Swimmer’s Hair Guide: How to Protect Your Hair From Chlorine, Salt Water & Swimming

Swimming can be an active, relaxing, or social exercise that makes us feel revitalised and energised; however, it may not be so great for our hair. Exposure to pool water, salt water, sun, and friction can leave our hair feeling brittle, dry, discoloured, and difficult to manage. The good news is that a few simple changes before dunking our hair can make a big difference!

Skip to Section:

1. Swimming today? Do these 4 things
2. Build Your Swimmers Hair Routine
3. Pool Swimming vs Sea Swimming Routines
4. What Does Swimming Actually Do To Your Hair?
5. Your Swimming Routine Q&A
6. How To Protect Different Hair Types When Swimming

Swimming today? Do these 4 things:

Step 1 (before swimming): Thoroughly wet your hair with fresh water (if you can’t access a shower before swimming, then fill a bottle of water and take it with you)

Step 2 (before swimming): Comb your hair through and detangle it. We recommend a detangling brush that can thoroughly smooth out your hair.

Step 3 (before swimming): Secure and style your hair in place if it’s long, and put on a cap.

Step 4 (after swimming): Rinse your hair with fresh water as soon as you can after exiting the pool, then shampoo and condition according to your hair type.

Now we’ve got the basics down; we can focus on where we’re swimming so we can identify what our hair and scalp priorities should be.

Pool swimming? Focus on protecting your hair from chlorine and chemical build-up. Wear a cap and use gentle but effective hair products to remove excess minerals.

Sea swimming? Pay particular attention to moisture, tangling, salt build-up, and sun exposure. 

Colour-treated or blonde? Take extra care to protect your porous hair from discolouration, brassiness, and dryness. 

Swimming multiple times per week? We recommend building a consistent routine that helps to protect your hair and scalp's natural oils but removes excess chemicals. Don’t be shy to treat your hair to an occasional intensive treatment, either.

 

Build Your Swimmers Hair Routine

Building your hair routine might seem simple, but the hair and scalp have a delicate balance that must be taken care of. Harsh shampoos or oily conditioners may not help to properly clean your hair after a swim session, so we made a quick quiz for you to complete so you can target exactly what your hair needs based on your hair type and your swim schedule:

• Where do you swim? Pool / Sea / Lake or river / Mix
• How often? Occasionally / 1–2× weekly / 3–5× / Almost daily
• Hair? Fine / Thick / Curly or coily / Bleached or coloured / Grey / Dry or damaged
• The main problem? Chlorine smell / Dryness / Tangling / Green tint / Frizz / Breakage / Flat hair

Now you have your answers; we can start to build an actual programme for your swimmer's hair care routine by scheduling what time, what products, and when you’ll be treating your hair:

• Before swimming: … (this is everything you’ll do on the run up to your swim)
• Immediately afterwards: … (how will you treat your hair after exiting the pool i.e. shampoo/conditioner)
• At home once a week: … (maybe you can use an intensive treatment on it once a week or apply any other mask or moisturising product that suits your hair)
• Best KinKind routine: At KinKind, we recommend using non-toxic, plastic-free products week in and week out. The natural, concentrated oils and ingredients used in our shampoo bars, like our Give me STRENGTH! bars mean your hair and scalp will be deeply nourished and cleaned without having any of their natural oils stripped away.

Once you’ve got your answers, you can begin to build your routine around your hair and scalp's needs. For every problem, there is a solution, but the better you understand beforehand what’s damaging your hair, the better chance you have of maintaining your luscious locks.

 

Pool Swimming vs Sea Swimming Routines

Although both types of swimming can affect your hair, our main concerns about it seem to be entirely different from one another.

	Pool	Sea
Main issue	Chlorinated water + dissolved minerals	Salt + wind + UV
Typical complaint	Dryness, smell, dullness, green tint	Dryness, tangles, roughness
Before	Wet hair + cap	Wet/protect hair; secure it
After	Fresh-water rinse + cleanse + condition	Fresh-water rinse + condition
Regular swimmers	Pay attention to buildup/dryness	Pay attention to moisture/tangles

If you’re an avid swimmer and regularly switch between salt water and swimming pools, then you cannot assume that one routine will cover everything. Different environments raise different issues with our hair, so be sure to treat your hair with the utmost care with a well-matched shampoo and conditioner (we recommend a moisture-rich, hydrating shampoo bar like our Give me STRENGTH! bar), and a nourishing hair mask.

 

What Does Swimming Actually Do To Your Hair?

Swimming itself isn’t necessarily bad for your hair, but repeated exposure to pool chemicals, salt water, and environmental factors can put additional stress on your hair and scalp. 

Chlorine is one of the most infamous pool chemicals known for affecting the health and texture of the hair. Chlorine can break down some of the lipids that help protect the hair shaft and can contribute to dryness, breakage, split ends, and a squeaky texture. It’s also suggested that long-term exposure to chlorine can create changes to your hair cuticle.

You’ve also probably heard the myth that chlorine turns your hair green. Well, it’s not exactly untrue. Although chlorine isn’t really an invasive green hair dye, research has shown that it’s the copper levels that are turning swimmers' hair an odd colour.  This suggests a number of factors that turn the hair green, with the first being copper present in the water, and the second being that long-term exposure to chlorine can harm the hair's barrier, making it more susceptible to copper binding to it.

Sea swimming, however, presents a slightly different challenge. Salt water can leave the hair feeling dry and rough, while wind and sunlight can cause tangling and discolouration. Salt water can do wonders for the skin and scalp; however, long-term exposure to salt water may leave your hair feeling matted, a tad off-colour, and a rough texture.

 

Your Swimming Routine Q&A

With so much information floating around from haircare to chemicals to swim caps, we thought we’d address the most commonly asked questions around swim haircare and provide you with some helpful advice to ensure you maintain a healthy head of hair.

Do I need to wet my hair before swimming?

One of the simplest things you can do is thoroughly wet your hair before jumping in the pool or sea. Think of it as giving your hair a head start, as hair that’s already saturated with fresh water is less likely to absorb more water from the pool or sea. Consider it a little like damage control: by soaking up all the fresh water, you’re less likely to absorb chemicals or excess salt from the pool or saltwater.

Should I condition my hair before swimming?

It’s no surprise that pool and sea water are prone to tangling your hair, so, in some cases, people believe that applying conditioner to your hair before entering the water can help to keep your hair tangle-free and protected from the elements.

The conditioner method is only partially effective, though, as it entirely depends on your hair and the conditioners. For example, a heavy, oily conditioner would not protect your hair and instead add excess oils to the hair and scalp, especially if your hair is naturally on the lighter side.

The American Academy of Dermatology recommends using a light, spray-in conditioner before swimming that suits the texture and style of your hair to keep your hair protected and create a physical barrier between your hair and the water.

Does a swimming cap keep your hair completely dry?

Many people may think that a swim cap is used to protect the hair from getting wet entirely, but unfortunately, no swim cap is guaranteed to keep your hair completely dry.

However, the upside of it is that a well-fitted cap can significantly reduce your hair's exposure to the water, can keep longer hair contained and in place, and keep your hair away from chemically treated or chlorinated water.

 

How To Protect Different Hair Types When Swimming

Not all hair will react the same way when exposed to salt water or chlorine water. The texture, porosity, colour and condition will all play significant roles in how you treat your hair and scalp. 

Fine or Thinning Hair

Fine or thinning hair can become easily weighed down and have a greasy texture to it, so the aim is to protect your hair without overdoing it. 

We recommend wetting it before swimming, gently securing it and avoiding any excessive products around the roots. After swimming, use a lightweight but effective shampoo that can remove any unwanted oils and chemicals but still moisturises your hair without stripping or adding too much weight to it.

KinKind's Give me STRENGTH! range is designed for flat, fine, or thinning hair, and contains a bunch of nourishing ingredients like rice protein and wheatgerm oils that help to take extra care of delicate hair.

Blonde / Bleached Hair

Blonde or bleached hair requires a little more special attention than other colours due to the high porosity and its vulnerability to extra damage. 

Try to reduce exposure by always wearing a good quality swim cap, rinsing your hair with freshwater before entering the water, and using a conditioner that’s specifically formulated or compatible with blonde/bleached hair. If you notice a green tinge developing, remember that copper - rather than just chlorine - is usually responsible.

If you’re concerned about a green hue or a brassy tinge to your hair, we recommend using My Platinum TOUCH! It has been specifically formulated for blonde and bleached hair, and uses a mix of naturally moisturising ingredients that help clean the hair and scalp whilst maintaining those precious golden locks.

Curly/Coily Hair

Curly or coiled hair will be naturally more prone to dryness and tangling when wet, so the main priority here should be moisture.

Before swimming, gently detangle your hair and apply a light spray-on conditioner that allows your hair to move inside the cap without becoming too tangled up. Afterwards, rinse your hair thoroughly and use plenty of conditioner through the lengths. Avoid aggressive brushing to not irritate your scalp and avoid breaking any hairs.

KinKinds Give me MORE! Shampoo and conditioner bars do a marvellous job of replenishing your hair and scalp with hydrating ingredients whilst using gentle cleansing ingredients to remove any unwanted chemicals and dirt from your hair.

Dry/Damaged Hair

If your hair is already dry or damaged, then exposure to chlorine or seawater may make it feel even more rough and brittle.

The best approach here is simplicity. Rinse before entering the water and promptly after, making sure to prioritise conditioning. Avoid any unnecessary heat styling and use gentle hair brushes that can detangle your hair without putting too much stress on your scalp or hair follicles.

If a sensitive yet moisturising shampoo is what you’re after, then KinKinds NOURISH me! Shampoo and conditioner bars tick all the boxes. Specifically formulated for delicate hair and scalps, these bars are non-toxic and contain a huge variety of ingredients that help thoroughly clean your hair whilst drenching it with nourishing and regenerating oils.

 

The Bottom Line

Swimming doesn’t mean having to sacrifice healthy-looking hair. Whether you’re a regular pool user, a sea-swimming enthusiast, or a ‘once or twice a year’ kinda person, a few simple habits can help to protect your hair from any unnecessary dryness, tangling, discolouration or damage. 

The basics are simple; just remember to: rinse your hair before swimming, wear a cap, rinse it again after your swim, and apply a high-quality shampoo and conditioner to replenish your hair's natural state.

By taking a little extra care before each swim, you can keep your hair feeling soft, manageable, and in great condition whilst still enjoying all the benefits that swimming has to offer.