Summer is finally here. The sun is out. The temperatures are rising. And in your spare time (if you’re lucky) you’re heading to the pool or the beach every chance you get. But if you’re a gray-haired hottie, did you know that both chlorine AND salt water can give your hair a yellowish cast and brassy, dull tones? It’s important to understand the effects each has on gray hair as well as what you can do to reverse it.
Chlorine
Gray hair is characteristically more wiry, coarse, and dryer than non-gray hair, and that means it’s more likely to become brittle when repeatedly exposed to chlorine. Chlorine is a chemical oxidizer, which depletes your hair of the proteins that keep follicles hydrated and healthy. That’s why gray hair feels gummy or mushy once you’re out of the pool, and once it’s dry, it feels like straw.
People with gray hair tend to develop brassy tones after swimming in chlorine pools regularly because the melanin that normally protects gray hair from chlorine damage is missing. Contrary to popular belief, gray hair does NOT turn green due to chlorine. Instead, the actual reason you may be seeing green comes from other factors such as added chemicals or copper and rust levels transferring from the pipes to the water.
Salt Water
There’s no doubt salt water can add volume and texture to the hair (there’s a reason why salt sprays are so popular) but drenching your hair in the waves for hours on end can be extremely damaging. Known for drawing out moisture from your hair and scalp, continuous exposure to salt water can make gray hair color lose any shine it may have. It also strips away the natural oils from your scalp while making it appear dull and lifeless. Have you ever tried to brush your hair after a day at the beach?! The salt oxidizes and roughens up the cuticle, which creates nasty tangles, excess frizz, breakage, and split ends.
Prevention
So, what can you do if you love the water but hate what it’s doing to your gray hair? A few things…
Wear a swim cap!
Apply leave-in conditioner to your hair before swimming to coat the hair follicle and prevent chlorine or salt water from being easily absorbed.
Protect gray hair by shampooing and conditioning immediately after swimming in the pool or the ocean. The Go Gray Purple Toning Shampoo and Conditioner Duo feature nourishing formulations that contain Pro-Vitamin B5 to help strengthen and condition gray hair while restoring essential moisture.
Use the Go Gray Purple Toning Masque once a week to give hair a quick brightening boost. The extra infusion of deep moisturizing properties counteracts and help repair dry hair while restoring its vibrancy and pure tones. This highly effective treatment also helps detangle hair, improve its texture, enhance softness, and smooth frizz.