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Thread: Mer-Care for Mer-Hair

  1. #1

    Smile Mer-Care for Mer-Hair


    Mer-Care for Mer-Hair


    Part of being a mermaid is having fabulous hair. However, swimming is not always kind to hair. Chlorinated pools, pollutants, and sea water can leave your hair feeling sticky, nasty, and well... very un-mermaid. Pool water especially can bleach the color from your hair, turn it green, and cause severe damage and can result in several inches having to be cut off.

    Is there anyway to save your hair then? Yes!


    Before You Swim
    There are several different things you can do to your hair before you go swimming that will help keep some of the chlorine or salt water from getting into your hair. This will not make your hair chlorine or salt water proof, but these few tricks are better than nothing for hair protection. Never put so much of the stuff reccomended below into your hair that you can see it. People will not want you swimming with them if there are visible globs of conditioner on your head.

    ~Put Oil In Your Hair

    I don't mean motor oil of course! Something like coconut oil, olive oil, or whatever oil works best for your hair type. This will help repel some of the water and keep it from entering your hair. This works best when the hair is oiled then put into a braid.

    ~Soak Your Hair in Fresh Water First

    If your hair is already saturated with fresh water, there will be no room for the chlorine or salt water to get into your hair. That does not mean your hair wont be weird feeling when you are done swimming like normal and that you wont need to clean it. You will, of course, but this is another method of hair protection.

    ~Conditioner Treatment
    Another method is to perform a conditioner only wash before you get into the pool. The more cones*, the better! This will coat your hair with cones and help keep the chlorine and other chemicals out... or at least slow them down. If you do not like cones, this may not be the treatment for you or you can use a clarifying shampoo after you swim to get rid of them.

    ~Swimmer's Spray
    Some hair companies make a spray that you can put into your hair before you go swimming to help prevent chlorine damage. While this personally has not been as effective as some of the other methods above, it is nonetheless a way to help keep your hair safe in the pool.


    While You Swim
    With the preventative measures done, you may think you are ready to jump on into the pool. You have to take more measures to make sure your hair is safe from damage while you are in the water.

    "But LittleOrca, that is what the stuff we just did was for, wasn't it?"

    Yes of course, but in the pool you have to continue to minimize the amount of water that gets into your hair. How do you do that? I am glad you asked.

    ~The Swim Cap
    The swim cap is one of the best ways to keep the water off your hair. While this will not keep your hair dry or 100% safe from the chlorine water, it will keep the majority of it out. This also reduces drag in the water and will make you more stream lined. Most swim caps are made from silicone, but there are a few that are latex or other material. They also come in different sizes, so make sure you get the right one based on any allergies and your hair length.

    ~Bunned Hair
    Don't like swim caps? No problem. How about a bun? If you have waterproof hair sticks (preferable small and plastic), you can put your hair in a small bun, like a nautilus bun, and slide the stick on through. This will not keep your hair as safe from the pool or ocean water as a swim cap will, but with less surface area for the water to make contact with the better off your hair will be.

    ~Braided Hair
    This is similar to the bunned hair method in reducing the surface area for the water to make contact with your hair. This will leave more of the hair unprotected than the bun or swim cap, but this is better than the last option.

    ~Free Flowing Hair
    Remember when I said that you thought you were ready to just jump into the pool and I said you were wrong? Well, you can be right. I do swim with my hair free flowing in the pool or in other water, but only when I am doing videos or taking photographs of me in my tail. While I do the treatments I mentioned before this section, I will say that I have noticed my hair feels worse and takes longer to clean when it is free flowing versus even just a braid.


    After You Swim
    Once you are out of the pool or ocean, you need to clean your hair as soon as possible. Depending on how you protected your hair, your hair type, your length, and where you were swimming will depend on how long it takes to clean. The following are some ways to clean out your hair.

    ~Special Shampoos and Conditioners
    There are some companies that make swim products that will remove the chlorine from your hair. As I have discovered, not all products are created equal and some products will require more of it to clean your hair than others. If you have a product that works for you, stick with it. There is no need to shop around for a new item, unless it is not cleaning your hair effectively or you are using a whole bottle each time you swim.

    ~ACV Rinses
    Using an ACV (apple cider vinegar) rinse after you swim can help to further clean out any chemicals and help to stop any damages. This, from my experience, should be used with a Swimmer's Shampoo and Conditioner not instead of it. The ACV should be diluted with water so that it helps your hair instead of harms it. [ACV should be diluted to about 1-2 tablespoons per cup of water.)

    ~Club Soda
    For some swimmers, the use of club soda or other carbonated waters is what they prefer to an ACV rinse. It is roughly the same thing, though you do not have to dilute the club soda and it will not leave your hair with a vinegar smell (though you should rinse your hair with water after the ACV so that there is little to no smell anyways.) Be sure to get unflavored and unsweetened club soda. The last thing you need is ants in your hair.


    LittleOrca's Method
    This is the method by which I take care of my hair for swimming. For the sake of simplicity, assume that this is a time when I am swimming with my hair free flowing for a video shoot.

    • Pre-treat my hair with a combination of oil and some swimmer's spray.
    • Swim. (Duh. )
    • Rinse hair after swimming with water at the pool (if available, but I wash at home generally because my water is better quality).
    • Wash hair with Ion Swimmer's Shampoo and Conditioner.
    • Wash hair with Garnier Shampoo and Conditioner (or sometimes Aussie).
    • Rinse hair with diluted ACV.
    • Rinse hair with water to get rid of ACV smell.
    • Allow hair to air dry.


    This method works well for me, someone with two-toned hair (part natural, part dyed). This may not work well for everyone and you may even need to wash more than once with the swimmer's shampoo and conditioner depending on your hair.

    I hope this helps all the swimmers out there protect their hair. I know that not everything works for everyone, but these are some great places to start to keep your hair safe as you enjoy your time in the water.




    (Repost of my article on swimmer's hair from another forum I belong to about long hair care.)

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    When I mention "cones" I am not speaking about ice cream cones or what-have-you, I am speaking about the chemicals found in some conditioners that end in -cone, the big one being dimethelcone. These are the chemicals that "repair split ends" (well, all they do is put a chemical coating over your hair [think Teflon] and give your hair the appearance of repaired ends; the only way to repair a split end is to cut of off) and repeated use of them can cause build-up in your hair, which is why they make clarifying shampoos.

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  2. #2
    What would you suggest for someone with say an entire head of hair dyed turquoise? Would those products strip the color and and cause it to fade sooner? Don't suppose you would also have any tips on how to make hair grow faster? Thank you so much for posting this <3 I am bookmarking it and keeping for reference! Maybe this should be sticked (or posted or what ever) to keep it at the top for future mers to find after it's been around a while so that people don't keep asking the same question that are answers here. Just a thought

  3. #3
    I cannot tell you really about stripping hair, other than it can turn your hair to straw or mush. I know of two great hair forums where you can get that information. If you want to message me later I will send you the links.

    As for hair growth, nothing will really make your hair grow faster. Tons of things promise, but for the most part they are shams. What you CAN do is make your hair stronger. Taking vitamins such as MSM and Biotin are great for your hair. So is eating right and exercise (since increased blood flow will increase nutrients taken to your hair's root.) After making these changes, sometimes people claim their hair grows faster. What is actually happening is that the hair is growing at it's optimum rate. In general, that rate is about 1/2 an inch per month or 6 inches a year. For some people it is about an inch a month and it all boils down to genetics. Also, cutting wont make it grow faster. That cutting does it thicken the hemline so that you get an illusion of more hair growth because the hem is thick not because the hair is actually growing faster.

    ~*~ To Thine Own Mermaid Be True ~*~
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  4. #4
    @Mermaid Serena I heard, but dont know if its actually true, imactually in the process of experimenting with it now: Mane & Tail (bought it at Duane reade) Is good to use, I bought the shampoo and the conditoner. If i see any change ill let you know, but it makes your hair super soft and silky

  5. #5
    @Mermaid Serena I heard, but dont know if its actually true, imactually in the process of experimenting with it now: Mane &amp; Tail (bought it at Duane reade) Is good to use, I bought the shampoo and the conditoner. If i see any change ill let you know, but it makes your hair super soft and silky

  6. #6
    What products would you recommend for Mers with dandruff?

  7. #7
    Senior Member Chesapeake Pod ShyMer's Avatar
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    Bump!

    So today I learned about the no shampoo method for cleaning hair. I'm getting to the point where my hair feels like shampooing and conditioning isn't doing much for me. I have bad hair days all the time now, and I have this weird texture on the top of my head, like there's oil there that the shampoo isn't getting out. Or something. I don't know what it is, but it feels less than fantastic.
    I like the idea that I'll be working with the natural oils in my hair, as opposed to stripping them out each time I wash it. I also like using fewer chemicals in my hair, which are probably the source of my hair problems anyway.

    My next thought was how am I going to take care of my hair in the pool? I suppose I could make use of oils and such to seal my hair, and I could probably use conditioners to help, but I just don't know.

    Does anyone here have experience with the no poo method and how to keep it in good shape through swimming season? I realize that if I go shampooless, I'm going to have to stick with it for a couple weeks until my hair balances itself out.

  8. #8
    My mother used to bleach her hair with peroxide, and she would cover her hair in baby powder and let it sit for a few hours before washing it out. She says it cleaned it out without damaging it even more.

  9. #9
    Little_Orca Could this article be reworked a little and used in Tail Flip magazine?

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  10. #10
    All this information has been very helpful to read. Thanks for posting it! Having great mer-hair is important

  11. #11
    I have bright pink hair, and I haven't been able to hold in dye lately in my hair, it's come out slowly each time. However, before I swim I rinse my hair in normal water and put in a leave in conditioner and then braid it and that seems to help. I condition the heck out my hair because I dye it and swim. My poor hair. I'm not sure if my color doesn't stick much anymore because we peroxide'd it blonde in August and so now it won't take color, or because of the pool. I did do a protein filler and my hair feels much better.
    Food for thought.
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  12. #12
    I have a similar problem to Harmony. I havent swam since like August. In September I got my tips bleached then dyed pink. A stylist did it. I bought the shampoo she said to get. I waited two days before showering. When I showered it all faded out. So I call the people and they say come back. So I go back and they re-dye it so that it will last longer by tinfoiling, steaming, flat-ironing, re-steaming, re-flat-ironing. It lasts two weeks and is gone. So whats up with my hair?

  13. #13
    Senior Member Pod of the Great Lakes Arella's Avatar
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    I know this is an old thread but does anyone have that link to that form for long hair? I can't seem to find it

  14. #14
    Senior Member Pod of Oceania Mermaid Jaffa's Avatar
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    I put olive oil in my hair before my swim last week... So glad to report that it does work!

    I had tried sunscreen the week before and my hair still ended up a little crunchy after my swim.

    I oiled my hair in the morning after I ate my breakfast, then let it soak the whole morning. It did feel greasy when I was in the pool change rooms. Didn't wash it out till after my swim. My hair felt so soft, silky and shiny!

    Oh the olive oil I bought is a 100% pure cold pressed as I read this kind has more stuff that is good for you. Couldn't find it in the Cooking Oil section of my grocery shop, but I did find it in the Salad Dressing section.
    Formerly known as ireneho

  15. #15
    Senior Member Pod of the Southwest Vrindavana Starfish's Avatar
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    Olive oil is supposed to be excellent, and I might try it for swimming. It's way too heavy for me to use otherwise, so I've always used coconut oil.
    Since I've only been swimming one day a week, here's what I've done, which has worked wonderfully for my classic-length superfine hair (long enough to sit on):

    Night before I swim - I thoroughly oil my hair from roots to ends, paying extra attention to ends. I do this weekly whether I swim or not, and I recommend it to anyone with damage-prone hair. I sleep with it in a braid.

    Before I swim - detangle and thoroughly wet hair. Not dripping, but wet all over. I use a spray bottle. Then I put in some Everyday Shea conditioner. This stuff is light in texture, but seems heavy on hair. Normally it leaves my hair looking lank and greasy, but it's perfect for swimming. If you can't find that, use a conditioner you like. I braid my hair and either put it in a bun, or wrap the braid around my head and pin in place. This is how you get butt-length hair in a swim cap.

    After swimming: Wash the chlorine out of your hair asap. Don't let it sit there. I don't have a good swim shampoo yet, but if I have soda water, I'll rinse with that. I wash with my normal sulfate-free shampoo mixed with baking soda. Then I condition the ends, rinse, and spray diluted apple-cider vinegar through my hair. I like to spray it so I'm not wasting a bunch. A bottle of the stuff lives in my shower.

    You can leave the vinegar rinse in if you like. The smell goes away as it dries. Or you can rinse it out with cool water after a few minutes.

    After the shower: I take a tiny bit of coconut oil and run it through the ends and let my hair air-dry. I'll only finger-comb it wet.

  16. #16
    Senior Member Pod of Oceania Mermaid Jaffa's Avatar
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    My hair is short and chemical dyed. I used to put a leave in conditioner but keep forgetting to bring it with me, so I use a tiny bit of the colored hair conditioner. My shampoo and conditioner I bring, is the same brand and type that I use at home. Its for colored hair.

    When I'm washing my hair at the pool, I scrub and massage my scalp for 5 mins. Then when I put on the conditioner, I leave it in for 10 mins before I wash my hair.
    Formerly known as ireneho

  17. #17
    Kinda an old thread but everyone needs to try L'Anza hair products and SheaMoisture. Not at the same time, of course, but I've been using the SheaMoisture Yucca & Baobab for strength and length for awhile now and it's really growing out my hair right smart! And mom uses L'Anza Strength line (blue bottle) with manuka honey, white tea, and neem oil. She constantly dyes her hair, with L'Anza, but she hasn't experienced as much loss. My non-mer dad is also using a dark blue bottle for his psoriasis on his scalp. Been using it for 2 weeks now and he swears by it.

    @Mermaid Jaffa, looks like you're in New South Wales which means you might not be able to get some of these products. Would you mind telling me a little bit more about your hair and the brand you use? Maybe we could mail you some L'Anza samples?
    That sea-maid's form of pearly light,
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  18. #18
    Senior Member Pod of Oceania Mermaid Jaffa's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Nereid's Looking Glass View Post
    Kinda an old thread but everyone needs to try L'Anza hair products and SheaMoisture. Not at the same time, of course, but I've been using the SheaMoisture Yucca & Baobab for strength and length for awhile now and it's really growing out my hair right smart! And mom uses L'Anza Strength line (blue bottle) with manuka honey, white tea, and neem oil. She constantly dyes her hair, with L'Anza, but she hasn't experienced as much loss. My non-mer dad is also using a dark blue bottle for his psoriasis on his scalp. Been using it for 2 weeks now and he swears by it.

    @Mermaid Jaffa, looks like you're in New South Wales which means you might not be able to get some of these products. Would you mind telling me a little bit more about your hair and the brand you use? Maybe we could mail you some L'Anza samples?
    Thanks but its fine.

    I now use 100% cold pressed coconut oil and JJ Baby Shampoo. I oil my hair early in the morning and let it soak for a few hours. My hair still quite short from the last haircut, so I only use a little bit of oil. Coat hair and massage into roots. I don't wash it out before I get in the pool. I leave it in. Then go for my after lunch swim for about 2-3 hours, then wash out with baby shampoo when I'm ready to leave. My hair is very soft and shiny!
    Formerly known as ireneho

  19. #19
    So i've been using the arbonne FC5 line for your hair for about a year now. i then recently went back to using my old drugstore product pantene when i was visiting my mom because she still likes to keep my old washroom stocked in case i ever come to stay the week (aw, mommy <'3)

    what i found was that... pantene actually sucks in comparison. my hair felt so freaking heavy like i just slathered oil on it and i started breaking out all over my back and my face. and there would be a lot of build up so my hair would get even MORE oily. gave me nasty dandruffs too. When i went back home and used the arbonne shampoo my hair felt so much cleaner and i didnt have to rewash my hair the next day (i usually rewash my hair once every two days and i only use the lather and rinse method as opposed to the lather, rinse, repeat method). i stopped breaking out and didn't have the dandruffs too.

    and the only time i use their conditioner is if i'm at the pool. i leave it in for 5 minutes and rinse it out with warm-cold water.

    also, super love using olive oil for the tips.
    The SeaGlass Siren

  20. #20


    The angel shampoos and conditioners work LIKE. A. BOSS. it'll keep your hair SUPER SUPER SOFT
    The SeaGlass Siren

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