It’s summertimeee...and swimming (with curls) isn’t easy.

We all enjoy a good dip in the pool or a fun beach day, but you know what we don’t enjoy? Dealing with the damage our natural hair faces after a pool day.

It may feel like there’s no win-win situation to going swimming with natural hair, but we’re happy to share that we have solutions for you! 

We have all the tips you need to take all the dips you please.

Looking to keep your curls summertime fine while swimming? Here’s the ultimate guide below: 

Protecting Your Natural Curls BEFORE Swimming

When your curls are dry, it's pretty much like a sponge. It’ll soak up any hydration it comes into contact with; even hydration that isn’t safe for them (aka chlorine and salt water).

Before you jump into the pool, jump into your shower and completely drench your curls with water. 

That way, less chlorine (or salt water) will be able to penetrate and get into your hair strands.

In addition to giving your curls the ultimate hydration, coat Pure Grapeseed Oil Conditioner onto your curls as well. 

This will also help minimize the intake of chlorine or salt water penetration.

Additionally, if you have color-treated hair, this is especially important! Color-treated hair is more likely to dry out easier, so be sure to drench those tresses to avoid any stresses.

Protecting Your Natural Curls WHILE Swimming

If You’re Wearing a Cap While Swimming: 

When you have big curls, swim caps can sometimes prove to be challenging. Swim caps can often be too tight and snug on your head full of curls, which can cause tension and breakage. 

To avoid any of those hair problems, be sure you wear a large enough swim cap that is comfortable and effective in covering your curls.

A good swim cap for you to check out is Soul Caps. Their slogan, “Big hair deserves big care”, is definitely a tune a lot of us recognize! 

Soul Caps provide large swim caps that keep your curls cute and covered, whether you’re swimming like an Olympian or just taking a quick dip.

Fortunately, coating your strands prior with the Pure Grapeseed Oil Conditioner will allow you to slip the cap on a lot smoother! 

Plus, the conditioner will add extra protection to your curls, even underneath the cap.

If You’re Not Wearing a Cap While Swimming: 

You can either twist or braid your curls up, or pull your curls into a low bun. 

This will help prevent your strands from tangling or matting, and it’ll also help avoid any additional chlorine/salt water absorption. 

Protecting Your Natural Curls AFTER Swimming

Every day you go swimming is a Wash Day.

That’s the way the curl goes! After swimming, you’ll need to immediately rinse out the chlorine, salt water, and whatever else may have snuck into your strands. 

Use our Pure Aloe Vera Shampoo to cleanse your curls of all the build-up. Afterwards, you can either do one of two things: 

1. Continue the rest of your Wash Day by following up with the Pure Grapeseed Oil Conditioner, Pure Avocado Moisturizer, and Pure Flaxseed Gel.
2. Give your curls a deep conditioning treatment with our Ultimate Deep Conditioner Kit to restore your hair’s moisture and nutrients.

If you’re going to be swimming on a daily basis, we recommend the second option. If this was a one-and-done type of deal, then following through with your regularly-scheduled Wash Day routine is ideal. 

Whichever step you decide to take, be sure that you’re also detangling your curls in the conditioning process. 

(CurlMix Pro Tip: Using a tool like our Flex Brush will help minimize any tangles or shedded hair while detangling.)

You can still have a splash of a summer without stripping your stunning curls, CurlMixer! Let us know how you protect your curls for swimming in the comments below.