How to Protect Color-Treated Hair When You Go Swimming
You know that pleasant moment when you look in the hair salon's mirror and stare at perfectly color-treated hair that suits your skin tone? Well, it doesn't happen that often. So, when it does, you should do your best to keep the color as it is.
One of the most common practices that can ruin your hair's new color is swimming. Whether you're in a pool or on the beach, you'll expose your hair to harsh chemicals that may damage your dye's molecules, dulling its color.
Of course, summer is all about bathing in the sun and dipping in the cold, fresh water. And nobody is going to give that up for their hair. That's why we have solutions for you that will keep your hair color intact during the season.
What to Do Before Swimming
There are a few tips that you can try before jumping into the pool. They take no time and are going to keep your hair shiny and vibrant throughout your vacation.
Take a Shower
Standing under the shower before going swimming, even if for a minute, will highly benefit your hair. Soaking wet hair absorbs less chlorine and salt water than dry hair, thus offering some protection against frizzy, toned-down hair.
Put On Some Oil
Some natural oils are protectants against UV rays and chlorine, such as coconut oil. During swimming, you aren't only exposing your hair to the damaging chlorine, but you're also exposing it to the sun with no sufficient protection.
Oiling up your hair with coconut oil before dipping into the pool will give your color-treated hair an efficient barrier against the many threats it may face. In addition, it'll lessen the harsh effect of UV rays and prevent your hair from absorbing chlorine to a great extent.
Put On Sunscreen for Your Hair
We all apply sunblock to our skin before going to the beach. Well, you have one more product to put on! Some products can protect your hair from the sun and the chemicals in the pool. If you want to try them out, look for hair products that contain UVA or UVB. As a bonus point, they often give your hair an attractive smell and a shiny look.
What to Do During Swimming
Preparing your hair before jumping into the pool is essential, but there are more things you can do to protect your color-treated hair for the whole time you're spending in the pool.
Put Your Hair In a Bun
The obvious solution to protect your freshly dyed hair is to go all Olympic and wear a swimming cap. But we know how swimming caps don't give the most attractive pool-side look out there.
That's why we have an alternative for you. If you put your hair into a bun before going swimming, you'll bring down the risk of too much chlorine getting absorbed into your colored hair. It'll also help if you keep your hair out of the water as much as possible.
Chlorine dries your hair out and causes frizz. Not to mention, it strips your hair of its newly applied dye, leaving you with a dull color.
What to Do After Swimming
It isn't too late to save your hair color if you're already out of the pool. Here's how you can maintain an after-swimming routine to protect your color-treated hair.
Wash Your Hair Right Away
We know how tiring swimming is. But, for the sake of your hair dye, jump right into the shower after coming out of the pool. Try not to waste time because chlorine can continue to damage your hair even after you're out of the water. Also, you don't want salt water to dry on your hair because it will make for a very frizzy hairdo.
If you have plans with your friends and don't have time to shampoo your hair efficiently, rinse it with clear water thoroughly to wash out the remaining chlorine or salt water. It'll also be great if you applied a leave-in treatment to keep your hair fresh and moisturized.
If you're short on time, stick to shampooing your hair to clean it and wash out chlorine and salt water properly. Of course, you should choose the shampoo that suits your hair dye. Some dyes are more delicate than others, like red dyes. Using the right product will keep your hair's shine in place.
It's essential to use a conditioning product after shampooing your hair to keep it thoroughly moisturized. Moisturizing your hair will prevent it from drying out and will lessen split ends.
Pro Tip: Avoid rinsing your hair with hot water after coming out of the pool because it has a dulling effect on new hair dyes.
To Wrap up
Although we all love to spend hours in the pool, swimming exposes your hair to damaging chemicals that can dry it out and strip it of its vibrant color by breaking down dye molecules. The most famous culprit here is chlorine. Unfortunately, all pools contain a high percentage of chlorine which doesn't mesh well with your newly color-treated hair.
There are a few steps that you can follow before and after swimming to keep your hair dye looking all fresh and new. Before going to the beach, you can soak your hair with water to prevent it from absorbing too much chlorine and put on coconut oil or a product with UVA or UVB.
If you have enough time after coming out of the pool, rinse your hair right away with cool water and give it a proper shampooing to wash out all of the chemicals and salt. Then, apply a conditioner or a leave-in product to keep your hair moisturized for the best result.
Now that we've let you in on these tips, we hope you're more excited than ever to jump into the pool with your newly colored hair!
