Swimmers’ Shampoos: Benefits and Recommended Products

Last Updated on December 27, 2022 by Gaga

Keep Your Head Above Water: What does Chlorine Do to Your Hair? 

Swimming is fun and an excellent way to stay physically active and healthy. Unfortunately, regular exposure to chlorinated water isn’t good for your hair. Water in public swimming pools is treated with chlorine to kill bacteria and germs. However, despite its benefits, this harsh sanitizer can harm your hair. Use today’s article to try and overcome the “dry and cry” pool hair problems.

Here are the most common negative effects of pool chemicals on swimmers’ hair:

Gorgeous woman with dark hair in swimming pool
  1. Dull-looking hairChlorine in pool water depletes the hair’s natural oils, resulting in loss of hair shine. Chlorine can also damage the cuticle and cause them to crack. Damaged cuticles reflect light poorly, so your hair appears boring and lifeless. Finally, the chemical buildup on the surface can also cause your hair to become dull.
  2. Pool crunchy hair: Chlorine can strip your hair of its natural moisture, leaving it dry, rough, and porous. Your hair can turn into a straw-like mess that’s hard to comb. Chlorine can also dry out your scalp and cause the skin to itch.
  3. Discoloration: Chlorine in combination with sun exposure, tends to turn blonde hair brassy. The pool water can also leave a green tint on the swimmer’s hair. This green color comes from copper which has been oxidized by chlorine. These green stains are most visible on blonde hair.  Who wants hair with a mean green sheen, right?
  4. Unpleasant chlorine odor: After swimming in a public pool, your hair can smell like chlorine. The smell of chlorine may linger in your hair for a few days after spending time in a pool.
  5. Color fading: High concentration of chlorine can cause damage to the cuticle, allowing color pigments to escape. Chlorine also tends to break down color molecules. Unprotected swimmers’ hair will lose color vibrancy; thus, the color fades quicker than it normally would.
  6. Keratin damage: Chlorine weakens the internal bonds that hold the structure of your hair. This disrupts the integrity of the hair shaft and results in brittle hair and split ends. The damaged hair is susceptible to breakage and is impossible to grow long.

As a result, regular swimmers need special products to protect their hair from being wrecked by chlorine. One of the must-have products for swimmers is an after-swim shampoo. This type of hair shampoo is designed to rinse the chlorine residue from the hair after swimming sessions.

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Gorgeous brunette near swimming pool

Walk on Water: Benefits of Using Swimmers’ Shampoos

Chlorine-removing shampoos contain chelating agents capable of eliminating chlorine, metals, and mineral deposits from the hair shaft. Here are some of the common benefits of using chlorine removal shampoos:

Purge to Surge: Removes chlorine buildup: The purpose of a swimming shampoo is to remove the chlorine and other nasty pool chemicals that sit on your hair and scalp after leaving the pool. It also helps to undo the damage caused by chlorine.

Hue Crew: Prevents hair from turning green: A post-swim shampoo removes the oxidized copper patina from the hair shaft and prevents a greenish hue that’s most obvious in bleached hair. 

Smell the Citrus Fruits: Washes away chlorine odor: A chlorine-removing shampoo eliminates the chlorine odor that can’t be neutralized with regular shampoos.  After-swim shampoos leave your hair smelling clean and refreshed.

Silk Road: Restores softness and manageability: Good after-swim shampoo prevents hair and scalp dryness associated with chlorine. It softens dry brittle hair and makes your locks less tangled. This helps reduce breakage, allowing your hair to grow more quickly.

Color Strong: Protects the color: With regular use of anti-chlorine shampoos, you’ll notice that your hair color is less prone to fading and even lasts longer.

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Beautiful brunette relaxing near swimming pool

Best Chlorine Removal Shampoos

1. TRISWIM Chlorine Removal Swimmers Shampoo

This post-swimming shampoo effectively removes chlorine from hair, skin, and swimsuits after your pool time. You can also use it after swimming in salt water and for removing hard water minerals from the hair. It works better as a preventive treatment and might not be highly effective in eliminating the green hue that has been sitting in the hair for a while.

The formula contains chamomile and watercress that help relieve dandruff and soothe dry and itchy scalps.

The shampoo has a clean citrus smell that is gender-neutral and helps to eliminate the lingering smell of pool chlorine. 

You need just a small amount to get rich leather. It will leave your hair feeling refreshed and soft, even when you are not using the matching conditioner.

You need just a small amount to get rich leather. It will leave your hair feeling refreshed and soft, even when you are not using the matching conditioner.

The downside is that the packaging may leak when you carry the product in your swim bag.

Girl with dark hair relaxing near swimming pool

2. Fairy Tales Sun & Swim Lifeguard Clarifying Shampoo

This is a great swim shampoo for kids, but it can be used by swimmers of all ages. It’s specifically designed to help bring your hair back to normal after swimming in the pool or ocean.

The formula uses gentle fruit extracts to remove salt and chlorine buildup. This shampoo doesn’t strip natural oils while removing the chlorine and it leaves your hair feeling clean and moisturized. Aloe and jojoba hydrate your hair and smooth the strands for easy detangling.

This shampoo is formulated without harsh chemicals, such as parabens, sulfates, and phthalates, and doesn’t contain gluten and nuts.

To get the green hue out, apply a generous amount of the shampoo, massage it throughout the hair, and leave it on for 3-5 minutes. With regular use, this shampoo keeps the green away. When coupled with Fairy Tales conditioner, it makes kids’ hair feel nourished and silky.

Gorgeous brunette in elegant bikini

3. Zealios Swim & Sport Shampoo Moisturizing Formula – Best Shampoo for Swimmers with Color-Treated Hair

This sulfate-free cleanser is ideal for swimmers who are looking for a chemical-free shampoo that will clean and protect their hair. Zealios Swim & Sport Shampoo is formulated to gently remove chlorine and prevent damage that could be caused by chlorine, sun, and salt. Its moisturizing formula rejuvenates dry, brittle hair and leaves your tresses feeling smooth. The light citrus scent helps minimize the lingering chlorine odor.

Zealios Swim & Sport Shampoo can prevent green color from appearing and it can also fix hair that is already green within a few washes.

This shampoo for swimmers is formulated with gentle natural ingredients such as aloe, jojoba oil, Vitamin B, and panthenol. It’s color-safe and suitable for daily use. This is the best choice if you’re in the pool several days a week.

Gorgeous brunette in white dress near swimming pool

4. Paul Mitchell Shampoo Three

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This cleansing shampoo is ideal for occasional clarifying. It contains powerful cleansing agents that can remove chlorine and a greenish tint in just one wash.

Paul Mitchell Shampoo Three is also highly efficient in removing residue from hair products and hard water build-up, leaving the hair squeaky clean. It isn’t suitable for everyday use, as it’s a fairly strong clarifier and can strip your hair of natural oils. To prevent dryness, follow with a hydrating deep conditioner.

Final Suggestion

If your hair already has heavy chlorine build-up, use Paul Mitchell Shampoo Three to get rid of any build-up or take the green out. For daily maintenance during your swim season, use a milder after-swim shampoo such as Zealios Swim & Sport Shampoo.

smiling woman with dark hair in swimming pool

About the author

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Gaga is a blogger and founder of the Softer Hair website. She often says that insomnia is to blame for her first blogging attempts. Being the night owl, she hated the morning alarm. She left her office job and returned to what she loved most - writing.

 

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