PROTECTING NATURAL HAIR WHEN SWIMMING

Warm weather is upon us. With the sun beaming down and the heat index increasing, the natural desire for most people is to gravitate towards water. Some of us want to take our kids out to play at the beach or show off our new bikini while splashing around in the pool. Here are some tips to protect natural hair while enjoying the water this summer.


Pre Aquatic Hair Protection 

* Apply conditioner. Conditioners can be a moisturizing barrier between hair follicles and the drying elements of either salt water or pool water (which typically contains chlorine). Don’t hold back. Layer on your conditioner of choice. I would suggest putting your hair in sections and apply the conditioner to each section to be sure that all your strands get coated.

* Plan your style. Some would probably prefer to place their hair in twist or braids, while others might want to rock a bun. Whichever style you choose is entirely up to you. If you know that your hair tangles easily when wet then wearing it down probably isn’t a good choice. If you choose to wear your hair down then bringing a hair tie or scarf might come in handy just in case your free hair becomes cumbersome.

* Swim caps. Swim caps aren’t just for Olympic hopefuls. If you don’t trust simply applying conditioner, than completely tucking your hair away may be the option for you. Swim caps can be purchased from most department stores. If you think you have too much hair to fit under a swim cap there are options for you. The website www.dreadlocks.com/au/28-accessories has large sized swim caps to accommodate those with a lot of hair.


Post Aquatic Hair Protection 

* Dry responsibly. This might seem a little over the top BUT if you use a t-shirt to dry your hair at home, don’t feel bad about bringing a t-shirt to the beach or poolside for the same purpose. T-shirts fibers are less likely to snag our natural curls. So grab a t-shirt you wouldn’t mind being caught wrapping around you noggin when swim time is over. Or bring a cute, yet gentle and absorbent scarf that can be both fashionable and functional.

* Rinse your hair. If you choose not to wear a swim cap then don’t skip rinsing your hair after taking a dip in the pool. Just like it is suggested that you take a shower and cleanse your body
after swimming, you should cleanse your hair too. Nothing But Clarifying Shampoo and Aubrey Organics Swimmers Normalizing Shampoo are two clarifying shampoo examples available to aid with removing chemicals from your hair.

If you don’t know by now, natural hair loves water. However, the additional elements that can be found in the places we swim can make the water counter-productive to our strands. Make sure your pre-game and post-game tactics leave you with the least amount of worry about your natural hair strands.

Here are several websites for more information on protecting your hair and skin while swimming: http://www.livestrong.com/article/268100-how-to-remove-chlorine-from-the-hair-body/ http://stylecaster.com/beauty/protect-hair-from-chlorine/
http://www.curlynikki.com/2013/06/swimming-while-natural-hair-tips-for.html



Were these tips helpful to you? Do you have your own tips for protecting your hair while swimming?

Keshia Pavey
www.colormyfootsteps.com