Summer Swimming Wreaked Havoc on My Hair. Here Are the Products Reviving It
Melissa Mason is an Australian writer and podcast host. She has also been a beauty journalist for over 10 years. She’s obsessed with the ‘70s (and forever switching between her natural curls and a wavy shag), has a co-dependent relationship with her pinky-nude lipstick collection and is currently living in the Aussie outback battling flies and red dust on the daily. You can find her on socials @melissamason_
I love, love, love summer – but I don’t love what it does to my hair.
I have curly-wavy hair, so it’s generally prone to dryness at the best of times.
Add in chlorine, salt water and sun exposure, and you’re looking at straw-like ends and plenty of frizz. That’s exactly where my hair is at after several weeks of holiday swimming.
The beauty (pun intended) of working in this industry? I get to try loads of products, and over the years I’ve added a few to my cupboard that will really get to work on summer-destroyed hair.
It’s a process – some products I’ll use all through summer, others I’ll use when the daily swimming is over and it’s time to bring out the big guns.
ELEVEN Australia Hydrate My Hair Moisture Conditioner.
Best for: Before swims.
The best hack for protecting my hair from summer swimming I’ve found is to prep it for water exposure.
I’ve been wetting my hair, then applying this Eleven Australia conditioner sparingly, just enough to lightly coat it.
The science here is that hair is porous, so if you give it a big drink before jumping into the ocean or the pool, it’s not going to absorb as much salt/chlorine while you swim.
Those are the two straw-hair culprits, so less of that in your strands = less damage.
The conditioner is for the post-swim tangles. My hair is WAY easier to wash and detangle if I swim with conditioner in than it is if I don’t. Fewer tangles mean less breakage!
KEVIN.MURPHY Hydrate Me Wash and Muk Deep muk 1 Minute Treatment.
What:
Best for: After Swims.
When I have it in my shower, I’ll use the Eleven Australia Hydrate Me products after a swim.
But I’ve just started using the Kevin.Murphy Hydrate Me shampoo and conditioner again, and fallen in love once more.
The smell is divine – like a Bali day spa – and both products are so restorative, they leave my hair feeling really soft and manageable.
Every few washes I’ll be switching out the Kevin.Murphy Rinse with muk’s Deep Muk 1-Minute Treatment.
I am the laziest person in the world, so if your hair mask works in 60 seconds? I’m sold.
I’ve been using this one for years on and off and it never fails me. It’s also pretty affordable, so I don’t mind using it repeatedly through summer!
AVEDA Be Curly Advanced Curl Enhancer Cream.
Best for: Styling.
I’ve used this curl cream for years! It’s one of the only ones I’ve tried that doesn’t weigh my hair down and doesn’t leave me with crunchy curls.
During summer I’ll usually wear my hair in its natural state if I’m swimming regularly, since it takes an AGE to straighten it.
It also gives it a break from heat styling so there isn’t more damage being done during a particularly damage-prone season.
The reviews on Adore back me up – people with fine hair and people with thick hair both love this curl product!
PMD Silversilk Pillowcase.
Best for: Sleep.
I have been a silk pillowcase advocate for years now, and while I’ll use mine 365 days a year, it’s worth a mention for frizzy summer hair and it’s definitely going to help me restore mine this year.
I noticed a huge difference when I accidentally forgot mine during a beach holiday last month (yes, I take my silk pillowcase away with me religiously).
My hair was tangled, frizzy, and less manageable. I’ll plait my hair in summer to further protect it from snags and tangles when sleeping, and that teamed with the gentle silk makes for way better bed hair come morning.
K18 Leave-In Molecular Repair Mask.
Best for: When summer is over.
I’m not rich enough to use this all through summer, but the K-18 Leave-In Molecular Repair Mask is my absolute go-to for turning around damaged lengths, and I’ll be returning to it once I stop swimming all the time.
I’ll use this once every two weeks through March and April to get my lengths back to optimal health.
The hype is real – it works in minutes, you notice a difference from the first use, and over time you find your hair has more elasticity, is more manageable and looks healthier.
A no-brainer after a swim-filled summer!
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