Most people enjoy taking a dip in the pool, especially during summer. The chlorine in the pools, however, has side effects on our hair. This is especially true for regular swimmers who spend a lot of time in the water.
Occasional swimming won’t affect your hair too much, but daily swimming in chlorinated water will. Check out a post I wrote about how to protect hair when swimming everyday to get tips on maintaining your locks while still enjoying your daily swim.
Chlorine is a disinfectant used to remove dirt, bacteria, and oils from water leaving it clean for you to swim in.
Regular exposure to chlorine can cause your hair to dry out because it strips it of its natural oils.
Extremely dry hair is very prone to breakage and a dry scalp itches a lot. This is where deep conditioning comes in.
In this post, I’ll explain why deep conditioners are a must-have if you are into swimming or if your hair is already chlorine-damaged. But what’s the best deep conditioner for swimmers?
Table of Contents
Best Deep Conditioner For Swimmers – Comparison Table
| Brand | Image | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Davines The Renaissance Circle |   | . Repairs hair damaged by chlorine . Helps to balance out the scalp . Great detangler |
| Living Proof Mask |   | . Repairs damaged hair . Protects against future breakage . Color-safe |
| Ouai Treatment Masque |   | . Repairs damaged hair . Mends split ends . Doesn't leave residue |
| It's A 10 Deep Conditioner |   | . Reverses the effects of dryness . Acts as a good detangler . Color-safe |
| Kerastase Nutritive Masquintense |   | . Suitable for all hair types . Weightless formula . Guards against oxidation effects on hair |
| Mielle Organics Deep Conditioner |   | . Infuses hair with protein and moisture . Made with certified organic ingredients . Reduces frizz |
| Carol's Daughter Hair Mask |   | . Repairs damaged hair . Leaves hair soft and shiny . Strengthens hair |
| Ouidad Deep Conditioner |   | . Restores curls' strength . Deeply moisturizes the hair . Eliminates frizz |
| Mizani Moisturizing Mask |   | . Provides intense hydration . Makes hair look fuller . Combats frizz |
| Redken Mask |   | . Strengthens the hair . Hydrates the hair . Ideal for daily use |
Why Do Swimmers Need To Use Deep Conditioners?
Here’s why swimmers need to use deep conditioners to maintain their hair health and have beautiful locks:
Fixes Damage Caused By Chlorine Or Saltwater Exposure
The chemicals found in pool water, such as chlorine, can harm the hair and make it weak, break easily, and develop split ends.
Deep conditioners have special, nourishing ingredients that nourish the hair and fix the damage.
They go deep into the hair shaft and nourish the hair from the inside, making the strands stronger, reducing breakage, and bringing back their stretchiness.
Additionally, they seal the hair cuticles, making the hair smoother and easier to manage.
With regular use, deep conditioners provide essential care to swimmers’ hair, restoring its health, resilience, and natural beauty.
Hydration And Moisture Restoration
Deep conditioners are specifically formulated to provide intense hydration to hair that is dry and damaged, which is a common issue for swimmers due to their prolonged exposure to chlorinated water or saltwater.
These conditioners are formulated with potent hydrating ingredients that penetrate the hair shaft, reaching deep into the inner layers of the hair.
These ingredients attract and retain moisture, effectively restoring the hair’s hydration levels.
By restoring moisture, deep conditioners help to improve the overall health and appearance of the hair, making it look and feel better after swimming.
Revives Hair’s Natural Shine And Luster
Using a deep conditioner brings back the hair’s natural shine and luster and makes it look vibrant again.
Deep conditioners can help bring back those important oils.
The nourishing ingredients in deep conditioners replenish the hair, giving it a glossy and radiant appearance.
They make your hair shiny again and feel super smooth when you touch it.
Best Deep Conditioner For Swimmers
The deep conditioners listed below are great at reversing chlorine damage.
They’re also good for regular swimmers who may not be suffering from chlorine damage but want to infuse their hair strands with the much-needed moisture.
Davines The Renaissance Circle
This repairing mask works wonders to repair and restore chlorine-damaged hair or tresses that have continuously been exposed to salty water.
It deeply nourishes your hair by restoring lost moisture and natural oils. Each strand gets stronger, bringing an end to brittleness.
The deep conditioner also benefits you by adding shine to the hair, and also by leaving it soft and healthy.
The formulation contains yellow clay that rebuilds your hair’s structure.
It also contains nutritious babassu butter that helps in detangling your hair.
With water as one of the main ingredients, this mask definitely helps in moisture infusion to “revive” extremely damaged hair.
For the best results, shampoo your hair to get rid of all the chlorine, towel-dry it, and massage the repairing mask into the hair.
Leave it on for 10 minutes, comb your hair, then rinse thoroughly.
Pros
- Repairs hair damaged by chlorine
- Strengthens hair strands
- Infuses moisture
- Helps to balance the scalp
- Restores hair’s shine and leaves it soft
- It’s a great detangler
- A little goes a long way
Cons
- Some users find the smell to be a bit too strong
Living Proof Restore Repair Mask
As an avid swimmer, this treatment that comes in the form of a deep conditioning mask works to repair every strand of your damaged hair.
This is accomplished by restoring moisture and nourishing every strand of hair on your head.
It strengthens the hair, thus reduces the chances of breakage.
It also leaves it shiny and healthy.
The formulation works to repair cuticles that have been damaged by chemicals in the pool.
It restores the protective layer on your strands that is damaged by harmful pool chemicals.
This mask lightweight and leaves no residue on your hair.
For best results, use this mask on damp hair.
All you need to do is to shampoo your hair and then massage a generous amount of this treatment into your hair and scalp.
Let it sit for up to five minutes and then rinse it off.
You’ll realize that the hair remains cleaner for longer, and doesn’t require frequent washing.
This product is free from sulfates, silicone, phthalates, and parabens.
Pros
- Repairs damaged hair
- Protects against future breakage
- It’s color-safe
- Infuses much-needed moisture into the hair
- Helps to define curls
- Doesn’t leave any residue
- Leaves hair feeling smooth and soft
- Reduces frizz
Ouai Treatment Masque
With constant swimming, the hair is exposed to harmful chemicals and needs constant care.
Add this restorative hair masque to your daily routine to heal damaged hair.
Once you coat all the hair strands with this product, it repairs all the damage that takes place while swimming.
The hair remains soft and smooth even after using it only once.
This deep conditioner protects your hair from any further damage as you enjoy a dip in the pool.
Gone are the days of having to deal with annoying split ends.
It contains artichoke extracts that work to prevent oxidation while sealing all the cuticles.
For the best results, wash your hair with a good shampoo then coat it with this product while combing with your fingers.
Leave it on for 5 to 10 minutes then rinse off thoroughly.
You can use the masque daily especially if your hair is quite damaged.
This product is free from phthalates and parabens.
Pros
- Repairs damaged hair
- Protects the hair from further damage
- Leaves the hair soft and smooth
- Mends split ends
- Leaves no residue
- Helps in detangling hair
- Reduces frizz
- Has a nice scent
Cons
- Does not completely hydrate some hair types
It’s A 10 Haircare Miracle Deep Conditioner Plus Keratin
This deep conditioner is ideal for restoring hair stripped of keratin – the essential hair protein.
Damaged hair is usually depleted of keratin which is very important for hair growth.
The keratin in this conditioner fills in the gaps left when hair is damaged around the cuticles.
The deep conditioner also moisturizes hair restoring its natural shine.
It also reverses the damage caused by dryness.
Additionally, it also reduces the effects of oxidation which causes discoloration of hair.
Sweet almond oil – which is very light – is an added ingredient that restores oil on hair which had been stripped by chlorine.
The Chinese tea leaf extract contained in the deep conditioner works to soothe an itchy and dry scalp.
Itching causes damage to hair cuticles that are already exposed.
Pros
- Leaves your hair shiny and manageable
- Easy to apply and distribute on hair
- Can be used to detangle hair
- It’s color-safe
- Moisturizes hair thus reverses the effects of dryness
- Soothes itchy, dry scalps
Cons
- Can leave some fine hair types a bit greasy
Kerastase Nutritive Masquintense with Irisome
Kerastase Nutritive Masquintense is a treatment used to nourish extremely dry hair back to health.
This is thanks to the blend of Gluco-active 3 lipids and protein contained in this product.
It moisturizes dry hair, nourishing it in the process.
The treatment contains an Irish rhizome extract which guards hair against the effects of oxidation.
Oxidation is responsible for discoloration in hair as well as damage – which can lead to breakage.
This conditioner will help hair retain its color.
The hair treatment is not heavy on the hair and won’t affect styling.
This treatment comes in two forms: one for thin hair and one for thick hair.
It’s best used once a week if you are not a regular swimmer.
If you swim on a regular basis, you can use this treatment every other day.
For best results, shampoo the hair and rinse, then apply the deep conditioner and leave it for 20-30 minutes before rinsing it out with cold water.
The cold water is ideal to lock in the protein contained in the treatment.
Pros
- It’s able to guard against oxidation effects on hair
- Restore dry hair back to health by deeply moisturizing it
- This treatment is weightless
- It’s available for both thin and thick hair
- Good for restoring extremely damaged hair
Cons
- Can be sticky if left in the hair for a long time
Babassu Oil And Mint Deep Conditioner by Mielle Organics
This product is meant to restore moisture back to extremely dry and damaged hair.
It also softens the hair and acts as a detangling agent too.
It works to reduce frizz on the damaged hair and tames flyaways.
Babassu oil – derived from an Amazonian palm fruit – is one of the main ingredients in this product that helps to nourish the hair and scalp.
It also contains amino acids derived from wheat and soy which are absorbed by the hair strands. This strengthens them.
The conditioner makes the hair soft because it’s enriched with fatty acids that make it possible.
This product is made with certified organic ingredients and hasn’t been tested on animals.
Pros
- Suitable for all hair types
- It’s color-safe
- A little goes a long way
- Reduces frizz and flyaways
- Acts as a detangling agent
- It contains antioxidants that protect hair
Cons
- The smell can be too strong for some people
- Contains chemicals
Carol’s Daughter Almond Milk Ultra-Nourishing Hair Mask
This hair mask works to reverse hair damage by nourishing the strands and leaving hair stronger and healthier.
It does this by restoring moisture and oils to it.
It’s best applied on hair after cleansing it.
Massage the mask into your wet hair and scalp and leave it in for 5-7 minutes before rinsing it off.
You can use it daily especially if your hair is exposed to constant chlorine damage because of regular swimming.
The mask contains numerous essential oils and natural ingredients that immensely benefit your hair.
They include almond oil, olive oil, shea oil, almond butter, coconut oil, sweet almond protein, rosemary leaf extract, and shea butter.
Pros
- It has natural ingredients
- Easy to apply and massage into hair
- Restores moisture to dry, damaged hair
- Leaves your hair soft and shiny
- It strengthens your hair
Cons
- It doesn’t work for all types of hair
Ouidad Curl Immersion Triple Treat Deep Conditioner
Dry and damaged hair is best treated using this deep conditioner and is especially ideal for curly hair.
It infuses hair with moisture and restores its natural shine.
This product contains coconut and avocado oils that add maximum moisture to dry, damaged hair.
Grapeseed oil, another key ingredient, helps to seal in the moisture.
Grapeseed oil contains ceramides that are used to flatten the hair cuticle, thus helping lock the hydration.
This product is best applied to hair that has been washed with warm water.
For best results, scoop some of the deep conditioner and distribute it evenly through the hair.
Cover and leave it in for 2 minutes then rinse.
Pros
- Ensures maximum hair moisturization
- Leaves hair soft and supple
- Eliminates frizz
- It restores the hair’s natural shine
- Helps in the restoration of your natural curl formation
Cons
- It doesn’t work for all types of hair (specializes on curly hair)
Mizani Moisture Fusion Intense Moisturizing Mask
Deep conditioning works wonders to nourish any type of hair, leaving it healthier.
This moisturizing mask from Mizani is a creamy piece of heaven that greatly improves the condition of your chlorine-damaged hair.
The cream is light, and the hair absorbs it quickly.
This conditioning treatment doesn’t add weight on your hair and you also don’t have to worry about any residue being left behind.
It works well for hair that is breaking easily, as well as hair that is dry and damaged.
The deep conditioner contains cupuaçu butter, argan oil, and honey that work to deeply infuse moisture into the hair, leaving the strands nourished from the roots to the ends.
Did you know that you can add honey to deep conditioners that don’t have it as one of the ingredients?
This will help you to reap the benefits that honey has a great hair humectant.
The great thing about this particular product is that it works with every texture and curl type.
This mask will help you to control frizzy hair that can be annoying.
After you have washed your hair, apply the cream on damp hair covering every strand.
Cover your head with a plastic cap for 20 minutes. Rinse your hair and towel-dry.
Pros
- Provides intense hydration to the hair
- Leaves hair soft and manageable
- Makes hair look fuller
- Lightweight
- Combats frizz
- Leaves no residue
- Can be used as a detangler
- Revives dull curls and coils
Cons
- Some users find the scent to be a bit strong
Redken All Soft Mega Mask
This deep conditioner is also great at reversing the effects of chlorine-damaged hair that is quite dry.
It contains ingredients like aminopropyl triethoxysilane which is a sealant that helps hair retain moisture by locking it in.
It comes in the form of a two-in-one hair mask that moisturizes and nourishes damaged hair.
The product is formulated to strengthen dry and brittle hair, as well as restore its elasticity.
It also helps to soften the hair and make it more manageable.
The mask is ideal for medium to thick hair.
When using it, it’s best applied to wet, clean hair.
For best results, squeeze a small amount of the hair mask into your palm and massage it into your scalp.
Leave it for a few minutes then rinse it off.
Pros
- Thoroughly hydrates the hair
- Leaves the hair soft and supple
- Provides luster to the hair
- Helps in strengthening the hair
- Improves manageability
Cons
- It may not work very well for naturally thin hair
Conclusion
As a regular or professional swimmer, taking steps to protect your hair from chlorine damage is necessary.
The first step entails getting the best deep conditioner for swimmers.
Hair – if left untreated – will result in extreme dryness, even on the scalp.
Regular deep conditioning is recommended to reverse and control the effects of chlorine on hair.
Chlorine strips hair of its moisture and oils leaving it dry and exposed.
Deep conditioning works to restore this lost moisture and oils to the hair.
Deep conditioners are easy to use and require only a few minutes to work their magic.
For deep moisture penetration, you may want to consider deep conditioning with heat.
It goes a long way in ensuring moisture retention and improving your hair’s elasticity.