural oils leaving the hair squeaky clean. Too harsh to be a daily shampoo but just enough if need it!
After your clarifying shampoo, when your hair is feeling squeaky clean it is time for a really good conditioner, preferably one you can leave in. My favorite is Deva Curl One Condition. My bleached curls drink this stuff up and leave it feeling silky smooth and moisturized without ever weighing it down!
This would also be a good time to do a deep conditioning treatment on your hair. For advice on deep conditioners check out my Top 5 Conditioning Treatments post. Your hair doesn’t need a deep conditioning treatment anymore often than once a week so pairing it with a clarifying shampoo you make it like a spa day for your hair and scalp!
General Hair Care Advice for Swimmers
If you are noticing your hair is not able to stay feeling healthy while using the advice above, it may simply be time for a trim. Regular haircuts not only keep the shape of your hair intact, it also keep those split ends from moving up your hair shaft and requiring you to need a bigger trim in the long run.
If your hair is feeling completely unmanageable, it is time for a visit to your hairstylist!
Just for one second think about your most expensive dress or shoes or purse. I bet it has its own special spot in your closet, it is only washed at the dry cleaner and even is given more care while you are wearing it than anything else you own.
It is always a good thing to remember that your hair is at the end of the day nothing more than a fabric. Just like you absolute favorite article of clothing, your hair needs to be treated with as if it is your most valuable possession. I mean it is definitely one of the FIRST things people see when they meet you and you do wear it every single day!
If you put half as much love into your hair I promise you would see the difference!
Cheers,
