Swimming when you have curly hair, can be a real ‘thing’.  There’s a hangover from relaxed hair and protecting straightened locks at all costs.  Or the childhood memory of name calling when a braid worked its way loose or a few curly strands started floating in the pool.  And we haven’t even started with the swim cap that only covered the crown at best!

But times have moved on.  We’re embracing our natural curls rather than straightening and swim caps have come a long way.  But we do still struggle with chlorine and salt water that can be so drying.  So it’s no longer about avoiding the water but understanding what we need to do to keep our hair healthy so we can embrace the sport we love.

So firstly lets understand the problem.  How does swimming impact our curls?

What does the water actually do to your hair?

Both sea water and swimming pools can affect our curls, but for slightly different reasons.

Sea water contains salt, which can draw moisture away from the hair. When curly and afro textured hair is already naturally more prone to dryness, repeated exposure can leave it feeling rough, dry and more prone to tangling.

Pool water contains chlorine, which is used to keep the water clean. Chlorine is a harsh chemical that can strip away some of the hair's natural oils and, with regular exposure, can contribute to dryness and leave the hair feeling less soft and conditioned.

Neither means you need to avoid swimming. It simply means your hair benefits from a little extra protection and care.

So, how do you protect your curls?

As with many things when it comes to curls, contrary to what we’ve been told in the past, our curls are not complicated. It just takes a simple tweak in the routine and you’re good to go.

Think about Before,  During,  After

Before swimming: give your hair some protection

One of the easiest things you can do is apply a Leave-in conditioner before getting into the water.

Saturating the hair with clean water first can also help, as hair that is already wet will absorb less of the surrounding pool or sea water. Follow this with the Leave-in conditioner to help add moisture and create a conditioning layer around the hair.

Pay particular attention to the lengths and ends, which can be more vulnerable to dryness and tangling.  If long enough, think about styling your hair on top of your head leaving the nape of the neck exposed to the water rather than your ends.  The back still needs to be protected but it won’t be seen so readily and is often stronger because it is less exposed.  

During swimming: wear a swim cap

A swimming cap is another useful barrier between your hair and the water.

It won't necessarily keep your hair completely dry – you’ll find water seeps in around the crown and nape of the neck but it can significantly reduce the amount of water that reaches the hair.  Look for swim caps that are specifically made for curls.  They have been made to allow more room for the volume of hair to be covered, rather than the traditional caps made for straight (or no) hair.

But do be mindful, think of it as another layer of protection, rather than a waterproof solution.

After swimming: rinse & replenish

Once you've finished swimming, the priority is to remove the salt or chlorine from your hair and scalp.

Now this really depends on how much water saturation your hair has endured, as well as how much time you have.  You can opt between these routines based on your situation. 

The Full routine

1)    Start by thoroughly rinsing your hair to quickly remove the excess water.

2)    Then gently cleanse using our Deep Cleansing Shampoo.  It is designed to cleanse the scalp & hair without stripping away the scalps natural oils. 

3)    Work your hands through your hair, rather than going straight for the comb.  The salt & chlorine increase the risk of knots.  Your fingers and the shampoo will more gently undo these reducing hair ripping or breakage.

4)    Next step is to condition the hair fully.  You’ve stripped the hair with the salt & chlorine, then cleansed out what remains, so you need to get the nourishment back into those locks. Apply our Deep Restoring Conditioner which will retore the moisture and make detangling easier.  Run it through with your fingers and leave for 5 minutes to ensure the goodness penetrates.

5)    Finally once your hair is clean, conditioned and tangle free. Apply our Silky Leave in Conditioner to the hair when damp.  This will retain the hairs' balance throughout the rest of the day.

But what if you're swimming every day?

This is where it can feel a little more complicated.

If you're on holiday and swimming regularly, or you have swimming sessions several times a week, you might not have the time, nor indeed want to fully wash and style your hair every single day.

And you don't necessarily have to. Sometime over-saturating with water can actually cause more harm than benefit.

The amount of water your hair has been exposed to matters. If your hair is completely saturated with pool or sea water, cleansing is more important. If you've worn a swim cap and your hair has stayed relatively protected, or you've only had limited exposure, you may be able to take a lighter approach.

1)    Apply Leave in Conditioner before swimming to help with the protection

2)    Wear a cap to reduce the amount of water saturation you are exposed to

3)    Post swimming, rinse your whole head of hair, or rinse the areas left unprotected by the cap

4)    Apply a little Leave in Conditioner to the areas you’ve rinsed.

And you're good to go! 

Know your hair, Feel what it needs

You know your hair better than anyone.  You can feel if it’s dry, brittle or feeling soft and healthy.  

You also know the frequency of your swims and how much time you can afford (or even want to spend) doing your hair.

An extra point to remember

Remember that you will sweat when you swim, particularly under a cap.  Rinsing or cleansing the nape of the neck is an important step – to remove the chlorine or salt but also the sweat.

And also remember that swimming should be fun.  Our hair is so important but it should enhance our life not hinder it. 

And above all else, if you’re keeping your hair healthy as a standard, it will be stronger when standing up to chlorine and salt.  So think about your regular routine, which will have you better protected day in and day out.

Jessica’s real-life swimming routine

And because we believe in keeping curl care simple, here’s what our founder Jessica actually does.

She’s a curly girl and a swimmer, regularly swimming in a chlorinated pool 4-5 times a week. Her routine is surprisingly simple.

She has a regular wash day every week and rarely deviates from it.

She always wears a swimming cap, loosely piling her hair on top of her head before putting it on. This means only a small area around the crown and nape of her neck tends to get wet.

She doesn’t apply leave-in conditioner before swimming. Because her hair has already had it applied on wash day. 

After swimming, she lightly rinses the nape of her neck, dries her hair, gives it a shake and gets on with her day.

If her hair does become more saturated, she’ll wash it. But most of the time, she doesn’t need to.

And perhaps that’s the biggest takeaway: there isn’t one perfect swimming routine for curly hair.

Understand what your hair needs, protect it where you can, and adjust your routine according to how often you swim and how much exposure your hair has had.

Because your curls shouldn’t stop you swimming.

They should be able to keep up with you.

Dive in. Swim. Enjoy it. And let your curls come along for the ride.