Most of us are eager to get started with the summer by setting up our own pool in our backyard to swim on, or drive to the nearest resort for that matter just to cool down in the swimming pools, but exposing yourself to chlorine in the water can have an effect on your hair. This can be tricky for those who have colored their hair recently as the chlorine can make your hair lose its beautiful colors. Should you forego swimming in the pool just to preserve your hair color? Of course not! All that you have to do is to take these tips into consideration to keep that beautiful shade intact.

Use oil treatment

If you want to protect your colored treated hair from the effects of chlorine, you should apply an oil treatment on your hair and scalp. Olive oil is a good enough option for your hair as long as you cover it with a swimmer’s cap. This way, you will not burn your hair while swimming especially when there is sun above you.

Wet your hair first

As much as you would like to dive into the pool as soon as you get sight of it, for the sake of your hair, don’t do it. There are two reasons why you should wash yourself first before going to the pool. The first one is that you are removing your sweat, skin care products, dirt, and dust from your body. And second, washing your hair before you swim actually prevents chlorine from damaging your hair.

Wear your swim cap

Most of us just ignore swim caps when we head to the pool because surely the amount of chlorine in it will not damage our hair so quickly, right? Well, the goal here is to actually stop your hair from getting into contact with all the harsh metals in the water since this can damage your hair a lot. If wearing a swim cap is not your thing, you can pin it in an updo or tie it loosely with a scarf to prevent it from falling in the water.

Remember to do a rinse after getting out of the pool

As much as you would like to stay in the pool forever, you will need to get out and head back to your hotel room or home. That said, it is important that you give your hair a thorough rinse to prevent any chemicals from building up. Use a chlorine removal shampoo to help cleanse your hair, but if you don’t have one hand, do an initial rinse first with just water.

Your hair deserves to be treated well, especially during the summer, as the sun can cook your hair. Introduce chlorine into the picture and your hair woes will simply worsen. Fortunately, protecting your hair doesn’t have to be that hard to do because there are steps that can be taken to achieve this. The steps above should be a good start on how you can keep chlorine from damaging your hair. Who would have thought that swimming with a cap on can actually act as a protective covering to your hair? You may scoff at the idea of using a swim cap, but knowing that it can stop chlorine from touching your hair is a good sign that this should be part of your swim gear.

You don’t have to continue simmering in the sweltering heat because you don’t want to damage your hair. All the steps you will need to have that gorgeous hair throughout the summer can be found above.