Pool Protection: Chlorine Damage
As the heat and humidity rise and summer begins, the chance to cool off in the pool becomes a luxury you would be crazy to pass up. Unfortunately, this luxury comes with trouble, as the refreshing water is most often served with a side of chlorine, a hair health killer.
Chlorine is an intense oxidizing agent that does a good job of cleaning pools of all the bacteria and grime that no one wants to swim in. However, it works a little too well at cleaning hair. Chlorine strips the natural oils that protect our hair and leaves strands dry and brittle. For blondes, the situation is even worse as chlorine can react with the copper from algaecides in the pool water which creates a compound that leaves light hair looking green.
Now, this doesn’t mean you have to swear off pool swimming forever, it's just a matter of protection, prevention and planning.
Before you hit the pool deck, even to tan, you should take a few minutes to apply some form of UV protection. Your hair, like your skin and eyes, is sensitive to the sun's UV rays. These rays can damage the hair cuticle and the outer protective layer of hair strands. This outermost layer is your hair's biggest protector and damage to this can lead to breakage, split ends and further problems. For laying out in the sun, a hat is your best friend as it can protect your face, scalp and hair from UV damage. If you're not a big hat person, a protective hair product is the next best thing. Oribe’s Invisible Defense Universal Protection Spray is a lightweight mist that acts as a protectant for heat styling as well as a shield for UV damage. This can be sprayed on the whole head ahead of your pool day to give a bit of moisture and a lot of protection.
If you plan to dip below the water or expect to get splashed, this is where chlorine protection comes into play. In the case of chlorine, prevention is better than post-pool remedies. Ahead of your pool day, apply a leave-in conditioner to your hair to lock in the moisture your hair already holds. This leave-in will also act as an extra layer of protection for your hair. For thick and curly hair, we recommend Oribe’s Hair Priming Lotion Leave-In Conditioning Detangler. This product adds ample hydration to your hair and protects it from breakage and damage. It also serves as a heat protectant. For fine to medium hair, we recommend Oribe’s Supershine Light Moisturizing Cream. This cream provides a lighter finish that still provides hydration and protection from the harsh pool chemicals.
After your pool day, the hair aftercare is just as important as the preparation. If your hair gets any dose of chlorine water on it, it’s important to immediately rinse your hair with clean water. This allows the chlorine to be washed away before it begins to dry and cause immense damage. If you rinse the chlorine out immediately you can buy yourself a bit more time before a full hair wash is needed. Once your pool day is fully complete and you are back home, your post-pool routine should be super moisturizing and cleansing. We recommend a clarifying shampoo to start with. We love the Davines SOLU Shampoo as it cleanses hair of all build-up while providing a lovely scent from the buckwheat extract within it. After clarifying, go in with a moisturizing shampoo and conditioner like Davines’ MOMO shampoo and conditioner. This combination adds tons of moisture and eases detangling which is often necessary after chlorine exposure. No matter what products you use, ensure you are working to restore the hydration of your hair to prevent damage and breakage that chlorine can come with.
For our beautiful blondes, there are a few extra precautions to take when visiting the pool. To protect your hair ahead of time, we recommend using Oribe’s Bright Blonde Essential Priming Hair Serum as it both provides moisture and heat protection while brightening your blonde with violet and pearl pigments. If you are hoping to brighten up your blonde hair while on vacation, Oribe’s Bright Blonde Sun Lightening Mist is a great way to illuminate your hair while providing moisture and UV protection. This mist is kind of like sunscreen while tanning as it protects the hair while allowing the sun to work its magic! Now, the same rules still apply for blondes, avoid chlorine water, clarify and moisturize afterward and always protect and prevent. However, another step for our blondes to ensure a fresh and bright look will last is a post-vacation treatment. We love Oribe’s Bright Blonde Radiance & Repair Treatment as it both nourishes and moisturizes hair strands while depositing violet pigment to shed brassiness and brighten up blonde.
With all that said, it is important to remember that these routines, tips and tricks will help prevent chlorine damage but they are not guaranteed to stop or save hair from harm. The best way to avoid chlorine damage is to avoid chlorine. However, sometimes the heat gets to be too much and you have to dive in. So, if you do, remember these tips and plan, prevent and protect your hair to ensure your beautiful hair stays that way!
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