Natation on Vacation

Taking Care of Summer Hair
by Myesha Skye

Natation is the act or the skill of swimming. It also happens to be my dictionary app word of the day which was super convenient because I couldn’t figure out a title for the life of me. It’s officially summer! That means shorter hemlines, open toed shoes, and lots of traveling. Although we’re told water is your hair’s best friend, summer months can be quite taxing on the strands. Whether you’re taking a dip in the pool or catching some waves on the beach, chemicals in these waters can cause dryness, breakage, and thinning. Girl, we don’t need none of that. So when you go on your baecation or even a staycation, you want to make sure your strands stay moisturized and healthy, and that’s where I come in. Now grab a notebook, pen, and a cup of tea or coffee cause sis… we’re going to be a while.

Swimming is a great workout. It’s low impact, total body, and has lots of resistance to help build them delicious instamodel buns most of us want. While it’s great for your body, it’s a no-no for your mane and your largest organ, your skin. Chlorine strips hair and skin of their natural oils causing excessive dryness. If you’re a relaxed girl, the effects are even worst! The shorthand answer is chlorine and most relaxers have conflicting PH balances. It’s like pouring hydrochloric acid directly on your hair for all my fellow chemistry nerds.

Sea water isn’t as bad. It’s packed with vitamins and minerals and can help with ailments like eczema & psoriasis which can affect the scalp. But before those of you with scalp conditions grab your keys and head to the beach, too much salt water and sun exposure can have adverse effects. Sea salt can harden your hair, open the cuticle, and leave hair porous. It’s the equivalent of getting a mild perm or a texturizer! Don’t panic though! You can still enjoy your favorite seasonal activities and still have a head full of hair!

Soak Your Hair Prior to Taking a Dip

It seems like a simple solution because it is! Hair is like a sponge. Once it’s saturated to its full capacity with water, it won’t take in anything else. It’ll prevent your strands from drinking up any harsh chemicals

Invest in a Swim Cap

Another simple remedy! Swim caps are inexpensive and abundant! Retailers like Walmart and Target carry them in different styles sizes and colors but my personal fave is by the Swimtastic School.They make a cap specifically for long haired curly girls! One caution for this tip: stay away from latex caps. Latex causes tangles and breakage so reach for a silicone or lycra one.

Pre-Swim Treatments

Pre-swim treatments are pretty much your pre-poo. Pre-poos prevent excessive moisture loss and shedding as well as ease tangling and matting. Some people swear by using conditioner for pre-treatments. Others swear by oils. It’s all about what your strands prefer.

After Care

No matter what preventative measures you take, after each swim you should use a clarifying shampoo and a moisturizing treatment on your hair. You should reach for something that’s hydrating but has protein to repair any damage your hair may have encountered. I love pairing Carol’s Daughter Rhassoul Clay shampoo and conditioner with Briogeo’s Don’t Despair, Repair deep conditioning mask after a good swim. Those of you who don’t want to spend $36 on a deep conditioner, there are alternatives. Aussie has the strong 3 minute miracle, Jane Carter Solutions has the Revive&Repair masque, Made beautiful has the Intense Treatment Masque, and some of  ya’ll might kill me for this, but our former ally Shea Moisture has the Superfruit Multi-Vitamin Hair Masque know as the Superfruit 10 in 1 to us OG’s. All of these deep treatments have some variation of hydrolyzed protein and lots of humectants, which means they’ll rebuild any damage your mane may have encountered while replenishing moisture. My only advice is don’t over process! Over processing hair with protein can make it stiff and limp! After your hair has been cleansed, you should follow up with a PH balancing leave in. My favorite is the Aphogee Green Tea and Keratin Restructurizer. It’s light and it plays well with other products. I usually follow that with the Precious Tresses regimen and style however my heart desires.

Hopefully this post hasn’t scared you from going poolside or seaside all summer. Let us know below or in the Facebook Hair Growth Challenge Group how you protect your precious tresses! Don’t forget to shop Precious Tresses and use my code MYESHA20 for 20% off your hair growth kit!

Happy Growing! :)

About the author

Myesha Skye is a 22 year old blogger and Precious Tresses brand ambassador based in Delaware.  She loves self-help books, astrology and meditation.  She’s a novice yogini and adores hibiscus tea. Myesha can be found on all social media with the user name MyeshaSkye.