The five steps below,

Written by Jessie Chivele

Written by Jessie Chivele

Salt water, chlorine, sauna steam and heat styling all lift the cuticle and pull moisture out of your hair. Add sweat, tight ponytails and a rough towel dry, and an active week starts to show in your lengths and ends.

None of that means slowing down. As a hairdresser who swims, steams and trains most days, I built this routine around a few small habits before and after. Five steps, no fuss, made for hair that doesn't slow down.

01 Nourish · daily

Ocean Drops

A few drops through mid-lengths and ends to smooth and add shine. Choose Light for fine or oily hair, Extra for thick, dry or curly hair.
02 Protect · before you get in

Element Shield

One barrier for heat and water. Work it through damp lengths before you swim, steam or heat style so your hair comes out cared for rather than stripped. Rinses clean, no silicones left behind.
03 Restore · once or twice a week

Lustre Lock Mask

Jojoba oil and shea butter to replenish moisture and bring back softness and shine. Thick or curly hair can also use it as a leave-in.
04 Dry · after every wash or swim

Linen Hair Wrap

Swap the rough towel for natural linen. It absorbs water quickly and gently, so you get less friction and less frizz without reaching for heat.
05 Style · all day

Eco Hair Ties and Hair Fork

Strong grip without the pulling. Ties made from upcycled bicycle inner tubes for training and swimming, and a recycled metal fork for an easy updo afterwards.

Your routine, by activity

Ocean swim

Wet your hair with fresh water first so it soaks up less salt.
Work Element Shield through your lengths and ends.
Braid or tie low with an eco hair tie.
Rinse with fresh water as soon as you can, then wrap in linen.

Pool laps

Fresh water rinse before you get in.
Element Shield through damp hair. Being silicone-free, it won't leave a slippery residue under your cap.
Cap on, laps done.
Shampoo out, Ocean Drops through the ends.

Sauna and bathhouse

Element Shield through your lengths before the heat.
For a weekly treat, layer Lustre Lock over the top.
Pin it up off your neck with the hair fork.
Rinse, wrap in linen and let it air dry.

Tennis, reformer and gym

Tie up with an eco hair tie that holds without dragging.
Change the position of your ponytail through the week to ease tension.
After, refresh the ends with a drop of Ocean Drops.
Element Shield first if you're heat styling after your session.

The one habit that matters most

Protect before you get in. Hair that goes into the water or the heat already coated and hydrated takes up less of what you're swimming or steaming in, and comes out easier to manage.

Made for the water

Everything in the routine is salon-grade and silicone-free, made with consideration for what goes back into the water. Element Shield uses non-nano zinc oxide with no synthetic fragrance, and every product is designed by a hairdresser on the NSW South Coast.

Shop the Five Step Protocol Start with Element Shield

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