As much as I love working out (and I do... A ridiculous amount at times), I'm not a stranger to the ill-effects that a fit lifestyle can have on hair, skin, nails, you name it! It hardly seems fair... Here you are, exercising, taking great care of yourself, and what does your body give you in return? Breakouts, blisters, black toenails, hair breakage, the list goes on (and gets even yuckier)... Those are just the "Bs!"
The good news is, all of these beauty bummers are totally fixable and/or preventable, so don't give up on your fitness goals just yet! Watch this space over the next week as I share all of the fixes I've picked up over the years. For now, let's start at the top... Or shall we say the *root* of the problem? Ok, I'm out of bad puns... Today's all about hair! Read on for solutions to some of your gnarliest "gym hair" problems.
Problem: Breakage- If you have long hair, a ponytail is pretty much required attire for working out. Broken, wispy hair around your face doesn't have to be!
Solution: My personal favorite fix for this is wearing a well-fitting baseball cap and simply slipping my hair through the hole in the back. If you're new to this method, you might want to try putting your hair into a low ponytail first, then pulling it through and removing the hair-tie. As long as the cap is tight enough, it should hold your hair in place and keep it off your face through all but the most strenuous of workouts. This is an especially great strategy for outdoor runs, since it'll reduce your sun exposure as well!
If hats just aren't your thing, try wearing a French braid, top knot, or even piggytails. Can't seem to ditch your ponytail? Just vary the placement of your pony each day, so you're not putting stress on the same part of your hair every time.
Problem: Pool Hair- If you're a swimmer like me, especially if you're a blonde (x2), you've undoubtedly found yourself with green tinted hair after one too many laps. Dryness, brittleness, and straw-like texture are all unwanted perks of pool time, as well.
Solution: First of all, I swear by Loreal Kids Swim & Sport. I've used it since I was a kid in swim team and I still love the stuff. Maybe it's nostalgia, or maybe it really does remove chlorine like it claims, but either way it's the only shampoo I use on pool days. For a more grown-up fix, make sure your hair is completely saturated with non-chlorinated water before diving in and use a silicone hair cap to make sure it stays that way. While swim caps aren't completely waterproof, they will minimize the amount of chlorine your hair absorbs. Go the extra mile by slathering on a rich conditioner or hair mask before pulling on your swim cap, and emerge from the pool with softer (completely green-free) locks!
Problem: Dryness- Hitting the gym everyday is amazing! Hitting the showers everyday isn't amazing for your hair. Hard water and over-washing pair up to make for dry, unmanageable tresses.
Solution: I'm not suggesting that you skip your post-gym shower (eww), but know that you definitely don't need to shampoo your hair every time you gym. Try using only conditioner instead of shampoo every other day. If your hair is extra oily and you really can't skip the shampoo, use it, but only right on the roots where you actually need it. The suds will rinse down the rest of your hair and get it as clean as it needs to be. Can't go without *really* washing your hair? Use a 2-in-1 shampoo-conditioner, but still chase it with conditioner like you would a normal shampoo. Your hair will get nice and clean without becoming dry and lifeless.
Do any frequent exercisers out there have healthy hair tips I missed? Let me know in the comments! Don't forget to check out my post on Friday for more solutions to your biggest gym beauty bummers!
Yours in Fitness,
Sarah
No comments:
Post a Comment