Feature Image by Gianandrea Villa
Exercising often becomes a lot more time-consuming when you have to factor in time to wash and dry your hair after each workout session. It’s too much work to wash your hair after every sweaty gym, but that doesn’t mean you have to throw it up in a messy ponytail until your next wash.
We asked a couple of fitness bloggers to share tips on how to deal with second or third day sweaty hair because they know the struggle all too well.
Use dry shampoo before you workout
You probably already know that dry shampoo is your best friend when your hair is greasy, but did you know you should also use it before the sweat even happens? Anju Mobin of Best Of Nutrition swears by this tip. She explained, “Spraying dry shampoo throughout the roots before you hit the gym is the best way to avoid greasy hair. It soaks up excess oil and dirt when you sweat.” One great option is Living Proof Perfect Hair Day Dry Shampoo, which actually cleanses the hair.
Put your hair in a casual braid or bun
Dry shampoo definitely isn’t your only option to make sweaty hair look good. Amber Nash from Fit Healthy Best said, “Everyone is using a dry shampoo these days, but my tried and true tricks are to have a super-absorbent towel, a hair perfume mist, and a go-to third-day hairstyle. Low buns or sleek ponytails are one option.” You can also try braided styles for a tight hold.
Use hot tools for styling
Buns and braids aren’t the only way to style sweaty hair. Take advantage of the extra grit and use some hot tools. Brooke Cavalla from Struggles of a Fit Mom advised, “Use a curling iron or flat iron to style. If people can get past the fact that they feel gross not washing their hair, dirty hair can hold some great curls!”
Dampen the roots, then style
Most of the time, the sweatiest part of your hair is the roots, so target those. Liz Jeneault of Faveable said, “All I do is slightly dampen my roots and other small areas of my hair with water. I then apply a texturizing wave spray all over. It helps give me beautiful beach waves and makes for an effortless look! I’ll also sometimes apply a hair smoothing cream to the tips of my hair if I need it. I actually get lots of compliments on my hair when I style it this way!”
Blast it with the blow dryer
Sweat can make your hair look flat, and sometimes you just need some oomph. Mobin’s solution? “Post-workout, towel dry your hair and use a blow dryer to dry out the roots. This will make your hair look better with more volume.”
Wear a headband during workouts
A headband comes in handy to prevent sweat. Jeanette DePatie from Everybody Can Exercise said, “I sweat the most at the hairline. So, on heavy workout days, I wear a headband to lift my hair up and off my face during my workout.”
Do you have any tips on how to deal with sweaty hair after a gym sesh? Let us know in the comments below!
xx, The FabFitFun Team
