DIY Pool Side Protection from Chlorine

I am a Florida girl and I loooooooove the water. My family said that I would rather be in the pool than on the ground (which is probably true) but I kinda hate chemicals (I bet you had no idea). Unfortunately, in Florida almost all pools are chlorinated (boo) unlike the pools out west which are all salt water and glorious.

As a result, I did a lot of research to find the best ways to protect myself from chlorine and this is what I found...

Vitamin C is a great skin protector and it helps to support skin that is damaged, but you have to start small when you're adding Vitamin C because if you add too much it can cause skin irritation. The proportions I used are small-- feel free to increase them slowly as you see fit.

Cucumber Seed Oil has a ton of benefits, but one of the best benefits (in my opinion) is that it can help to support the skin and help it detoxify.

Pool Side Body Butter
One of the easiest ways to protect your body from absorbing so much chlorine is to cover yourself in a body butter before you swim. I slather this bad boy on in the buff, put on my suit and then I'm off to the pool! I've noticed a lot less itching, redness and sensitivity by using this body butter recipe.

Remember, you want it to be THICK so it leaves a protective layer over your skin.

• 1/4 cup Shea Butter
• 1/4 cup Beeswax Pellets
• 6 TBSP Cucumber Seed Oil (Organic)
• 4 TBSP Organic Virgin Coconut Oil
• 1/8 tsp of Vegetable Glycerine
• 5 drops of Vitamin E Skin Oil
• 1/4 tsp Vitamin C Powder
• 2 TBSP Zinc Oxide, non-nano
• 20-30 drops of Carrot Seed Essential Oil (I recommend this brand)
• 20-30 drops of Rosemary, Lavender, Geranium or Sandalwood Essential Oils (I recommend this brand)
• Optional: 1 tsp of Red Raspberry Seed Oil for extra protection

Start by melting the shea butter and beeswax in a double boiler with the coconut and cucumber seed oil. Once it's melted, add the vegetable glycerin and vitamin E. Remove from heat and add the remainder of the ingredients. Give it a good stir, pour the ingredients into a mixing bowl and put it in the refrigerator for about 20-30 minutes until firm, but not solid.

Use a stand mixer to beat the ingredients until you get the consistency of body butter that you want. You may need to repeat the process of putting it in the fridge and then back to the mixer several times-- that's okay!

Swimming Hair Spray 
Ladies, you know that your hair doesn't like chlorine! One of the best ways to protect your hair from chemicals is to get in the pool with WET HAIR! It decreases the ability of your hair to absorb the chlorine water. So bring some water to pour over your locks before you jump in and then spray this over your hair. Also, if you can-- wear a swim cap.

After I get out of the water, I remove my swim cap and mist this recipe over my hair once more.

• 3 oz Distilled Water or Aloe Vera Juice 
• 1/2 TBSP Alcohol-Free Witch Hazel
• 1/4-1/2 tsp Cucumber Seed Oil
• 1/4 tsp Vitamin C Powder
• 15 drops of Lavender (I recommend this brand)
• 10 drops of Rosemary or Geranium (I recommend this brand)
• 5 drops of Sandalwood (I recommend this brand)

Mix together into a spray bottle (like this one) and carry in your pool bag. Shake before using.

If you have curly hair or a lot of thick hair you may want to use the higher end of the Cucumber Seed Oil. Fine, straight hair may want to start with the lower end of Cucumber Seed Oil.

Clarifying After Pool Rinse
Immediately when I get home, I wash my hair and then rinse it with this clarifying after pool rinse to help remove impurities. I have long hair so I use quite a bit on my hair-- probably half of this recipe at a time. This recipe stays fresh for about 1 week if left in the shower so feel free to change proportions to suit your needs.

• 1 cup of water
• 1/8 - 1/4 cup of Apple Cider Vinegar * (ACV)
• Pinch of Vitamin C Powder
• 5-10 drops of Rosemary, Lavender, Geranium or Sandalwood Essential Oils (I recommend this brand)

I use the vitamin C powder as a dispersant for the essential oils. What that means is that I put the Vitamin C in the Mason Jar, then add the essential oils, then the rest of the ingredients. When you stir, the vitamin C and the essential oils are dispersed throughout the liquid. 

I store this in a mason jar in my shower and I make a new batch every week. It's so easy!

*Everyone's hair is different so you may need more or less ACV. If your hair feels too dry, then just decrease the amount of ACV in proportion to your water, but go slow when adjusting up.

After Pool Moisturizer

After I get out of the shower, I slather on this After Pool Moisturizer to help my skin relax after a day out in the sun. It really helps to calm the skin from exposure to chemicals and UV rays. 

• 1/4 cup of Aloe Vera Gel
• 1 tsp Cucumber Seed Oil (Organic)
• 1/8 tsp Vegetable Glycerine
• 5 drops of Vitamin E Skin Oil
• 15-20 drops of Lavender Essential Oil (I recommend this brand)

Optional: If you have a lot of gel and you want it to keep for a month or two, mix in 500mg Vitamin C Powder or 400 IU vitamin E for every 1/4 cup of gel you have.

I mix these ingredients into a small container and store in my refrigerator to extend the shelf life of the aloe. Plus, let's not lie-- the cold mix can feel like heavy against hot skin!

More Recipes?
I hope you love these summer time recipes! You can also check out my Summer Time Spray and Body Butter as well for a different spin!

Questions?
Got Questions? I had to turn off my comments due to various concerns, but you can ask me any questions by joining my online support group for Natural Living. Thank you!!!