Arkely · Haircare
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Recommended Selections
Formulated with pure antioxidant vitamin C and chelating crystals that bind to and remove chlorine, copper green discoloration, and hard water minerals.
Best for: chlorine removal, eliminating green pool tints, and swimmers.
Check current price on AmazonClinically proven barrier cream applied before swimming that seals cuticles with shea butter and sweet almond oil, blocking chlorine and salt absorption.
Best for: pre-swim protection, color-treated blondes, and preventing dryness.
Check current price on AmazonPowered by patented bond-repair technology to reconnect broken disulfide bonds caused by pool chemicals, infusing deep moisture and mirror shine.
Best for: post-swim bleach recovery, restoring softness, and pool repair.
Check current price on AmazonContoured, snug-fitting silicone cap that provides an optimal hydrodynamic seal, keeping chlorinated pool water away from fragile color-treated strands.
Best for: competitive laps, fitness swimming, and keeping hair dry.
Check current price on AmazonOmniFlex technology and soft IntelliFlex bristles glide through chlorine-tangled wet hair to distribute post-swim masks without snapping strands.
Best for: post-swim shower detangling and mask distribution.
Check current price on AmazonQuick Summary
The Masterclass
A widespread myth is that chlorine alone turns blonde hair green. In reality, pools contain oxidized copper minerals (from algaecides and copper pipe corrosion). Chlorine acts as a strong oxidizer, converting elemental copper into oxidized copper(II) ions (Cu2+).
Bleached and color-treated hair has high cuticle porosity and exposed sulfur-containing amino acids (cysteine). The oxidized copper ions bind directly to these sulfur sites on the keratin fiber, creating a persistent blue-green copper complex that stains light hair green.
Human hair is porous and hygroscopic, capable of absorbing up to 30% of its dry weight in water. If you dive into a pool with dry hair, your hair cuticles immediately soak up chlorinated, copper-rich pool water.
Saturating your hair completely with clean tap water in the shower before swimming fills all micro-voids in the cortex. Coating the wet strands with a hydrophobic pre-swim balm creates an impenetrable lipid shield that physically prevents chlorinated pool water from entering.
Vetting Guide
The Method
The Ultimate Pick
Formulated with pure antioxidant vitamin C and chelating crystals that bind to and remove chlorine, copper green discoloration, and hard water minerals.
Best for: chlorine removal, eliminating green pool tints, and swimmers.
Check current price on AmazonCommon Inquiries
Wash hair with a chelating vitamin C shampoo (like Malibu C Swimmers Wellness) or use an active Malibu C crystal packet. The ascorbic acid chelation binds to the copper ions, breaking their bond with hair keratin and washing the green tint away in one wash.
Regular rinse-out conditioner is better than nothing, but it dissolves quickly in pool water, polluting the pool. Specialized pre-swim balms (like AquaGuard) are formulated with water-resistant plant waxes that cling to hair fibers throughout your swim.
While no swim cap is completely waterproof around the hairline when submerged underwater, a tight-fitting silicone cap keeps out over 80% to 90% of pool water, drastically reducing chlorine exposure when paired with a pre-swim barrier conditioner.
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