HOW TO PROTECT YOUR HAIR FROM POOL DAMAGE
There’s nothing more refreshing than taking a dip in a pool on a hot summer afternoon. And while the warm sun and cool water can do wonders for our mental health, they can mean trouble for your hair, especially if it is color-treated.
While some pools use salt water in order to keep themselves free of harmful bacteria, most backyard and commercial pools use chlorine. Chlorine serves as a necessary disinfectant in pools, helping to keep them free of dangerous bacteria and viruses, but chlorine can also be damaging to our hair and skin. Namely, it can strip your hair of its natural moisture, which in turn causes cuticle damage and split ends. Moreover, too much chlorine can cause skin, scalp, and eye irritation.
How can I protect my hair from damage?
TAKE A QUICK RINSE
Remember those signs when you were growing up suggesting that you take a shower before you enter the pool? While those signs were aimed at keeping the pool clean, they had an added benefit – keeping your hair healthy. Your hair is incredibly absorbent – think of it like a sponge. When you rinse a sponge under clean water, it absorbs that water and “fills up.” Once the sponge has absorbed the water, it is less absorbent until it dries again. Similarly, if you take a quick rinse in the shower before jumping into the pool, your hair will fill up with non-chlorinated, clean water, and this will reduce the amount of chlorinated water your hair is able to absorb.
USE AN OCCLUSIVE BARRIER
Apply a product with an occlusive barrier. An occlusive barrier will help seal the hair’s cuticle and prevent water from getting in or out. This effectively keeps the fresh water in and the chlorinated water out. We recommend you go with Routine Hair Serum, which contains oils like avocado, rosemary, and thyme to help hydrate and reinforce your cuticle.
BE GENEROUS WITH CONDITIONER
Even with the steps above, your hair and scalp may feel dry and irritated as a result of the effects of chlorine. Once you’ve finished up your swim, you should try to give your hair a quick rinse if you can to remove the chlorine that has built up in your hair. When you can, you should wash your hair with Routine Shampoo and Conditioner. Routine Shampoo will help rinse out any damaging pool chemicals, and our conditioner will help restore and hydrate your hair. In fact, we recommend you leave our conditioner in your hair for about five minutes rather than the customary 90 seconds after a swim.
