8 Best Chlorine-Removal Shampoos You Absolutely Need if You Swim

Chlorine—a chemical commonly used as a pool disinfectant—raises your hair’s pH, making it “more brittle and susceptible to breakage,” says trichologist Shab Caspara.

Over time, chlorine can result in crunchy, dry hair, because it strips away your hair’s natural oils, explains Ballance. Chlorine can also give lighter-colored hair (whether bleached or natural) a green or gray tint, while chlorine build-up on curly hair can leave it stretched out, brittle, and lank.

To get chlorine out of your hair, you should immediately rinse your hair with clean water after swimming (whether that’s dumping a bottle of water over your head, rinsing it in the sink, or quickly hopping in the shower), especially if you have a protective style in.

However, water alone won’t remove chlorine, which is why you should wash your hair as soon as possible with a clarifying shampoo to avoid “further oxidation, damage, and discoloration,” says Caspara.

There are very few shampoos that are specially designed for chlorine removal. That said, clarifying shampoos can remove chlorine and so much more. Keep in mind, though, that you shouldn’t use a clarifying shampoo daily, even if you’re swimming often. “Stick to once a week, as overusing a clarifying shampoo can leave hair feeling dry and brittle,” says Ballance. He recommends following up with a hydrating hair mask to restore moisture after using a clarifying shampoo.

To remove chlorine from hair, look for shampoos that contain ingredients that can lift build-up from chlorine, like sulfates (see: Sodium lauryl sulfate and sodium laureth sulfate) or chelating ingredients like EDTA or sodium citrate, which bind to and break down minerals like chlorine. Though sulfates and chelators are most effective at removing chlorine from hair, they’re also incredibly drying for regular use—which isn’t ideal if you’re in the pool multiple times per week.

So for a gentler alternative to use on a daily basis, Caspara recommends looking for a shampoo filled with natural clarifiers, like apple cider vinegar, activated charcoal, and vitamin C (ascorbic acid), all of which can help break down chlorine build-up.

Once you remove chlorine from your hair with one of the above shampoos, you should focus on restoring moisture with intensive treatments. “Chlorine can break down the protein bonds that keep your hair healthy and moisturized,” says Caspara, which is why she recommends using a bond-building treatment once a week to help repair brittle sections of hair.

To supplement hair in between bond-building treatments, Ballance says to use a deep conditioning mask as well as leave-in conditioners to help soften hair and restore it back to virgin health.

Before going into a pool, you can prepare your hair for chlorine exposure and also mitigate some of the damage with a hydrating routine. “It’s important to create a barrier of moisture between your hair and the chlorine,” says celebrity hairstylist Marty Harper, which you can do by applying a rich conditioner before swimming. Caspara recommends using a silicone-based conditioner, which “can create a barrier on your hair, making it more waterproof and preventing chlorine from penetrating the cuticles.”

You can also spray on a vitamin C-based leave-in (which will neutralize some of the chlorine) or smooth on a leave-in conditioner before swimming to help reduce some dryness and create that physical barrier between your hair and the chlorine. But if you’re in a pinch (or have braids or another protective style in), you can just wet your hair with clean water before swimming to limit some chlorine absorption.

Look for moisturizing ingredients

Make sure the shampoo formula you’re using to remove chlorine has some moisturizing properties too, says Harper. Look for shampoos that contain hydrating butters—like cocoa butter and shea butter—and protective oils (ahem, jojoba, argan, and coconut oils).

And if your chlorine removal shampoo still isn't moisturizing enough, try this trick: Massage and rinse conditioner through your hair first, roots to tips, then suds up with your shampoo. The conditioner will help create a tiny buffer so your hair doesn't feel quite as brittle. Just make sure to condition your ends as normal, too, after rinsing out your shampoo.

Consider how often you swim

The amount of time you spend in the pool should dictate what type of chlorine removal shampoo that’s best for you and how often you use it. If you’re a regular swimmer who’s in the pool daily, you’ll need a shampoo with a strong, EDTA-based cleanser once or twice a week to remove built-up chlorine. On the days you don’t suds up with a chlorine removal shampoo, you’ll still need to clean your hair with more than just water to dissolve chlorine. Look for a sulfate-free cleanser containing apple cider vinegar or vitamin C, both of which can help neutralize chlorine without feeling too stripping.

If you only hop in the pool once a week (or once a month) max, don't worry about alternating between two different chelating shampoos. Just rinse with an EDTA-filled chlorine removal shampoo after each swim session to get your hair back to a clean, neutral state, then continue shampooing and conditioning as usual until your next swim.

• Shab Caspara is a trichologist and hair health expert based in New York, NY, and is an expert in hair extensions, haircare routines, and haircutting. She is also the host of Hair Like Hers, a hair health and wellness podcast.
• Marty Harper is a celebrity hairstylist based in New York, NY. His clients include Naomi Osaka and Halsey.
• Marc Ballance is a celebrity hairstylist at IGK Salon in New York City.

Mary Honkus is a contributor for Cosmopolitan with eight years of experience researching, writing, and editing beauty stories, including a deep dive on why your hair gets so oily and making a case for coconut oil for hair. She’s an authority in all beauty categories and her hair is her prized possession. For this story, she consulted with professional stylists to curate this list of the best chlorine-removing shampoos that will get your hair back to baseline.

Beth Gillette is the beauty editor at Cosmopolitan with six years of experience researching, writing, and editing hair stories that range from conditioners for curly hair to eczema shampoos. She’s an authority in all hair categories. She regularly tests and reviews chlorine-removal shampoos, as well as consults experts.