How to Protect Your Hair from Chlorine and Saltwater
Everybody into the pool! Or the ocean! But not before you take measures to prevent your hair from getting fried.
Up next in Hair Care & Conditioning (39 videos)
Have the hair you've always wanted with the hair care and conditioning tips in this Howcast video series.
You Will Need
- Leave-in hair conditioner with sunscreen
- Club soda
- A clarifying shampoo
- A sulfate-free shampoo
- A deep conditioner
Steps
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Step 1
Wet hair before swimming
Wet your hair and use your fingers to apply a dollop of leave-in conditioner with sunscreen before swimming. It will help block absorption of salt and chlorine.
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Don't comb the conditioner through your hair; hair is most vulnerable when it's wet.
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Step 2
Rinse it afterwards
Rinse your hair with fresh water as soon as you come out of the water, then apply another layer of leave-in conditioner. If you were in a pool, try rinsing with club soda; the bubbles help wash away the chlorine.
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Step 3
Clarify it
After a day of swimming, wash your hair with a clarifying shampoo; it helps remove chlorine, salt, and pollutants. Use a sulfate-free shampoo the rest of the time; it will be less harsh than standard shampoos, and summer hair needs all the tender loving care it can get.
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Clarifying shampoo causes dyed hair to fade faster, so limit use to once a month if your hair is colored.
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Step 4
Deep condition weekly
Deep condition your hair weekly in the summer, especially if you swim every day.
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It's not the chlorine in pools that can turn hair green, it's the copper from both the pipes and some of the chemicals used to clean pools.
