Have you ever wanted to go swimming, but didn’t for fear of damaging your hair? The pool or the ocean looked so tempting, but you just knew your hair would be a nightmare to deal with later? Well, you should never have to worry about that again! Here are some tips and tricks on how to swim with African hair while still keeping it healthy and manageable.
Choose the perfect style
If you’re going to be swimming frequently, then it’s best to wear your hair in a protective style. I’d specifically recommend cornrows, as they are perfect for the water, but twists or knotless braids will absolutely work as well. These should prevent any tangling in your hair. There’s nothing worse than only swimming for 20 minutes and then spending hours detangling afterwards! If you aren’t wearing a protective style, you can quickly throw your hair up into chunky twists or French braids for a temporary way to prevent tangling.
Saturate your hair
Both chlorine and salt water have a tendency to dry out hair, and cause breakage and split ends. Afro hair is apt to behave like a sponge, and will absorb that water with all the damaging chemicals in it. To stop this, pre-soak your hair with water and some conditioner. Your hair should be so full of normal water, there’s no space for it to absorb the pool/sea water!
Wear a swimming cap
Now that you’ve got the perfect style, you can fit it under a swimming cap. Up until recently, fitting lots of hair into a swimming cap was a battle, but now there are many brands with swimming caps specifically designed to fit black hair styles. With a good swimming cap, you can really minimize the amount of water coming into contact with your hair – ensuring your hair stays safe and sound while swimming!
Cleanse hair afterwards
After swimming, you’ll want to get any contaminated water out of your hair ASAP! Rinse your hair with clean water as soon as you’re done swimming, to displace any chlorinated or salt water. Then, wash your hair with a sulphate-free shampoo and use a moisturising conditioner for the best results. If you’re swimming frequently, it might not be best to do a full wash after each swim. Instead, just rinse and condition after swimming, and only do a proper wash every now and then.
Lock in moisture
The biggest concern when swimming in the heat is dry hair. With a combination of the chemicals in the water, the hot sun and the humidity in the air, our hair is almost guaranteed to dry out and become brittle. That’s why I’d recommend locking in moisture by layering conditioner, cream and oil in your hair. This will keep your hair soft and hydrated, even on days when you aren’t going out to swim.
You should never have to choose between looking good and having fun. With a little bit of preparation, you can do both! Go have fun visiting the beach or sitting at the poolside, with the knowledge that your hair is just as happy and healthy as you!
