How NOT To Smell Like Chlorine After Swimming

Anyone who's cared to take a dip in the deep end knows that persistent and unfavorably lingering chlorine smell. If you're not swimming very much, the smell can be easy to rinse off. But let's be real: it's summertime, which means going to the pool is not a "once in a while" ordeal. Unfortunately, this means that lingering smell can be a lot more permanent if you're not careful. Taken straight from the beauty buffs on the swim team, here are 6 tips on how to NOT smell like chlorine after swimming (and smell rather pretty, might we add).

1. Before you even think about jumping in...rinse off.

   To prevent your skin and hair from absorbing the chlorine, hop in for a quick shower and make sure your mane gets totally soaked. Don’t hesitate to soap up while you’re at it - after all, who doesn’t want a nice clean pool?
   
   

2. Spritz on your favorite leave-in conditioner.


   The less intuitive but ultimately make or break for non-chlorinated hair. We recommend the Bumble & bumble Hairdresser's Invisible Oil Primer, as it's effective, yet lightweight enough that it doesn't create any film in the pool. You can get away with applying regular conditioner, though you definitely don't want to use anything that’s not supposed to stay on your hair for longer than 10 minutes.  
   
   

3. Put on your swimmer’s cap. No exceptions.


   Okay, we’re all pretty hard-pressed to find an actually cute swimmer’s cap (let me know if you find one). But you absolutely cannot skip this step if you want to avoid smelling like chlorine after swimming. 
   
   

4. After your dip, IMMEDIATELY remove your cap and rinse off.


   Seriously, go straight from the lap lane to the showers. You gotta rinse off ASAP before your skin absorbs the chlorine - even a car ride home is enough time to smell like a pool.
   
   

5. Scrub scrub scrub with exfoliating gloves.


   You’ve probably heard us mention exfoliating gloves a lot recently, and for good reason - it’s a solution to a ton of bath and body woes. This is probably the most skippable step if you absolutely can’t stand the thought of looking a little goofy with your hot pink gloves in a public shower. That being said...it’s going to make your skin much, much softer, as well as eradicate any stubborn chlorine odors.
   
   

6. Go home and take a for realsies shower.


   Allow us to clarify: rinsing off does NOT replace a real shower. You most definitely should still go home and use your favorite shampoo and conditioner. Or, if you’re on a time crunch, bring it in your gym bag and take care of business all at once.