As I wrap up my sunny beach vacation in Panama, I’m reminded exactly how important it is to stop chlorine from damaging your hair. Local hairstylist Karen Reichert of Structure Salon offers these essential tips. And if you need some ideas for your sunny vacation, check out the Poplin Style Pinterest Board for lots of inspiration. New pins go live everyday. Enjoy!

Guest Post: Pool Time

Summer is here and with that, so is pool time!

HERE ARE A FEW QUICK THINGS YOU SHOULD DO BEFORE YOU HIT THE POOL TO PREVENT CHLORINE FROM DAMAGING YOUR HAIR:

1. Saturate your hair with clean water before you enter the pool. Dry hair will soak up pool water like a sponge. If you saturate your hair with clean water your hair will be less likely to absorb as much of the chlorinated water from the pool. A pony tail or braid is helpful for limiting water absorption, too.

2. If you're doing a lot of swimming or are concerned about damage, a swim cap can make a world of difference. Before putting your cap on, saturate your hair with clean water and apply a light conditioner to your hair.

3. After your swim, rinse, rinse, rinse. A good clean rinse as soon as you leave the pool will start removing the chlorine from your hair until you get a chance to shampoo.

4. Shampooing your hair immediately after chlorine exposure is the best way to remove the bulk of the chlorine and stop the damage it may be causing to your hair. Some shampoos are specially made to help remove chlorine and are a great idea for regular swimmers.

5. Moisture/protein balance. Just as important as removing the chlorine, you have to replace the moisture and protein that the chlorine strips from your hair as soon as possible.

REPAIRING THE CHLORINE DAMAGE:

If your hair does end up getting damaged by chlorine, the best thing to do is to talk to your hairstylist. A stylist will be able to assess the damage and recommend products or treatments, in addition to giving you a healthy trim to remove extra dry ends. If chlorine has damaged your hair, it's likely that it's also building up in your hair and causing it to feel worse than it is. Try a clarifying shampoo, or try super-clarifying your hair by adding one teaspoon of baking soda to your shampoo. You can also use an apple cider vinegar rinse (1 part vinegar to 5 parts filtered water) to remove chlorine buildup. Your chlorine-stressed hair needs equal amounts of protein and moisture, so deep condition weekly or bi-weekly to seal in moisture and soothe the frizzy split ends.

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