I have been wanting to write about this for sometime. I have really struggled massively to find decent hair care for swimmers! I swim a lot... and particularly now I've just entered myself into the Dambusters Olympic distance triathlon I am going to be swimming much more! So as you can imagine when I get to the point I'm swimming everyday my poor hair is going to really hate me.. it already is starting to and the fact I bleach my hair probably doesn't help matters.There are the very basic 2-in-1 style shampoos specifically for swimming, but I don't like them because what you gain in time you lose in body with a 2-in-1. With this all in mind I've hunted across the internet and searched the shops to find some good hair care to remove chlorine and look after your locks! Let's swim proof your hair...
// 1. Pureology Purifying The hint is in the title! The Pureology pure hydrate provides a nourishing and rich treatment for dry, colour-treated locks! So even if you don't have coloured hair it will certainly help with your locks in the same way. It is basically designed to add moisture to your hair and mildly cleanse it too.
// 2. Wella PureI love, love, love Wella products. Firstly this helps get rid of impurities and any styling product residues, but it also hydrates the hair without making it go greasy. The menthol extract helps the hair feel lovely and fresh - ideal after a chlorine infused swim session! It has bamboo extract which helps to repair damaged hair and lotus flower for a light fragrance.
// 3. Aveda Invati Exfoliating This is one I've been dying to try. It apparently helps cleanse and renew the scalp... which is awesome with the fact chlorine will dry it out. That is all down to the extracts from millet seed and milk thistle, it also helps get rid of the sebum and residue build that clogs up pores. It's also sulphate-free.
// 4. L'Oréal Professionnel Série Expert Solar Sublime Specific sunshine protection related products always appear in the summer (funnily enough), but tend to be pushed out come autumn. You can still get these online and in some places, but just be aware there won't be as many to chose from. The best thing about these kinds of shampoos is that it is often created with the intention of protecting your hair, when you come into contact with salt water and chlorinee. I get on really well with L'Oreal Professional and have tried this shampoo before. It gets a thumbs up from me.
// 5.Lush RehabI know Lush products but not their hair care, so I had to ask about the beauty gurus to get their top products. I then did some digging and decided this would be the best hair care product from their Lush range. Well, Lush Rehab smells amazing with it's papaya, pineapple, kiwi and mango scents. It's blended with organic extra virgin olive oil and jojoba oils to replenish. Anyway this bad boy can really help with getting that moisture back into your locks.... and the fact it does have such a good scent it can help eliminate that lingering chlorine odour.
// 6. Paul Mitchell ThreeI've not actually used Paul Mitchell in a good few years but this product helps to cleanse and brighten your hair. It specifically says it helps to reduce residues from chlorine build up, including minerals and medications which can make an impact. Pretty excited to discover this hair product as you rarely find ones that take chlorine exposure into consideration. It actually helps prevent chlorine green hair too and helps increase inner strength. Paul Mitchell suggest to use the shampoo 'prior to chemical services when build-up is present and before deep conditioning or reconstructive treatments to help accelerate and enhance complete penetration of conditioning products'.
// 7. Kérastase Soleil Bain Apres-SoleilI get on really well with this brand but again never tried this one. It is designed to eliminate the build up of protection products, sand, salt and chlorine whilst reconstituting fiber structure and surface. It assures to leave your hair nice and soft unlike other cleansing products - which as you may have experienced can strip your hair and leave it quite coarse. It has a cationic ssilicone which is something that replaces the hydrophobic film on hair, helping to preserve the hair colour as well, so if like me you bleach your hair it'll help maintain its color.
// My top swimming tips// Keep it under your cap I always wear a swim hat, they're not the most flattering but it could help keep your hair just that bit more protected. I actually always put conditioner on my hair before I put my cap on, as regardless it always gets wet and I'll still need to wash it. I'll vary it between standard conditioner then once a week I'll use a leave in conditioner. Since doing that I have seen a big difference in how my hair looks and feels
// Avoiding the poolI only avoid the pool when I'm due for a wax... obviously! Or when I just had my hair coloured, I've never had a big problem but I don't fancy risking it so I tend to give my hair a week before I'm jumping in the pool. I was just informed that if you use fairy liquid on your hair then use Aussie 3 minute miracle that is good shout - but I can't think of anything worse than putting fairy liquid on your hair!
// Conditioning ritualTry to do a proper conditioning treatment once a week. If you swim a lot your hair is going to feel it... at one point mine felt like straw! Hair color and dryness really took its toll until I started doing a weekly intense condition... I sometimes even sleep with one on depending on how bad it feels. I love doing this now, and often have a face mask on at the same time!
Hopefully you've discovered some products and tips to help you with your swimmers hair! If you've found a product you love that works for you, please do let me know as I'm always on the look out...
