Back in my hometown in West Point, Mississippi, my father owns and runs the community pool. He used his retirement dollars to fund the venture, which was always a lifelong dream of his. Every summer, my siblings and I would enjoy swimming the day away and filling our tummies with barbeque after our aquatic workouts.
When I began transitioning, I was a fanatic about natural products. They were all that I desired to use on my soon-to-be natural hair. If it had .05% of any chemical agent, it was thrown in the trash. One scorching afternoon, everyone was gearing up take a dip and all I could think about was the effects chlorine would have on my hair. After doing some research, I learned it was okay for my hair to be exposed to chlorine-treated water. Maintenance was simple: I only had to prepare my mane before and after entering the pool.
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Before you go swimming, wet your hair and apply a conditioner to coat and seal your strands. When you wet your hair, the water soaks into the hair strand leaving less room for the chlorine (or sea salt if you swim in the ocean) to enter. It acts as a barrier between your beloved strands and the chlorine. You can also use coconut oil to strengthen the hair shaft, which aids in protecting your hair. And, I know it isn’t sexy, but wearing a swim cap will provide another shield against chlorine-ridden water. Post swim, rinse your hair with water then use a good clarifying shampoo. You could also rinse your hair with an apple cider vinegar and water mix to ensure the chlorine hasn’t made a new home in your hair. Finally, condition your tresses; I suggest deep conditioning to replenish the moisture stripped by the chlorine and shampoo.
So, while you’re swimming, relax and enjoy the water. Focus less on your hair and more on looking cute as you backstroke in front of sexy, male onlookers.
Chime Edwards is an extremely popular YouTube vlogger with over 145,000 subscribers. Chime was also featured in Nikki Walton’s (Curly Nikki) book, ‘Better Than Good Hair.’