Whether you swim hard all year round or plan to take it easy in a pool this summer, beware of chlorine! Because it can penetrate your hair fiber without your knowledge.
Promoting the lifting of scales, will dry out the hair, weaken the fiber, and can even wash out your color. Before suffering the aggression of your hair by chlorine, we give you the best advice to protect yourself!
Protective vegetable oils, various hair care, bathing cap, fresh water, air drying, or even food supplements, will help your hair withstand your bathing in chlorinated water.
We tell you the essentials so that your hair remains silky and foolproof. And if the swimming pool definitely scares you after going through these tips, you can always swim in natural pools or lakes!
1. Coat your hair with argan oil before swimming
Sun, salt water, or even chlorine, and argan oil are excellent for protecting your hair from external aggressions.
In fact, it will create an impermeable protective barrier because it is hydrophilic, that is to say, it repels chlorine and protects the hair.
Argan oil is all the more interesting as it strengthens the resistance of the hair by sheathing it and preventing the fiber, which therefore allows it to regenerate more quickly.
Naturally dry and brittle hair, and more generally all types of hair, adopt argan oil to prevent your summer swimming or those at the municipal swimming pool.
Be aware that there are also other vegetable oils that have this same hydrophilic power, such as coconut oil and avocado oil.
2. Go all out on hair care before and after baths
If you want your hair to stay soft despite your regular bathing, do your shampoos, conditioners, and hair masks even more regularly.
On the one hand, they help nourish a hair fiber that can be weakened by chlorine. And on the other hand, they allow you to remove the chlorine from your hair once you’ve finished swimming.
So don’t skimp on the post-swimming shampoo! At least rinse your hair thoroughly when you get out of the water to eliminate as much chlorine residue as possible.
These post-swim care rituals are important not only to repel chlorine and protect the hair but also to prevent your bleached and/or colored blonde hair from turning green when in contact with chlorinated water.
Because yes, chlorine bleaches the hair …
Also know that you can turn to a whole range of specialized protective hair care against salt, chlorine, and the sun.
Apart from classic shampoos and treatments, you will also find protective oils and mists to apply before swimming. Many brands will satisfy you (Sisley, L’Oréal, Nuxe, Acorelle, René Furterer…)!
3. Tie your hair on the top of your head and put on a swimming cap
This advice is not the most glamorous! But if you care about your hair, you better follow it.
Before swimming, start by tying your hair on the top of your head by making a bun or a braid which you then raise in such a way as to avoid as much as possible that your lengths come into contact with water.
The final touch: the famous bathing cap!
You probably hate it but know that it absolutely does not determine your sex appeal. In addition, it is very effective. So embrace it and create a physical barrier between the chlorine and your hair.
We advise you to choose a rubber or silicone swimming cap because they are completely waterproof, unlike fabric swimming caps, which are easier to put on but permeate water.
4. Wet your hair before swimming
Do not jump into the water without first wetting your hair!
Indeed, take a shower with fresh water to wet your hair before swimming because damp hair absorbs less chlorine present in the pool.
It is even the first gesture to adopt before any session. In contact with fresh water, the hair will swell, become waterlogged, and will be less receptive to chlorine and other chemicals that may be present in the water.
5. Avoid possible other external aggressions
Since swimming is more frequent in the summer, chlorine and the sun often go hand in hand and can weaken your hair. There is therefore no need to impose additional drying with a hair dryer.
It is therefore preferred to dry in the open air and avoid sources of heat, including the UV rays of the sun.
And if you really want to blow-dry yourself, use a heat-protective spray before you do it!
6. Take a diet of food supplements after the summer
If you feel that your hair has nevertheless been weakened after the summer and your swimming, do not hesitate to take a vitamin cure for the hair.
These dietary supplements will provide you with the minerals and trace elements that the hair needs to be healthy. Shine, elasticity, and regrowth will thus be facilitated by the cure.
All you have to do is jump into the water!
Image Credit: Image by lookstudio on Freepik
