Posted by Support Team
on May 29, 2026
Summer is here, and honestly? We're not going to tell you to stay out of the pool. The beach, the lido, the hotel pool at 2pm - it's all part of the joy of the season. But if you've ever come home from a holiday with hair that feels like straw, a dry itchy scalp that won't settle, or colour that's gone dull and brassy overnight, you'll know that summer swimming is one of the tougher things to put your hair through.
The good news is that with a little prep and the right routine, you can swim all summer long and your hair doesn't have to suffer for it. Here's what's actually happening to your hair - and how to handle it.
Chlorine: The Pool Problem
Chlorine keeps pool water safe, but it's not kind to your hair, as it strips natural oils, dries out the scalp, and over time causes real breakage. For colour-treated hair, it can also lift the cuticle and fade your colour faster (yes, including that dreaded green tinge for blondes). Those with sensitive scalps - eczema, psoriasis, dandruff - often find things flare up more in summer for exactly this reason.
What to do: Apply our Rich Roots Hair Oil before you swim. A light coating through the scalp and lengths creates a protective barrier that limits how much chlorine your hair actually absorbs. After swimming, rinse as soon as you can and wash with our Rich Roots Shampoo - it cleanses gently without compounding the dryness. If your scalp is feeling reactive, our Scalp-Eaze Balm applied for 20 minutes post-swim will calm things down quickly.
Salt Water: Better Than Chlorine, But Still Worth Managing
Salt water gets a better reputation than chlorine - and fair enough, a beach swim feels a lot more natural than a pool. But sea salt is still dehydrating for your hair. It draws moisture out of the hair shaft, and repeated exposure over a holiday week can leave hair feeling increasingly dry, tangled, and coarse.
What to do: Again, a pre-swim oil treatment makes a real difference here. Our Rich Roots Hair Oil creates that same protective layer that limits moisture loss in the salt water. When you're done in the sea, rinse your hair with fresh water as soon as you can - even a quick splash from your water bottle is better than leaving the salt in until you shower. Then follow your usual wash routine when you get back.
If you've had a particularly salt-heavy week and your ends are feeling crispy, our Rich Roots 3-in-1 Hair Mask is your rescue treatment. Apply it to damp hair, leave it for 30 minutes, and rinse - it's deeply conditioning and will help restore softness and shine after a run of beach days.
Sun: The One People Forget
We all remember to put sunscreen on our skin (hopefully), but it's easy to forget that UV exposure damages hair too. Sun bleaches and weakens the hair's protein structure over time, which makes it more prone to breakage and split ends. It also dries out the scalp, particularly an issue if you're lying on a sun lounger for hours.
Dark hair tends to show sun damage as dullness and dryness; lighter hair can go brassy or overly blonde in a way that doesn't look intentional. Either way, UV is one of the quieter culprits in summer hair damage.
What to do: Wearing a hat or a scarf is genuinely the most effective protection, especially during peak sun hours. Beyond that, keeping your hair moisturised with regular oiling is your best defence. The oils in our Rich Roots Hair Oil - Argan, Amla, Sesame - are all rich in antioxidants and vitamin E, which help protect the hair and scalp from environmental stressors including UV damage. Think of them as your hair's version of an SPF-adjacent treatment.
The Holiday Hair Kit We'd Pack
If we were heading off for a week in the sun, here's what we'd throw in the bag:
Rich Roots Hair Oil - pre-swim protection and your weekly deep treatment in one. The 50ml travel size fits perfectly in hand luggage.
Rich Roots Shampoo & Conditioner - gentle enough to use after daily swims without stripping your hair further.
Rich Roots 3-in-1 Hair Mask - your mid-week rescue treatment when things are feeling dry. Use it as a 30-minute deep treatment or a 3-minute shower treatment, depending on how much time you have.
Scalp-Eaze Balm - if your scalp tends to get irritated on holiday (sun, salt, chlorine, different water), this one is worth its place in the bag. The 20ml size is holiday-friendly and genuinely brilliant for an angry, flaky scalp.
A Real Note From Someone Who Swims Daily
One of our customers - a swim teacher who spends up to five hours a day in chlorinated water - said it better than we ever could:
"I also have eczema, so my skin is quite sensitive, especially my scalp... I'm a swim teacher so my hair is thoroughly doused in chlorinated water for five hours at a time. I love it that much I've got a subscription... one of the items I ask anyone to bring when they're coming to see me on season? Can you bring me new bottles of the shampoo, conditioner and mask."
If it holds up to that, a holiday in the sun should be no problem at all.
Sun, Sea, Swim - You've Got This
Enjoy every swim - just give your hair a little backup. Apply oil before you get in the water, rinse as soon as you're out, wash gently, and treat regularly. Your hair will come back from the summer looking healthier than it went in.
