Want to stop your holiday from ruining your hair? Then this £24 hair mask is about to be your summer saviour, helping nourish and protect your hair from sun, sea and swimming
Nothing ruins your hair faster than chlorine, salt water and too much sun, which can make your long-awaited holiday a nightmare for your locks. From drying out your strands to causing discolouration and tangles, the combination of chemicals and UV rays can spell disaster for your hair.
However you don’t need to spend your whole trip trying to keep your head above water, because Philip Kingsley’s Swimcap Water-Resistant Mask is here to save the day. Originally created for the US Olympic synchronised swimming team, the hair mask has now become one of the go-tos for swimmers and sunbathers alike for protecting their hair.
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The Swimcap Water-Resistant Mask is £24 for a large 100ml bottle, and is suitable for all hair types, including coloured and chemically treated hair. It creates a protective barrier between your hair and external aggressors like chlorine, salt water and UV rays, and helps to nourish and hydrate each strand while you wear it.
It’s been fortified with hydrolysed elastin which boosts the strength and body of each strand, minimising breakage and damage. You also get extra moisture from castor oil and olive oil, leaving it silky soft and shiny after use.
You just need to apply it to damp hair in sections and comb it evenly through your hair, and leave it on whilst sunbathing or swimming – it’s fully water resistant, so you don’t need to worry about it coming out. For the best results you can apply it the day before you’re planning on being in the sun, and it’s important to leave it on whenever you know your hair will be exposed to things like sun and swimming.
Other options with similar results include Umberto Giannini Swim Proof Hair Protecting Cream, £8.95, which protects your hair from sun, chlorine and salt water whilst still letting you style your hair as normal after use. If your hair has already suffered the effects of your trip abroad, the SUN BUM Hair Mask, £19.99, or Color Wow’s Coconut Cocktail, £25, are both excellent at restoring dry, damaged or over processed hair almost instantly.
However Philip Kingsley’s Swimcap Water-Resistant Mask has been getting rave reviews from LookFantastic shoppers, with a 4.85 star rating. One wrote: “Absolute lifesaver on holiday! Saves your hair from all the chlorine & sun! Hair feels so soft after using it! Worth the money!”
Another agreed: “I have coloured hair and a few times in the pool my hair was coming out and was dry. This has changed my life no hair coming out and feels healthy after doesn’t feel like I’ve been in the pool I will be using constantly now.”
A third chimed in: “I first tried this about 2 years ago for our holidays it’s an absoloute God send for keeping your hair nice when in the sun or pool but I then realised it’s amazing to put in the kids hair for there swimming classes. It stops the hair getting that build up of chlorine and when they rinse it out after swimming their hair is tat free and easy to manage. A little goes a long way too so although it’s not the cheapest you do get your moneys worth.”
Whilst a fourth was thrilled, writing: “I have bleached highlighted hair, and this protected my hair from discolouration in the 30 degree heat whilst swimming. I didn’t want my hair going green from the chlorine, and it didn’t! I love this product, and is a firm favourite for holidays to protect my hair.”
In fact there were only two reviews less than five stars, both of which were four star ratings. One was from someone who had yet to try it, and the other said: “Love this for holidays as protects hair against sun, UV, chlorine etc. Only downside is that it has to be applied to damp hair!”