How to Protect Your Hair from Chlorine & Saltwater

Everybody into the pool! Or the ocean! But not before you take measures to prevent your hair from getting fried.

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.
TIP: Don't comb the conditioner through your hair; hair is most vulnerable when it's wet.
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.
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.
TIP: Clarifying shampoo causes dyed hair to fade faster, so limit use to once a month if your hair is colored.
Step 4: Deep condition weekly Deep condition your hair weekly in the summer, especially if you swim every day.
FACT: 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.