new thread
Just wanted to mention something that I have discovered and am not sure has been brought up before: Soft water makes a huge difference in how well shampoo and conditioner work. If you are living in an area where the water service is well water, your water may be pretty hard. It might be worth it to invest in a water softener, or get a service on a monthly fee. You'll be amazed at the difference soft water makes in hair management, particularly if you have thicker hair that has a mind of its own.
unrelated topic:
Does anyone here lap swim or swim in some other way in a public pool? What do you do about the whole hair in the pool thing? Cap? Let it float? What about those special swimmer shampoos that are supposed to repair chlorine damage? Any good?
Thanks,
Knucks
I'm not a regular swimmer, but I do wash my hair with water from a water softeneer.
I'd say if you have hard water, you probably want to invest in at least a showerhead that filters, or maybe an actual attached-to-the-plumbing-type water softener, but make sure you rinse verrrry well. One thing you really need to be careful about with a water softener is that is makes your water kind of... wimpy. It's much more difficult to rinse shampoo or conditioner out of your hair with softened water as opposed to hard water or city water.
I've used softened water since before I started growing my hair, so I don't know the difference in behavior, but as my hair got longer, laziness in the shower tended to have me leaving very drying amounts of shampoo in my hair. When I started conditioning, because I comb my hair back in the shower, the front traps conditioner right around the crown really nicely and that residue loves to travel all over my scalp via my comb after I get out.
Most swimming pools and public beaches have a fresh water tap for you to wash the chlorine out of your hair, etc. Some people also recommend using this before you swim, as they say that if your hair is already wet it won't absorb the chlorinated water.
I lap swim at least 3 times per week at the YMCA pool nearby. Wear a silicone rubber swim cap. Wet your hair first before putting it on. After use, dry the cap with a towel and let it dry. When dry, dust it with talcum powder before using the cap the next time. Never wear a latex rubber swim cap. Latex caps fit too snugly, and will grip your hair and pull out your hair strands when you take the cap off. Silicone rubber swim caps cost more, but they are definitely better for your hair. I have been using them for the last 10 years, and they serve their purpose well. The purpose of a swim cap is to protect your hair from the chlorine in the pool water. After swimming, I always use shampoo and conditioner, do a cold water rinse, and dry off by toweling only. Never use an electric hair dryer (heat gun) on your hair! Also, never comb your hair while it is wet or damp. Gentle finger combing only is O.K. while your hair is wet or damp--just to remove any tangles. Shampoos and conditioners? I just use the cheap drugstore stuff like VO5 and Suave--never had any ill effects. Hope this info helps.
thanks everyone for the replies; help etc. I guess I'll start looking for a silicone cap.
cheers
