Swimming Strategies?

[Katia_k]

Hi all,

I didn't look too closely at summer hair care, because I'm a ginger and I hate the sun. But recently I've been going to a lot of swim classes at the Y, so I've had to reevaluate. I'm slowly working out a hair strategy, and I know all the basic tips, but was wondering how everybody coped with that dreaded chlorine and constant washing.

So far, my strategy has been to try and clarify once a week, put a cony conditioner in beforehand, and cowash the other days of the week. I then put in leave-in after, along with some Curl Keeper, and randomly throughout the week I'll put in some almond oil when the mood takes me. This seems to be working...okay at least. I don't love washing my hair 3-4 times a week, but it's necessary.

So what are your routines?

[Kendrix]

I'd love to say the swim cap worked for me, but I hate the blasted thing. I still use it and it keeps the bunny length dry enough. This did not work terribly well in the ocean and I just kind of piled my matted salt hair on my head for the whole beach week.

[Hairkay]

I'm a daily washer any way so I never minded my hair getting wet. I do wear a swim cap for swimming because being drowned by your own hair is not pleasant. I put a little coconut oil on the hair, ends of the hair mostly the night before. I also shower before a swim making sure to wet my hair before I put on the swim cap. I keep hair plaited/braided. After swimming hair gets rinsed then I'll put on a fruit hair mask for 10 minutes then rinse it out. All that's needed next is to let it drip dry and put some oil on the hair ends. Then I detangle and replait/braid the hair.