Ridding your hair of chlorine doesn’t just start when you step out of the pool. It actually begins before you even get in. One of the first steps you can take is by rinsing your hair with water you know doesn’t contain chlorine before you get in. The reason this works is because your porous hair will absorb the clean water, leaving less room for it to absorb the pool water. You’ll then want to repeat this step after you get out of the pool, cleansing your ‘do of any pool water that may have been absorbed.
There are a few other things you can do before heading into the water, too. Applying natural oils to your hair before getting in the water can protect it from chemicals, as they create a layer chlorine will struggle to penetrate; Coconut oil is particularly good for this. “Because coconut oil is a larger oil molecule than many other oils, it will sit on the surface of the hair where it can act as a barrier, rather than penetrating into the hair shaft,” colorist and color educator Rex Jimieson told Byrdie.
Deep conditioning masks and leave-in conditioners can also work too. If your pool doesn’t allow oils or conditioners on your locks, then you could instead try a pre-swim hair spray to prevent chlorine penetration. They can often contain Vitamin C and some can also be used on the skin.
