‘Protect your hair from chlorine while swimming’

Having healthy, shiny, manageable hair is a must for everyone. However, the onslaught of chlorine, sea salt and sun can damage your hair. Chlorine binds to the hair’s cuticles, stripping them of natural protein, while mineral deposits in salt water make your hair brittle, kinky and wavy. Relaxed hair is more delicate, therefore, far more vulnerable than normal hair.

 To ensure that your hair still looks good after a summer time swim, make sure that you wet your hair and apply a leave-in conditioner or moisturising conditioner before swimming. Conditioners seal the hair and fill up the gaps in your hair shafts thereby acting as a barrier against salt and chlorinated water.

Immediately after swimming, cleanse your hair with clarifying shampoo like Dark and Lovely or L’Oreal hair shampoo. The best way to effectively remove chlorine is using clarifying shampoo which will help remove build-up chemicals like chlorine from your hair and follow this up with a deep conditioner like Olive oil deep conditioner or Dark and Lovely moisturising conditioner.

Over-shampooing and under-conditioning are common causes of dry and frizzy hair, especially in summer. Shampooing more than once a week is not recommended for naturally curly hair. Between washes, remove styling products with a daily rinse. Then apply a generous amount of conditioner, comb through, rinse and proceed with styling. This routine will remove dirt and oil, and remoisturise your hair without stripping away essential nutrients.

Make your own intensive hair mask by mixing ¼ cup olive oil, one egg white and some moisturising conditioner and apply to your hair, put a shower cap over your head and leave it for an hour or go under a hair dryer for 30 minutes and rinse well.  This mask will leave your hair shiny and full of vitality. 

Baking soda is a wonderfully inexpensive home remedy. Add ¼ cup to your normal shampoo and use this mixture once a week to remove water impurities, chlorine and chemicals and lighten your hair. Rubbing together conditioning lotion and baking soda into your hair will give it more volume, body and health.

Sun damage to the hair can manifest as dry, brittle hair and split ends, therefore, protect your hair with products that contain a built-in SPF.