Why Is My Hair Green After Swimming?
Updated: Sep 15, 2022
The short answer as to why your hair looks green after swimming is: Chlorine and copper.
Chlorine is the cleaning agent used in pool water which oxidizes the hard metals found in the water such as copper. When copper oxidizes, it turns green. When copper reacts with chlorine it can bind to the hair which can give hair a light green tint, especially noticeable in blondes.
What Should I Do If My Hair Turns Green After Swimming?
If you've found that pesky green tint in your hair after a swim or a summer spent in the pool, it's time to thoroughly wash that chlorine and copper buildup out of your hair! Our Clarifying Shampoo revitalizes your scalp and hair while adding shine to dull hair. It promotes a healthy scalp environment by removing the buildup of oils, styling products, dry shampoo and yes, chlorine and copper. It naturally removes damaging mineral deposits and toxins left on the hair from the pool, spa or ocean water. Safe for all hair types. Use once a week or as needed. Do not overuse.
How to Prevent Your Hair From Turning Green After Swimming:
Maybe you've been there before and you don't want it to happen again, or maybe you've never had a green tint to your hair and would like to keep it that way... either way, this next part is for you. As we mentioned above, hair is naturally porous, because of this your hair will absorb the first moisture it comes in contact with, especially if you have high porosity hair. If chlorinated pool water with high levels of copper is the first thing your hair touches when it's dry, it will soak up the pool water and give your hair a green tint. The best way to avoid the green tint is to invest in a leave-in conditioner. There are two ways to use a leave-in conditioner to prevent green swimmer's hair:
On damp hair, before going for a swim, simply saturate your hair with a leave-in conditioner such as our Daily Conditioner. Do not rinse out. Reapply as needed.
Or you can create a mixture of our Daily Conditioner and tap/shower water. Put the mixture in a spray bottle, shake well and apply it. Be sure to completely saturate your hair with the mixture each time before entering the pool water.
Both options will allow your hair to soak up all the amazing benefits of the leave-in conditioner before your hair has a chance to soak up the unwanted pool water. The first option is a more direct approach and will use more products. The second option will dilute the leave-in conditioner but will still work while giving you the flexibility to reapply at the pool, as needed conveniently.
Here are some additional benefits of our Daily Conditioner:
Effortlessly melts away knots
Stimulates hair follicles to generate new hair growth
Keeps scalp conditions such as dandruff and irritations at bay.
It helps tame frizzy, tangled locks
Infuses moisture to prevent dry hair.
Nourishes and protects every strand of hair.