Working out is an essential part of staying healthy, and it makes us feel good, too. But our hair? Well, that can sometimes be as challenging as working out. In fact, concerns about hair can be a major deterrent to exercise.
It doesn’t have to be. You can exercise and have healthy, gorgeous hair. Here are four simple post-workout hair care tips.
Protect Your Hair
Okay, so this one isn’t completely post workout, but it will make your post-workout hair care sooo much easier. If you straighten your hair or have a style that will be damaged by sweat, consider wrapping your hair in a hair wrap or silk scarf. It will help keep your hair dry, protect your style, and reduce post-workout frizz.
If you’re not wrapping your hair, you should keep it tied up and wear a headband to prevent sweat from building up on your tresses. Sparing a few moments to consider the post-workout style you want helps, too. Staying casual? A ponytail is a low-maintenance option. If you’re looking for waves, opt for a braid or bun.
Protecting your hair and choosing a style that transitions easily means your post-workout hair routine can often be as simple as unwrapping or taking down your hair and going about your day.
Wash Sparingly
So, wait, you want me to work out, get sweaty, and NOT wash? Not exactly. No one wants to walk around feeling sweaty and gross. You should totally shower after your workout, but you still shouldn’t wash your hair every day.
Instead, bring along a shower cap so you can keep your hair from getting wet while you shower, and save washing your hair for your most high-intensity days when you’re likely to work up the most sweat. You can use dry shampoo on the other days, but use it before your workout, not after, so it doesn’t clump.
And when you do wash, skip the gym shampoo. You don’t want to mess up your locks with low-quality shampoo or shampoo containing ingredients like sulfates that can be irritating to some people. Fortunately, your Viori bars are easy to transport and will cut through sweat and buildup while still leaving your hair hydrated.
Brush After Your Workout
If you’re trying to protect your style and have wrapped your hair during your workout, you can skip this step. Otherwise, it’s a good idea to brush your hair after working out.
Brushing helps distribute your hair’s natural oils from root to tip so your scalp won’t look as greasy, and the rest of your hair will retain the moisture it needs. Brushing will also help your hair dry more evenly and keep the tangles at bay.
Let Your Hair Rest
Your body needs to recover after a workout, and so does your hair. The stress of being pulled up, particularly if friction is being created by your hair ties, does a number on your hair.
Fortunately, it’s pretty easy to minimize damage from working out. Alternate your style so that your hair isn’t tied in the same place every day and your roots aren’t being put under pressure at the same spot.
Choose hair ties made of satin or silky fabrics that minimize friction. And whenever you have the chance, let your hair down. Allowing your hair to rest in its natural state is a great way to help it recover and stay healthy.
So what are you waiting for? Isn’t it time to hit the gym?