swim bag: hair/body products
Manufacturers and distributors provided samples for this review of products available in the market.
W
e received an array
of chlorine removal
personal care products
from different manufacturers.
Each product tested was
successful at removing or
greatly reducing the smell of
chlorine from hair and skin.
But, as with goggles, personal care products are “personal,” and held different levels
of appeal to the different testers. We hope the comments
shared by our product testers will help in choosing
chlorine removal products
that will work for you.
MAKING SENSE
OF SCENTS
We asked about scent in our
survey, thinking that a few
comments about product
aroma would be helpful.
However, we quickly realized
that this was much too subjective. For everyone who
commented favorably on the
scent of a particular product, there was someone
who disagreed. One product
line received favorable comments for its clean, fresh
smell of citrus or pine. Other
testers of the same products
said the citrus or pine odor
reminded them of household cleaning products.
One thing we did notice is
that none of the products
had any overpowering fragrances and no one complained of allergic reactions
to the scents. Apparently,
strong scents are not necessary, as most of these
products work with ingredients that neutralize or sequester harsh chemicals
(chlorine, chloramines), making
them easy to rinse away.
This eliminates the need for
masking the smell of chlorine with something else.
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5.
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7.
6.
S
Shampoos, Conditioners & Hair Treatments
BARRACUDA $8.50
Aquia Swimmers’ Shampoo and Conditioner
Barracuda combines their shampoo and conditioner into a single product, which was attractive to
swimmers who want to be in and out of the shower quickly, swimmers without overly dry hair who
do not use conditioners regularly, and those wishing to have fewer bottles in their swim bags. The
combo lathered nicely and left hair feeling clean. Swimmers with dry hair felt they needed to add a
separate conditioner. skylinenw.com.
1.
CALIFORNIA BABY $11.49 each
Swimmer’s Defense Shampoo & Body Wash/Hair Conditioner
Testers loved the scent of the botanicals used in these two products. Several noted that the shampoo did not lather as much as other products, which mattered to some testers and not to others.
One tester did not like the way her hair felt after using this product combo, but most felt they made
hair soft, manageable and easy to style. Swimmers appreciated the combination shampoo and
body wash, eliminating the need for a third bottle. Sodium lauryl sulfate free. californiababy.com.
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ULTRASWIM $4.99 and up
Ultraswim Chlorine Removal Shampoo/Ultra Repair Conditioner
Testers with dry hair and curly hair liked this shampoo and matching conditioner for taming unruly
dry curls, but some testers with thick, heavy hair felt that these two products weighed their hair
down too much, making it stiff and harder to style. One tester who has used Ultraswim for years
and tried other brands during the testing says she still likes Ultraswim the best. ultraswim.com.
3.
REFLECT SPORTS $13.95 and $15.95
Reflect H2O Swim Shampoo/Swim Conditioner
These two Reflect Sports products were popular with testers. One tester who colors her hair regularly said that they did not fade the color. One tester described her hair as feeling limp after use.
One tester remarked that other products she had tried left her hair feeling stripped, and that Reflect H2O did not. Sulfate free. reflectsports.com.
4.
SBR/TRISWIM $9.95 to $13.99
Shampoo/Conditioner
These two products were the favorite of many of our testers. The shampoo and conditioner pair
left hair fuller and softer than the regular, non-chlorine removal products the testers were using.
Several testers commented that they would use these products even if they were not swimmers.
Most testers loved the way the products felt, smelled, and performed. tri-swim.com.
5.
WATER GEAR $5.99 and up
Swim & Sport Neutralizing Shampoo & Body Wash/Rebalance Hair Conditioner
Testers enjoyed testing these two products; they liked the way their hair felt, looked and smelled
after using it. One tester felt it was too strong for her color-treated hair, and that she had to use a
lot of the shampoo to get it to clean her hair. Another felt that the conditioner tamed her unruly
hair beautifully and yet another found relief from a perpetually itchy scalp. watergear.com.
6.
MALIBU C® SWIMMERS’ WELLNESS $12.00 each/$29.00 kit
Swimmers’ Water Action Sulfate Free Shampoo/Conditioner (Swimmer’s Wellness Kit)
The lack of suds reported by some testers did not affect the way the shampoo in this combo
worked. Both products were very effective at removing chlorine smell from hair and Malibu was a
hit, leaving hair easy to style and with great volume. Some described the shampoo lather as rich
and creamy; most loved the scent of both, which one tester described as “orange Dreamsicle.”
Other Malibu C® products included in the Swimmer’s Wellness Kit included treatments that went
beyond the typical tester’s daily regimen. Testers who used them all had positive comments and
described them as a luxurious treat. Sodium thiosulfate free. malibuc.com/usms.
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B
Body Washes & Gels
Many testers did not like the idea of using a separate product to
wash their skin, preferring to use their shampoo. This was due, in
part, to the need to carry another bottle or product in the swim bag,
which, for some, is undesirable. Additionally, for testers who do not
carry a washcloth or scrubber in their swim bags, some felt the
body washes and gels were difficult to lather up in the shower.
BARRACUDA $8.50
Aquia Showering Body Gel
Aquia was described as a nice, neutrally scented product that
is effective, but did not lather well unless washcloth or scrubber was used. skylinenw.com.
1.
SBR/TRISWIM $9.95 to $13.99
Body Wash
TRISWIM’s body wash was given high marks for its fresh
grapefruit scent and some found that it lathered fine, even
without a washcloth. Some testers described it as thin or
slippery. tri-swim.com.
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2.
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Lotions & Skin Treatments
BARRACUDA $10.50
Aquia Hydrating Body Lotion
Opinions were divided on the scent, but overall, testers liked the way this lotion
was absorbed into the skin and the way it made skin feel. skylinenw.com.
1.
SBR/TRISWIM $9.95 to $13.99
Lotion
This lotion was given high marks by nearly everyone who tried it. Testers
found the lotion to be light, creamy, and effective at penetrating dry skin and
keeping it moist. Several testers prone to excessively dry skin found
TRISWIM’s lotion an excellent remedy. The light, lemony smell was popular
with nearly everyone. tri-swim.com.
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WATER GEAR $5.99 and up
Swim & Sport Moisturizing Lotion
Testers say this lotion goes on thick, but absorbs quickly – leaving no film on
the skin. Several testers liked the way this lotion softened their rough areas.
One tester felt it was too thick and gooey for a subtropical climate. Scent
was described as neutral or lightly coconut. watergear.com.
3.
MALIBU C® BODY LOTION $8.00
Testers loved the feel and smell of this lotion, which went on creamy
and absorbed quickly, without any stickiness. One tester felt the need to reapply the lotion halfway throughout the day because it absorbed so quickly.
All testers said this lotion completely removed the chlorine smell from their
skin. Additional Malibu C® products including Face and Body Moisture Mist
and Zinc C Serum scored big with testers, who noticed an immediate difference in the look and feel of their skin. malibuc.com/usms.
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Pre-Swim Conditioners
These products are applied prior to swimming. They fared well with testers prone to naturally dry skin or hair. The only complaint was the extra
minute or two required to apply them, which sometimes resulted in them
getting
g
etting forgotten in the swim bags of time-constrained testers eager to
jjump
ump in for their workouts. The swimmers with extremely dry skin or hair
did not consider this a deal-breaker and were glad to have products that
helped protect skin and hair before swimming.
C
1.
Kiefer $13.95
Swimscreen Skin Protection Lotion (body)
Although thick in appearance when dispensed, this lotion absorbed immediately into the skin without any greasiness, and
it is odorless. According to the manufacturer, it forms a lightweight silicone barrier on the skin to negate the drying effects
of chlorinated water. Testers noticed an immediate difference
in their skin. One tester who gets dry itchy skin later on in the
day after swimming early, even with a post-swim application of
lotion, noticed that Swimscreen applied before morning workout reduced that itching significantly. kiefer.com.
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Naturceutics $17.00
Nature’s Prescription Pre-Swim Conditioner (hair)
This product was given to testers with dry, curly or color treated hair, and women who were already using a conditioner under their swim caps. The testers were all pleasantly surprised
to find that the product, although thick and creamy in texture,
did not make their swim caps slide off, as their regular conditioners were prone to do. Curly girls loved the calming effect
on their hair and noticed an immediate difference in frizz reduction and a healthier, shiny appearance. One tester noted
that because of the thick coating it placed on the hair, extra
shampooing was necessary to remove the product after swim
practice. Another tester remarked that the scent of this product, while not unpleasant, stayed in her hair even after shampooing and conditioning. naturceutics.com.
2.
Reflect Sports $14.95
Reflect H2O Pre-Swim and Sun Protecting Gel (Hair)
Women wanting to protect vulnerable hair and who were already using conditioner under their swim caps or wanted to,
liked this product. The gel went on light and had a pleasant,
neutral smell. Some remarked that their swim caps were
slightly slippery, but less than when using regular hair conditioner. The gel washed cleanly from hair without extra shampooing. reflectsports.com.
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