How to Protect Your Hair From Chlorine and Salt Water
Pools and beaches can leave hair dry, tangled and dull. A simple before-and-after-swim routine to keep it soft all summer.
Summer in Australia means pools, beaches and long days outside, and your hair feels it. Chlorine and salt water can leave hair dry, tangled, dull and rough at the ends, while sweat and sunscreen build up on the scalp. You do not need to stay out of the water. You just need a simple before-and-after routine.
What chlorine and salt water do to hair
Chlorine is added to pools to keep the water clean. It also strips natural oils from the hair, which leaves the lengths dry and more likely to tangle and break. Lighter and coloured hair can look brassy or dull after regular swimming.
Salt water draws moisture out of the hair as it dries, which is why hair feels stiff and coarse after the beach. Combined with sun and wind, it can make ends rough and frizzy.
In both cases, dry hair acts like a sponge and absorbs more of whatever water it meets first. That is the key to protecting it.
Before you swim
- Wet your hair with fresh water first. Hair that is already saturated absorbs less chlorine or salt water. Most pools and beaches have showers.
- Add a light layer of conditioner to the lengths. A small amount of Scalp + Length Conditioner on mid-lengths and ends acts as a buffer.
- Tie long hair up to reduce tangling, and wear a swim cap if you swim laps regularly.
After you swim
- Rinse straight away with fresh water, even if you cannot wash properly.
- Wash the same day. Focus shampoo on the scalp to remove chlorine, salt, sweat and sunscreen. A lightweight shampoo like our Volumising Shampoo cleans without weighing hair down.
- Condition the lengths for one to two minutes and detangle gently with a wide-tooth comb while the conditioner is in.
- Let hair air-dry where you can, and keep heat styling low.
Don't forget your scalp
Sunscreen, sweat and salt all settle on the scalp in summer, making hair feel heavy at the root even when the ends are dry. Once or twice a week, massage Pre-Wash Scalp Oil into a dry scalp before washing to help loosen that buildup. Our guide to an oily scalp with dry ends goes deeper on this.
Remember your scalp can burn too. Wear a hat in the sun, especially along your part.
A weekly summer hair routine
- Before every swim: fresh-water rinse plus a little conditioner on the ends.
- After every swim: rinse immediately, wash the same day.
- Once or twice a week: pre-wash scalp oil, then wash.
- Every wash: shampoo at the roots, conditioner on the ends.
The Hair & Scalp Reset brings all three steps together.
Frequently asked questions
Does chlorine turn hair green?
It is usually copper and other minerals in pool water, not chlorine itself, that tint light hair green. Rinsing before and after swimming and washing the same day helps.
Is salt water good for hair?
Many people love the texture it gives, but it is drying. Enjoy the beach waves, then rinse and condition the same day.
Should I wash my hair every day if I swim daily?
Rinse every day and wash at least every second day, using a gentle shampoo and always conditioning the ends.
The short version
Wet it first, coat the ends, rinse straight after and wash the same day. Your hair can enjoy summer as much as you do.
