Ban bad hair days: give your locks a little TLC and you'll never suffer from post-workout hair hell again

Muscle & Fitness/Hers, June-July, 2004 by Jody Buffalo

IT'S IRONIC: You spend hours at the gym to ensure that your body looks great, only to catch a glimpse of your hair on the way out and, well, let's just say it ain't lookin' good. It could be the sweat you've subjected it to, the tight hair bands, the extra washings, the chlorine pools ... whatever. Your locks need help--and we've got it right here.

FIGHT FRIZZ

If your hair is prone to frizziness, sweat is your worst enemy. So take pre-emptive action: Apply an anti-frizz product before you pull your hair back and begin your workout session. This will keep your hair from going haywire and will also protect strands from the drying salt that's in your perspiration. A few defrizzers to try: John Frieda Frizz Ease Secret Weapon ($6), Infusium 23 Complete Frizz Control Treatment ($5-$6) and Pantene Pro-V Smooth & Shine Anti-Frizz Serum ($6), all available at drugstores. Another frizz-taming tip: Avoid the steam bath or sauna--excessive humidity and heat can make frizziness worse.

PONYTAIL SMARTS

Naturally, if you have long hair, you don't want it to get caught in any equipment, let alone have it block your sight. But pulling it back with the most common kind of band--the kind that has metal on it--can do damage. A better choice: all-fabric bands like Blax Snag-Free Hair Elastics ($3.50; www.beautyhabit.com). Also, to prevent breakage, avoid pulling your hair too tightly at the roots when you put it into a ponytail. The key is to keep it off your face while still keeping it comfortable and loose enough to move.

SWIMMER'S SOLUTION

Swimming is wonderful; the chlorine that makes hair look like broom bristles is not. But taking some preventive measures can help. "Always wet hair before going swimming, then put on a leave-in conditioner," says Sherrie Booth, director of education for Fantastic Sams, a nationwide salon chain. "This helps to stop hair from acting like a sponge for pollutants such as chlorine." To try: Aveda Elixir Daily Leave-On Conditioner ($9; www.aveda.com). If your hair has taken on a green tinge from chlorine exposure, try using a neutralizing shampoo like Aubrey Organics Swimmers Shampoo ($7.25; www.aubrey-organics.com), which is specially formulated to remove chemicals while moisturizing with shea butter and almond oil.

PRESERVE YOUR COLOR

Whether you use the pool or the shower at the gym, you're entering the high-risk zone for color-treated hair, says Jim Markham, president of PureOlogy, a hair-care company. "Shampooing color-treated hair too often may result in less frequent visits to the gym and more frequent visits to the salon," he adds. So go easy on the shampooing, and when you do wash, try something specific to your needs like L'Oreal VIVE Color Care Shampoo and Conditioner ($4.25 each; at drugstores) or Pure Ology Hydrate Shampoo and Conditioner ($18 each; www.pureology.com).

WASH WITH CARE

Overwashing can dry hair out, but if you don't feel clean unless you shampoo after every single grueling workout, then suds up with moisturizing products. Our picks: Alberto V05 Nourishing Oasis Calm Condition Shampoo and Conditioner ($2.39 each) and Physique Deep Hydrating Shampoo and Conditioner ($7 each), available at drugstores. Kathryn Humphreys, a top stylist and colorist at the James Madison Salon in Atlanta, also recommends the new AETO Botanica line ($24; 800-233-6695 to order). "The shampoo is the perfect remedy for the active woman who has damaged hair because it replenishes all the hair's natural minerals and vitamins that a swim or workout diminishes," says Humphreys. "It also creates a barrier so that agents like chlorine don't penetrate the hair."

STYLE AND GO

Making your hair look presentable after a sweaty gym session doesn't have to require a time-consuming shampoo-and-styling ordeal. Hollywood stylist Luke O'Connor offers these quick and easy styling tips:

* If you have naturally straight hair, quickly refresh strands by spritzing them with water or a detangler like Thermasilk Detangler Leave-in Conditioner ($4; at drugstores). Then, blow your hair dry while brushing it with a flat paddle or big round brush.

* If you have fine locks that go flat, flip your head upside down and blow-dry hair while scrunching sections of it with your hands.

* Curls that have frizzed should be misted with water, spritzed with a styling spray and then scrunched in your hands.

* If you have long hair, you can simply spruce up your gym ponytail. Undo the elastic, smooth hair back to make it more neat and secure it again, leaving an inch-thick section out of the elastic. Next, wrap the loose section of hair around the elastic to cover, then secure the end of it under the base of the ponytail with a bobby pin.

SLEEK AND POLISHED

"Just because you went to the gym in the morning doesn't mean you should spend the entire day looking like you just stepped off the treadmill," says Fernando Romero, founder of Bio Ionic Hair Care System. When you really need your hair to look like you just walked out of a salon--say, you have a meeting or a job interview coming up--go right to the flat iron (we like the Revlon Ceramic Flat Iron, $25; available at drugstores). When used on already dry hair, a flat iron, explains Romero, locks in moisture, creating smooth and shiny locks while eliminating frizz.