How to protect your hair after swimming in the sea

Two weeks of swimming will undo a good haircut faster than anything else on a holiday. Not because the cut changes, but because the hair itself does — salt water pulls moisture out, sun lightens and dries the surface, and chlorine leaves a film that dulls everything.

None of that is a reason to stay out of the water. It just means five minutes of routine is worth building in.

Rinse before you swim, not just after

Hair absorbs whatever it meets first. Wet it with fresh water before you get in the sea or a pool and it takes on far less salt or chlorine, in the same way a damp sponge soaks up less than a dry one. Most beach clubs and hotels in Bophut have an outdoor shower — use it on the way in as well as on the way out.

Rinse again straight away afterwards

Salt left to dry is the real problem. As it crystallises it roughens the outer layer of each hair, which is what makes it feel like straw and look flat. A plain fresh-water rinse within a few minutes of leaving the water removes most of it, no products needed.

Wash properly once a day, condition every time

In this climate a daily wash is reasonable — sweat, sunscreen and sea all build up. Keep the shampoo on the scalp, where the oil actually is, and put conditioner through the mid-lengths and ends, where the damage is. Rinse both out completely; residue attracts dust and makes fine hair look limp by midday.

If your hair is coloured or bleached

Sun and salt lift colour quickly, and lightened hair is more porous to begin with. Rinse more often, cover up in the middle of the day, and mention any recent colour work at your appointment so we can advise. Our colouring and treatment services are quoted after a consultation, since the result depends on what your hair has already been through.

Sun exposure counts as damage

• A cap or hat between roughly 11am and 3pm does more than any product.
• A short parting exposes scalp — sunburn on a parting is common and uncomfortable in a barber's chair.
• Let hair dry in shade where you can; hot sun on wet hair is the harshest combination.

Time your haircut around the water

Come to your appointment with clean, dry, fresh-water-rinsed hair rather than straight off the beach. Salt stiffens hair and changes how it falls, which makes it harder to cut accurately. If you've been in the sea that morning, a quick rinse is enough — what to do before an appointment covers the rest.

The short version

1. 01Wet your hair with fresh water before swimming.
2. 02Rinse immediately after, before the salt dries.
3. 03Shampoo the scalp, condition the ends, rinse fully.
4. 04Cover your head in the middle of the day.
5. 05Book a wash and tidy if you're here long enough to need one.

If you're staying a few weeks and want the cut to hold, book a chair for the second half of your trip rather than the first — and if you're unsure what your hair needs after all that water, ask at the FAQ page or when you sit down.

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