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Bunnehlvr22
October 9th, 2015, 03:23 PM
I'm going to the beach in a couple of weeks (yes, in October). It's my first time getting in the ocean and my hair is almost BSL. How bad is getting in the water for my hair? Should I wear a swimming cap? (Even if I look really weird?) Is there any tips for taking care of my hair after I get out of the water?

Nique1202
October 9th, 2015, 04:13 PM
If you can, give your hair a rinse in non-salty water just before going into the water, or use a good leave-in conditioner after you wash your hair (it doesn't have to be wet on your hair when you go into the water). Definitely give it a rinse after getting out of the water, as soon as it's reasonably possible (it doesn't have to be IMMEDIATELY afterward).

Basically, the salt might dry your hair out a bit, especially if you go a long while before you rinse it, but it shouldn't affect your hair the same way that chlorine in a pool does. I don't think you'd need to wear a swim cap.

meteor
October 9th, 2015, 05:07 PM
^ I agree with Nique completely. :agree:

A few ideas for the beach:

- Wear hair in a protective bun (braided buns are great at containing hair tightly) and a wide-brimmed hat or a UV buff to protect hair from UV rays and wind.

- If you swim a lot and frequently, ideally, you might want to get a special long-hair swimcap, like this, for example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=czj4DOl6UO4
and/or try a two-cap combination: http://newlynatural.com/blog/2010/03/winning-combination/

- Coconut oil soak pre-pool to reduce uptake of water with minerals, and soak hair in fresh water and conditioner before swimming.

- Keep hair tightly contained when swimming to prevent excessive tangling: e.g. braid and then bun hair in a simple updo and then put on a swim-cap (if you wear one).

- After swimming, try to use a swimmers' or chelating shampoo or a chelating pack. And rinsing hair thoroughly with fresh water for a couple minutes before even adding shampoo allows some salt to be rinsed away before you even start the chelating process. Condition afterwards. :)

Also, check out this article on the subject:
http://www.thenaturalhavenbloom.com/2009/05/swimming-questions.html

Happy swimming! :D I hope you have fun at the beach! :cheer:

Chromis
October 9th, 2015, 05:23 PM
I personally like to wear a swim cap and put in a good amount of oil or conditioner if I want to swim. Yeah, the swim cap looks goofy, but I also hate, hate having hair in my face! If I am just splashing around a bit at a lake I just clip it up, but for waves and salt I like it under wraps. Otherwise I get these little frizzies that poof everywhere and get in my eyes and nose and mouth and probably look even sillier than the cap :lol:

akuamoonmaui
October 9th, 2015, 05:43 PM
I live on Maui, but don't go in the water much. (Sharks live there and I KNOW they want to eat ME, no one else. Just. Me. - but that's another thread...). Anyway, when I go to the beach I'll put a nice coat of coconut oil on the bottom half of my hair then bun it. When I finally get too hot and feel like I want to tempt fate, I'll go in the water. I find the salt water is pretty cleansing and feels really good on my scalp. Once I get out of the water (after about 3 minutes, 'cause you know sharks can't swim THAT fast to find me) I will rinse in the shower. It will be a bit dry but nothing out of control. I don't ever leave my hair down at the beach because the wind will make it a miserable, snarly mess. The water hasn't ever been a problem. Just care for yours and it should be fine. And PLEASE don't let my irrational, unfounded fear affect your enjoyment of the ocean! Some people fear snakes or clowns, sharks just happens to be my "thing".

DweamGoiL
October 9th, 2015, 06:10 PM
I usually do a single damp braid with water and coconut oil. I'll take a claw clip or two with me and while on the beach, I'll let the braid dangle. When I want to go in the water, I'll bun it with the claw clip and go snorkeling. Afterwards, it's back to letting the braid down and when I get back to my accommodations, I will shower and just condition well and use a bit of oil as a leave in.

Nadine <3
October 9th, 2015, 07:00 PM
I do a french or dutch braid. I don't live anywhere near an ocean so I don't know about salt water, but I assume it's much the same for chlorine. I try and soak my hair with fresh water before going in, maybe a little bit of conditioner squished into my braid.

Afterwards I rinse right away if I can. If I can't right away I just wait until I'm ready to wash it. I use my clarifying shampoo and a DT.

Alex Lou
October 10th, 2015, 12:37 AM
The salt water makes my hair dry. But only until the next wash. I actually like what the salt does to my hair. I get natural beach waves and spirals that look fantastic. I always go to the beach with dirty hair so hopefully the natural oils help protect it somewhat. There have been summers where I've been a total beach bum and my hair has been in great shape even with the sun and salt. I do not think salt water is as nearly as bad as chlorine. I always swim with my hair loose, and frankly would be afraid to use an elastic because I'm sure it would get tangled.

Kome
October 10th, 2015, 12:37 AM
I usually try and oil my hair with a non scented oil (bees) before I go to the beach. That and getting it wet in one of the shower outside of the ocean will help. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the beach and have gone a lot since I live near them! It dries out the hair a lot, but isn't a problem for me if my hair is my virgin hair. If it's dyed at all it tends to clump up and get icky, so the oil helps A LOT. Also, bring a small conditioner bottle and use some when you rinse out your hair in the shower. Just be aware that you're technically not supposed to at some beaches since they don't want everyone showering there. Lol. But it's not going to hurt to do it real quick. Or maybe even just get your hair wet and rinse out the salt water when you're done swimming and then run some conditioner through your hair, put it up, and let it sit on the ride home! :) Hope this helps.

Mimha
October 10th, 2015, 04:30 AM
Totally agree with Nique1202. Salty water is not bad in itself. (I even happen to plunge my head under the water and have a scalp massage with it^^). I think that the major factor of hair dryness when we go to the sea is the fact that the hair is exposed to the sun (and the wind). The salty water may increase it somehow, so the best is really to thoroughly rinse your hair with clear water as soon as possible after you have bathed and not let your hair dry unrinsed under the sun... unless you are looking for some sunbleached highlights^^ (which will automatically mean more hair dryness and fragility too).

Nique1202
October 10th, 2015, 05:01 AM
I do a french or dutch braid. I don't live anywhere near an ocean so I don't know about salt water, but I assume it's much the same for chlorine. I try and soak my hair with fresh water before going in, maybe a little bit of conditioner squished into my braid.

Afterwards I rinse right away if I can. If I can't right away I just wait until I'm ready to wash it. I use my clarifying shampoo and a DT.

Salt isn't chemically reactive, the way chlorine is. Salt won't damage your hair on its own unless you count potentially drying it out a little more, so an ocean dip doesn't require the same precautions as chlorine pools. You absolutely CAN take the same precautions if you really want to, but salt won't damage the proteins in the hair, and salt doesn't seem to make sun lightening worse than plain water (lightening that happens at the beach is probably just because we spend more time sunning at the beach, not the salt itself). It just has a tendency to make the hair feel a little more dry and maybe crunchy from the salt buildup.

embee
October 10th, 2015, 07:31 AM
With the beach, the biggest pain for my hair is sun and wind. But mermaid hair is something wonderful to experience, and I'd not let temporary hair troubles stop me from that. ;) If you have acrylic hairsticks you can easily put your hair up in a quick bun when you get out of the water and that will minimize the tangles from wind.

Rinsing well to get salt off is a must, but you'll want to do that anyway - to get the salt and sand of your body afterwards when you're done with the day.

cat11
October 10th, 2015, 08:47 AM
I'm really surprised people are able to wear braids and braided buns and regular buns with acrylics while swimming. When I try any updo in the water it turns into a matted ball (or... rope if its a braid) that's very hard to untangle (and has made me frustrated enough to cry in the past....)

I found I have the best luck if I wet my hair with fresh water, put some conditioner on the ends, and then just wear it loose... then when I'm done I slather a ton of slippy conditioner and detangle it in the shower, fingers first than a comb and it's actually easy.


If you have acrylic hairsticks you can easily put your hair up in a quick bun when you get out of the water and that will minimize the tangles from wind.

I like this idea

casiopeia
October 10th, 2015, 08:55 AM
I live by the sea and when I get my (waist length) hair wet in the salt water I just shampoo and condition it afterwards and it's fine. I wear it in a bun with a claw clip while swimming . It's not big deal, really. Don't let exaggerated concerns about your hair get in the way of enjoying a nice swim.

Horrorpops
October 12th, 2015, 06:38 AM
I live on the coast and go to the beach all the time! The salt water and sun is a little drying but I normally put a little coconut oil on the ends before the beach if there is time and the shampoo SMT and condition afterwards. The SMT is in an ideal world and maybe happens 1/4 times I go to the beach. Even conditioning twice afterwards pretty much reverses any dry feelings and also helps me remove any tangles from being out in the wind and water.

Alastríona
October 12th, 2015, 07:35 PM
I'm joining this thread to stalk it. I'll be spending a week at the beach in late December, I can't wait!

sarahthegemini
October 13th, 2015, 04:41 AM
Enjoy yourself and just shampoo afterwards and use a good conditioner. I wouldn't bother oiling beforehand and wearing a swim cap personally, I'd just have fun and.not worry and then deal with it afterwards. I should think a good sudsy rinse and a nice conditioner would be perfectly sufficient.

sarahthegemini
October 13th, 2015, 04:43 AM
I live by the sea and when I get my (waist length) hair wet in the salt water I just shampoo and condition it afterwards and it's fine. I wear it in a bun with a claw clip while swimming . It's not big deal, really. Don't let exaggerated concerns about your hair get in the way of enjoying a nice swim.

Definitely agree with this!

julee
October 13th, 2015, 05:00 AM
I live by the sea too and often I swim with my (almost hip) hair loose...bad I know! But I shampoo and condition or CO afterwards and its fine. This summer I really need to try and braid it more often I think.

Bunnehlvr22
October 27th, 2015, 11:17 AM
Thanks for the advice everyone! I meant to reply earlier but I went straight from my beach vacation to the hospital when I got home with severe food poisoning (NOT related to my beach vacation). My hair did great at the beach. I kept it pinned up (see profile picture), combed, deep conditioned, and mantained.

The salty air actually made it so soft.

Sarahlabyrinth
October 27th, 2015, 11:31 AM
oh no! Hope you are feeling better now. Your hair is gorgeous in your avatar pic.

littlestarface
October 27th, 2015, 02:10 PM
I live on Maui, but don't go in the water much. (Sharks live there and I KNOW they want to eat ME, no one else. Just. Me. - but that's another thread...). Anyway, when I go to the beach I'll put a nice coat of coconut oil on the bottom half of my hair then bun it. When I finally get too hot and feel like I want to tempt fate, I'll go in the water. I find the salt water is pretty cleansing and feels really good on my scalp. Once I get out of the water (after about 3 minutes, 'cause you know sharks can't swim THAT fast to find me) I will rinse in the shower. It will be a bit dry but nothing out of control. I don't ever leave my hair down at the beach because the wind will make it a miserable, snarly mess. The water hasn't ever been a problem. Just care for yours and it should be fine. And PLEASE don't let my irrational, unfounded fear affect your enjoyment of the ocean! Some people fear snakes or clowns, sharks just happens to be my "thing".

LOL i love this post

you guys make me want to take a dip in the pacific ocean with my hair loose, its a shame i live 2 hours away from it tho :(

Anje
October 27th, 2015, 02:14 PM
LOL i love this post

you guys make me want to take a dip in the pacific ocean with my hair loose, its a shame i live 2 hours away from it tho :(
I want to too! I live 30 hours away from it, though. :(

zift
October 27th, 2015, 02:18 PM
I used to braid it for swimming but discovered that my hair tangles more that way. This summer I did a tight bun at the nape of my neck secured by a large elastic and it was fine. I don't ever try to comb in the beach though, my hair literally becomes curly with sea water.