Posted on

Swimmers’ Hair: A deep-dive into shampoos and conditioners.

swimmers hair care

Goodbye Chlorine manufactures anti-chlorine products for swimmers’ hair and skin. Click here to see our entire product line, or our buyer’s guide.

Listen to the audio version of this article.

UPDATE: This post ended up being a lot more about conditioners than shampoos. In brief: We recommend most people try using only an anti-chlorine conditioner after swimming. If you need more chlorine-removing power, try using an anti-chlorine shampoo and conditioner together.

What is the best shampoo to get the chlorine out of hair?

Shampoo that is made for removing chlorine is the best for getting chlorine out of your hair. Goodbye Chlorine makes four strengths of chlorine-removing shampoo fit for your purpose:

ELITE – for elite athletes who are in the swimming pool more than 5 times per week .
Goodbye Chlorine – for fitness fanatics who are in the swimming pool up to 5 times per week.
Swimmer Kids – for kids who love to swim.
Protect – for health nuts who want extra protection from chlorine.

These shampoos are highly effective at removing chlorine. It is recommended to use these products sparingly as needed. Use in combination with other products such as rinse-out and leave-in conditioners.

What is good shampoo for removing chlorine?

Look for shampoos made specifically for swimmers. These products have ingredients that reduce and remove chlorine. Our shampoos are highly effective at removing chlorine. We recommend you use them sparingly and as needed after swimming.

Does clarifying shampoo remove chlorine?

Clarifying shampoos do remove chlorine, but not nearly as well as products made for this purpose. Clarifying shampoos use ingredients that are made to remove product buildup, and mineral deposits on the hair. Chlorine, however, is a special beast. It forms a strong bond with your hair and instead of trying to strip it away, it’s better to use products that reduce chlorine and wash it away.

Our shampoos are highly effective at removing chlorine. It is recommended you use them sparingly and only as needed.

Should I shampoo after swimming?

We recommend you use products such as a swimming-specific conditioner every time after swimming. These products gently remove chlorine and add some moisture back to your hair that was lost to the chlorine exposure. Use anti-chlorine shampoos sparingly and as needed, but not necessarily after every time you swim. Our shampoos are highly effective at removing chlorine. Check out our recommendations here.

Should I wash my hair everyday after swimming?

We recommend most people use a conditioner made for swimmers every time after swimming. The reason is, the chlorinated swimming pool water is great at cleaning your hair, but it also drys it out. So the problem after swimming isn’t clean hair. The problem is chlorinated, dry hair.Anti-Chlorine Conditioners remove chlorine and moisturize your hair, so generally, this is the best solution.

Shampoos by their nature are drying, so we recommend first using an anti-chlorine conditioner and use an anti-chlorine shampoo sparingly and only as needed.

Do swimmers wash their hair every day?

Swimmers use anti-chlorine conditioners more than shampoos. Swimming pool chlorine both cleans and drys out your hair. For this reason, swimmers need products that remove chlorine and add moisture back into their hair. Avid swimmers reach for anti-chlorine conditioners because it solves both these problems.

We recommend using our anti-chlorine conditioner as the go-to product after swimming. Our shampoos are highly effective at removing chlorine and recommend using them sparingly and only as needed.

Do you have to wash your hair after the pool?

Chlorine is damaging to your hair and it is important to get it out after swimming. Most people think they should get a shampoo, but we recommend most people try an anti-chlorine conditioner first.

Think of it this way: Chlorine is a great sanitizer, so when you are swimming, you become super clean. 

After swimming your hair has two problems: 

1. Chlorine has stuck to it.
2. Chlorine has dried it out. 

So you should use a product that both removes chlorine and adds moisture back into your hair. For these reasons, we recommend using an anti-chlorine conditioner after swimming. 

Our anti-chlorine shampoos are highly effective at removing chlorine. We recommend using them sparingly and only as needed. For most people, using only an anti-chlorine conditioner after swimming is a perfect solution.

Why does my hair feel sticky after swimming?

Chlorine is alkaline, and makes your hair cuticle rise. This makes your hair feel rough and “sticky” and hard to comb through. It’s important to remove the chlorine after swimming and replace the moisture lost to chlorine damage. We recommend trying an anti-chlorine conditioner after swimming, or possibly an anti-chlorine shampoo and conditioner.

How do you get rid of sticky hair after swimming?

To get rid of sticky hair after swimming, first remove the chlorine and then lower the pH of your hair by using a pH balancing conditioner. Our anti-chlorine conditioners manage both these problems.

Does apple cider vinegar remove chlorine from hair?

Apple cider vinegar does not remove chlorine, but don’t be discouraged, read on.

Most people like to use apple cider vinegar because it makes their hair feel smooth. Using apple cider vinegar virtually eliminates split ends and fly-away hair. This is because apple cider vinegar is acidic (has a low pH). Your hair cuticle lift when exposed to alkaline substances like chlorine, this is why your hair feels rough after swimming. Acid washes make your hair cuticle lie flat. This is why your hair feels smooth after using a vinegar rinse. 

After swimming, try using an anti-chlorine conditioner to remove chlorine and add some moisture back into your hair. Then after using the anti-chlorine conditioner, use an apple cider vinegar rinse. This is a terrific combination after swimming.

How do you wash your hair after swimming?

We recommend using an anti-chlorine conditioner after swimming. The act of swimming does a great job of cleaning your hair. But there are two side effects: 

1. Chlorine has stuck to your hair.
2. Chlorine has stripped oil from your hair (dried it out). 

The thing to do after swimming, is to solve these two problems. Our anti-chlorine conditioners do both. They remove chlorine and add moisture back into your hair. Most swimmers will find that using an anti-chlorine conditioner after swimming is a good hair care solution. Swimmers who need a more aggressive solution may need to use an anti-chlorine shampoo in combination with an anti-chlorine conditioner.