Swimming and hair dye

[wawa]

Anybody have any tips on how to slow down dye fading when you swim?  I've read all the internet tips, but would love some first hand info.

I've never colored my hair before, got a bug up my ass to do so for the first time ever (doing a fun colored peekaboo thing), scheduled my fancy salon day (yay vaccination! My husband has been cutting my hair for the past year!) and....2 days later started swimming regularly again.  

Both salt and chlorine relevant here (chlorine two days a week, salt one) if that changes any answers.  I know there's no way to avoid the fact that it's going to fade faster than it otherwise would, but does pre-wetting/conditioning/etc actually do any good?  Is Coconut oil just going to make my cap slide off my head?  any other ideas?

[minzy]

I haven’t noticed a difference with my hair dye fading quicker because of the pool. But I’ve only been back to swimming more consistently for about a month and I just use box dye about every three weeks or when my “sparkles” really annoy me. Sorry I’m not more help.

While we’re on the subject of swimming, curious if you or anyone else has any solution for “goggle eyes.” Basically, I’m blind as a bat without contacts, and I need my googles tight enough to not leak. Then, regardless of which pair I use, I inevitably have impressions (mostly between my upper eyelids and eyebrows) for the next several hours. I usually mask it with a little liquid foundation and am often not doing anything super important right away afterwards, but if you look close, I look a little goofy. If my clearance ever processes, I’m thinking that there could conceivably be a day when I would swim, and then have to go to work, and I’d rather the marks not be there. Anybody have any solutions I’ve not thought of?

[wawa]

May 17, 2021 13:30:36 GMT -5 minzy said:

I haven’t noticed a difference with my hair dye fading quicker because of the pool. But I’ve only been back to swimming more consistently for about a month and I just use box dye about every three weeks or when my “sparkles” really annoy me. Sorry I’m not more help.

While we’re on the subject of swimming, curious if you or anyone else has any solution for “goggle eyes.” Basically, I’m blind as a bat without contacts, and I need my googles tight enough to not leak. Then, regardless of which pair I use, I inevitably have impressions (mostly between my upper eyelids and eyebrows) for the next several hours. I usually mask it with a little liquid foundation and am often not doing anything super important right away afterwards, but if you look close, I look a little goofy. If my clearance ever processes, I’m thinking that there could conceivably be a day when I would swim, and then have to go to work, and I’d rather the marks not be there. Anybody have any solutions I’ve not thought of?

I've got nothing besides trying different brands/styles but I get the impression you've already tried several. If they fit well they shouldn't have to be cranked tight to stay on. But mine leave marks no matter what because everything leaves marks on me and I just wander around looking like a raccoon.

I got prescription goggles so I don't have to worry about contacts or anything though. Is that an option with your prescription?

[Susie]

I have decades of swimming experience and no suggestions to show for it for either the hair dye or goggle eye issues.  Sorry.  The goggle eye thing is really annoying when you want to look reasonably fresh and polished at work.  I remember being surprised by how annoying it was when I was doing masters workouts in the AM before work in my pre-kid days.  I had the exact same rings back in high school/college but cared less/it was more socially acceptable back then.

On the hair dye, conditioner is going to make your cap slide off, and gunk up the pool.  Ick.  Do not recommend.  Coconut oil would give you the same sliding, and nobody wants that in the pool either.  I don't think pre-wetting helps much.  

I know this was not at all helpful, I've just kind of found that swimming in a chlorinated or brominated pool demands embracing some of these ... idiosyncratic ... issues.  I similarly have no great advice for getting the chlorine smell off afterward.

[wawa]

May 18, 2021 14:23:15 GMT -5 Susie said:

I have decades of swimming experience and no suggestions to show for it for either the hair dye or goggle eye issues.  Sorry.  The goggle eye thing is really annoying when you want to look reasonably fresh and polished at work.  I remember being surprised by how annoying it was when I was doing masters workouts in the AM before work in my pre-kid days.  I had the exact same rings back in high school/college but cared less/it was more socially acceptable back then.

On the hair dye, conditioner is going to make your cap slide off, and gunk up the pool.  Ick.  Do not recommend.  Coconut oil would give you the same sliding, and nobody wants that in the pool either.  I don't think pre-wetting helps much.  

I know this was not at all helpful, I've just kind of found that swimming in a chlorinated or brominated pool demands embracing some of these ... idiosyncratic ... issues.  I similarly have no great advice for getting the chlorine smell off afterward.

I sort of enjoy the faint chlorine scent for the rest of the day.  reminds me I did a thing.  

But thank you, I faintly suspected that all these recommendations were pointless.  Like, my cap already doestn' want to stay on my huge ass head and thick hair.  I'm 99% sure that making it slimy is just going to cause me to leave an oil slick in the pool and lose my cap faster.  
But hoped maybe I was mistaken. 

I might take a week off swimming to just enjoy my colorful hairs and then we get what we get. 

[lemoncupcake]

wawa - what color are you adding and what is your natural color?

I’m not a fitness swimmer but I went magenta this year and it fades really fast no matter what I do - I’ve committed to brightening it up regularly with Overtone. Depending on what color you’re adding and how you’re adding it, you might have to do something like that anyway.

[jane6672]

+1 to Overtone being a great (and relatively inexpensive, especially compared to the salon color) way to keep up a fashion color.