Gabby Swimming Hair Preventive:

Summer and spring are right around the corner, and for those of us that like to try to stay cool, we love to go swimming. The problem with swimming is that it can really be harsh on your hair. And there are a lot of products out there that are good and can help with the aftermath. However, I want to focus on the preventative and maintenance of the hair. A lot of my clients ask me “what can I do to help my hair from the pool tearing it up?” My answer is always the same. 

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Swimming spray: 

You need: 

A small spray bottle from the dollar tree, cheap shampoo and conditioner, a wide tooth comb, and warm water. 

1.) Get the bottle and open it up. 

2.) Put a half inch of the cheap conditioner thick at the bottom of the bottle. 

3.) Fill the rest of the bottle with warm water. Put the nozzle on and shake it up until it is all blended. 

Before: 

Before you go into the pool/lake/ocean I suggest to either: 1.) If you are at a pool that has a shower to get your head soaked. 2.) Bring a spray bottle with water in it and spray your hair down. Then after it is wet, take some of the conditioner out of the bottle and braid it or just put your hair into a ponytail. Then you can go swimming. 

During: 

When you get out of the water, go to sit and relax for a bit.  

I like to start by taking my hair down from the braid, then spraying my hair down with regular water and wring it out. Next, I spray my hair down with the conditioner and water and comb through my hair. Then I put some conditioner in my hands and braid my hair again. And now I can go back to swimming. 

After: 

If you are not going to take a shower, repeat the “during” step until you get home to shower. But when you get home and into the shower, I suggest using cheap shampoo on the first shampoo and if your hair is still gross and/or slimy, then use it one more time until it feels okay. Then use your regular shampoo and conditioner. When you get to your conditioner leave it in while you wash and anything else you need to do. Rinse out your conditioner right before you get out.  

When you get out of the shower use your regular leave in conditioner and using your wide tooth comb and then put in your styling cream and oil.  

My thinking:

I am not saying this is the only way or that other ways do not work. What I am saying is this has worked for me for years. The consistent use of the conditioner acts as a barrier between your hair and the water you are swimming in. It also helps to keep it from changing colors such as green in chlorine pools etc..., or getting build up from the water such as lakes that can leave your hair feeling like putty or drying out from the water. Also, if you are color treated it helps your hair color from fading quicker. 

The rinsing out of the hair and respraying with the conditioner and water solution is to keep the barrier up, and also keeps filling your hair with the conditioner rather than the other water. It also helps it from drying out and feeling like straw. 

The cheap shampoo helps strip all the buildup off the hair from the pool or lake ect... and also helps remove all that cheap conditioner and residue. 

I hope you all find this helpful and if there are any questions. Don't hesitate to ask!!