Can You Swim with Hair Extensions?

Have you ever been on holidays and come back with quite dry and faded or even greenish hair? Even if you avoid the resort swimming pools and spa’s, this may not just be the effect of s\un, saltwater and swimming. It could also be the shower water in your resort/accommodation that you wash your hair in.

Be aware of Hard water… What is hard water? Hard water is water with high mineral content, the two main being calcium and magnesium and added chlorine. The Hard water accelerates the colour fade on colour treated hair. It strips away the natural oils and leaves minerals, this then creates a barrier on the hair which blocksout moisture, resulting in dull, dry, tangled, and discolored hair.Blonde hair extensions can turn a pinky orangey colour and brown hair can turn brassy and dull. This is a chemical reaction between the pre-colour hair and the minerals and chlorines in the water.
Examples of some of these locations where hard water may affect extensions include Fiji, Bali, Thailand, and Hawaii.

Can I minimize the affects? Yes you can absolutely help minimize the affects by not over washing hair as the shower water can also be a contributing culprit, avoid your hair extensionsfrom getting in resort pool or spa water – these are often heavily chlorinated at resorts, the spas would be the worst.

Take with you a really hydrating conditioner to counteract the effects of dryness, as well as a moisture mask, for example;OWay Silk & Glow Mask or ‘Olaplex Shampoo & Conditioner and Leave in Treatment’. Taking a purple shampoo with you will help to some degree for blonde hair, however, the water your washing in can make it less effective that if you were back in Australia.

Good News! Your extensions are not ruined! You can reverse this once your back and regain that creamy blonde again. Washing it a few times when you get back to Australia with purple shampoo. Depending how significant the colour fade is, it would be more effective to apply the perfect toner in the salon, usually violet – ash toner will help revive the hair extensions back to the original colour as the colour has been stripped off if you see pinky / orangey tones. If you have darker hair and its faded, you just need to re-fresh the colour with a semi. Continue to protect those long locks with the correct shampoo and conditioner and really hydrate your extensions to get them back in great shape.