Swimmer's Pre-Pool Hair Oil
A coat for the lengths before you get in: coconut oil sits close to the hair, olive oil helps spread it thin, and jojoba keeps the whole blend from feeling heavy.
You will need
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- 1 tsp olive oilno olive oil? use sunflower oil
- 1/2 tsp jojoba oilno jojoba oil? use extra olive oil
The ritual
- Warm the three oils together in a small dish until the coconut oil melts.
- Wet your hair thoroughly at the poolside shower before anything else.
- Rake the oil through the mid-lengths and ends, keeping it off the scalp.
- Twist the hair up and pull your swimming cap on over it.
- Shampoo it out properly afterwards, twice if the hair still feels coated.
The mistake most people make
The mistake most people make is skipping the poolside shower and oiling dry hair. The whole trick relies on your hair drinking up clean fresh water first, so there is less room for chlorinated water to soak in; oil raked through dry hair sits patchily, transfers onto your cap and hands, and does half the job. Wet your hair thoroughly first, squeeze out the excess, then apply the oil to damp lengths only, keeping it well clear of the scalp.
Why these ingredients
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- Sits closer to the hair strand than most oils, which is why it is the base here rather than a lighter choice.
- 1 tsp olive oil
- Loosens the coconut oil so it spreads down the lengths in one pass instead of clumping at the ends.
- 1/2 tsp jojoba oil
- Light and slippery, it stops the mix feeling like candle wax and helps the whole lot rinse out afterwards.
Smart swaps
- 1 tbsp coconut oil → sunflower oil if coconut leaves your hair feeling stiff or straw-like.
- 1 tsp olive oil → almond or grapeseed oil, whichever you already have.
- 1/2 tsp jojoba oil → argan oil, or simply leave it out.
Keep it clean
Mix with freshly washed hands and clean, dry bowls and spoons. If a recipe is stored, use a jar or bottle washed in hot soapy water and dried completely, and never dip wet fingers into the batch.
Who should skip it
Skip this if you are allergic to coconut, or if your hair is very fine or low-porosity, as coconut-heavy blends can leave it limp and strangely stiff. Anyone with a flaky, easily aggravated scalp should keep the oil strictly on the lengths. Before first use, do a 24-hour patch test on your inner arm.
Storage & when to let go
Three months in a small sealed jar at room temperature. It will be solid in winter and liquid in summer, which is normal.
What to expect — honestly
Hair comes out of the pool feeling less parched, smelling less of chlorine, and combing through more easily. It does not waterproof anything. Colour-treated hair will still shift over a season of swimming, cap or no cap.
Where it fits in your week
Use it every time you swim, which for most people is two or three sessions a week, since it gets shampooed out straight afterwards. Pair it with one deep-conditioning mask on a non-swim day to keep lengths supple. Do not stack it with a leave-in protein treatment or a separate scalp-oiling session the same day; between the pool oil and the double shampoo, your hair has been through enough.
Common questions
Does oil actually stop chlorine damage?
It reduces how much pool water the hair takes up, which helps with the dryness and the smell. It is not a seal, and it will not undo damage already there.
Do I still need a cap?
Yes. The cap does far more than the oil does, and it keeps the oil off other swimmers. Treat this as what goes under the cap, not instead of it.
Can I mix a bottle in advance?
Absolutely. This blend keeps for a good six months in a small sealed jar or bottle away from sunlight. Coconut oil solidifies below about 24 degrees Celsius, so expect it to firm up in a cool swim bag; stand the jar in warm water for a minute and it melts back with no harm done.
My hair is fine and gets greasy fast, should I adjust?
Yes, halve everything and treat it as a whisper of oil on the last few inches only. Fine hair needs far less product to get the coating effect, and too much will demand three shampoos to shift. You can also skip the jojoba entirely and simply use a smaller amount of the other two oils.
What results should I expect after a month of swimming with it?
Realistically, hair that still feels like hair: noticeably less of the straw-dry, tangly, rough-ends feeling regular swimmers know, and easier combing after the pool. It will not undo old damage or replace trims, but combined with a cap and a proper rinse it keeps chlorine's drying effect pleasantly in check.
This recipe is shared for general cosmetic enjoyment, not medical advice — see how we research and write in our editorial policy and the full safety guide.
