How I Protect My Hair and Skin During Swim Season
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If you’re a college student, you have likely asked yourself, “What P.E. class am I going to take to fulfill my physical education requirement?” As a freshman, I considered weight lifting, cycling and even SCUBA, but going into my last semester of college I settled on Intermediate Swimming as my P.E. class of choice. The decision ended up being a no-brainer: neighborhood swim team had been the highlight of my summers growing up, I competed on the varsity swim team throughout high school (go Eagles!) and the class fit into my schedule.
As the first day of the spring semester approached, I was excited to spend time in a pool again but less than enthused about the negative consequences the chlorine would have on my hair and skin. I knew from first hand experience that prepwork and aftercare make a huge difference when it comes to their texture and appearance during swim season. Now over half way through the semester, I have my routine down to a science and have broken it down for anyone who might be facing the same challenges.
What you need:
A swim cap
Shampoo and conditioner
Leave-in conditioner
Body oil
Lotion
A hydrating serum
Facial moisturizer
To me, the most important item on this list is a swim cap. If you do nothing else, put on a swim cap before you get in the pool. Not only will it protect your hair from absorbing the chlorinated water, it will also keep your hair out of your face while swimming and allow you to focus on the actual exercise.
Before you get into the pool:
Try to arrive with enough time before your class or practice to rinse your hair out in the shower. Saturating your hair with fresh water means that it won’t absorb as much of the drying pool chemicals that can lead to breakage and split ends, stripping your hair of its natural moisture or even changing your hair color, according to Form.
To add another protective layer to this step, you could also use a leave-in treatment or add regular conditioner to your hair before putting your swim cap on. I usually just use Herbal Essence’s color-safe conditioner, but if you have the budget to splurge on your hair care, I recommend the Malibu C Swimmers Wellness Conditioner.
Image Courtesy: Malibu C
If you feel so inclined, you can also fully get under the shower spray and then apply lotion to protect your skin the same way you’re protecting your hair. Saturating your skin with fresh water prevents your skin from absorbing the chlorinated water the same way it does your hair, and locking in that moisture with body lotion provides another layer of protection, similar to conditioning your hair.
After your swim:
My guilty pleasure is taking off my cap at the end of practice, sinking back underneath the surface and reveling in how the cool water feels on my scalp. Unfortunately, this gives the chlorinated water unfettered access to my hair, so I would advise against doing that if you’re really serious about your hair care or have color-treated hair.
Before your hair gets the chance to dry, take a shower and wash your hair. You can use a clarifying shampoo every couple of weeks to really make sure to get the water-treating chemicals out. Malibu C also makes a great shampoo if you, unlike me, can afford it, as well as a weekly after-swim hair treatment to “remove chlorine, bromine, and other minerals and metals.” When washing my hair, I make sure to only rinse out the conditioner partially to prevent my ends from feeling brittle and dry throughout the day. You can also use a leave-in spray to detangle your hair and add moisture.
Image Courtesy: Malibu C
While your skin is still damp from the shower, use a body oil to provide deep hydration and get your skin glowing. I use baby oil because it’s cheap and effective, but if you’re fancy you can upgrade to something like Gisou’s Honey Infused Body Oil that claims to “revive dry, tight skin while increasing elasticity.” I then follow the oil with a hydrating body lotion. You know your skin has all the moisture it needs when you start feeling like a glazed donut.
For my face, I follow a similar protocol. You might want to alter these steps based on your skin type, but I like to use a hydrating serum–I recommend Glossier’s Super Bounce serum with hyaluronic acid and vitamin B5–and follow it with a moisturizer while the serum is still damp. If you want an extra layer of moisture, you can follow your moisturizer with an oil. My preferred moisturizer and oil combo is CeraVe’s PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion and The Ordinary’s B Oil.
Image Courtesy: Glossier
If these steps seem a little tedious, I totally understand. I am not a 10 step skincare routine girly, as much as I’d like to be. The bare minimum is my usual when it comes to skincare, but to me, these steps are worth it because I’ve seen the differences they can make in the feel of my skin and hair firsthand.
Strike Out,
Katherine Rhodes
Editor: Caroline Kostuch