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Running has many benefits. “Good hair” is not one of them. As a dedicated runner who logs up to 50 miles a week, I understand the struggle of dry, weak hair and the subsequent good-faith remedial attempt that ends in product build-up on the scalp. As much as we may enjoy becoming fitter and faster through long runs and speed sessions under the sun, it comes at a cost to the health of our hair.
Rigorous activity, like running for extended periods, can overwork the scalp’s sweat glands. Sweat isn’t entirely bad for your scalp. But the menage of sweat, residue of a low-quality shampoo, and not washing your hair properly that can clog hair follicles and allow bacteria to build up if you neglect post-workout hair maintenance, Jacqui Arroyo, a hair artist and owner of Salon Milagros in Mexico City, explains.
Training outdoors also exposes hair to ultraviolet (UV) rays, which can dry and weaken your hair, ultimately making your hair more prone to breakage, adds Mari De Monte, an award-winning barber for more than 20 years and owner of Low Ear Studio, a premier salon in New York City.
How to Take Care of Your Hair
If you’re a runner with longer hair, you probably already understand this struggle of maintaining it. Either way, heed caution and let this all be reason enough to consider upgrading your hair care routine and giving your locks a little more love. Your hair, afterall, is like a second face, De Monte says. Cleansing and nourishing it properly are necessary to keep it healthy.
The most common tip for healthy hair is to wash it less often—extremely impractical if not also detrimental advice for runners, who come home with a sweaty scalp almost every day. In fact, one of your first goals post-run should be to remove sweat from your scalp, advises De Monte, a distance runner for nearly two decades. Washing your hair is an obvious and immediate solution, but in moments of crunchtime De Monte’s tip is to lightly blow dry your hair with cold air. This helps alleviate wetness, something you don’t want lingering on your hair strands. “The longer your hair is wet,” she says, “the more susceptible it is to damage.”
Both De Monte and Arroyo agree that a lasting approach to healthy hair, however, lies in daily rituals to protect it—that includes investing in products that can help purify your scalp and also hydrate your hair.
While there is no one-size-fits-all solution—De Monte and Arroyo both say it’s ideal to consult with your own hair stylist and use products specific for your hair type—with their expert advice as guidance, I went on a hair product hunt and tested several grade-A options that can help maintain a runner’s mane and are now giving me hope for better hair days to come.
Top Shampoo for Runners
“If you are active and therefore wash your hair every day, make sure the shampoo is top-notch. It’s the most important luxury to spend money on,” De Monte says. She suggests opting for one that is sulfate-free with no added color agents.
Another ingredient to steer clear of: Isopropyl alcohol, which is sometimes added into a shampoo to help other ingredients penetrate the hair. (It can be used in some antifreeze formulations, she also points out).
Fable & Mane HoliRoots Hydrating Shampoo
One brand that measures up and is suitable for all hair types: Fable & Mane HoliRoots Hydrating Shampoo. The brand’s sibling owners, Akash and Niki Mehta, are on a mission to incorporate Indian hair care traditions and Ayurvedic principles into its plant-based products. The coconut-scented vegan formula gives off an island-in-the-sun kind of vibe. Naturally, coconut oil is among the ingredients, a benefit for its nourishing fatty acids, which can help smooth and hydrate hair. An Ayurvedic herb known as gotu kola, which can help improve scalp health, is also in the formula. It’s free of silicones, too, an ingredient that De Monte advises against using on your hair, explaining that it can lead to dullness and even attract dirt.
What I loved: The formula cleansed my hair without leaving it feeling totally stripped and squeaky, and my hair looked and felt revived.
Sachajuan Anti Pollution Shampoo
The mineral content in hard water found in cities tends to cause dryness and dullness. From the Swedish brand Sachajuan, a pioneer in high-performance hair care, this award-winning and gentle formula is perfect for city-dwelling runners. It cleanses the scalp while also helping to prevent mineral build-up from hard water.
What I loved: The product rinses easily, and my hair felt exceptionally cleansed, as well as soft, smooth, and delicately scented. It has a je ne sais quoi quality that made my hair seem salon-worthy.
New Wash Original
Simultaneously conditioning while cleansing isn’t something you typically expect from a shampoo, but it is with New Wash Original, an alternative-to-shampoo cleansing cream. Developed by the U.S. haircare brand Hairstory, the naturally derived, biodegradable ingredients include essential oils and fatty alcohols that clean your hair while simultaneously moisturizing it.
What I loved: It’s an all-in-one product (no conditioner necessary). While I initially found it unusual to apply a thick cleansing cream to clean my hair, I appreciated the efficiency of using only one product. The formula is gentle, and my hair didn’t feel heavy post-rinse.
Top Conditioners for Runners
Think of a conditioner as daily lotion for your hair, Arroyo says. Apply just enough as though you’re not going to rinse it, she advises, adding that it’s important to emulsify the product with your fingers to help activate it so it better penetrates your hair. Then apply and leave on your hair for up to three minutes. A quarter-size amount goes a long way when using a high-quality product, as the formulas tend to be more potent.
Davines OI Conditioner
The Italian hair care brand Davines delivers what might be the Holy-Grail of conditioners in the OI product line. As a certified B Corporation, the brand leans on using natural ingredients that are good for your hair and the planet. This particular conditioner is suitable for all hair types, and is both nourishing and moisturizing. It’s formulated with oil extracted from Roucou, a plant native to South America that offers antioxidant properties and can help protect against UV rays—an important defense if you often train under the sun.
What I loved: Though the product has a buttery texture, my hair felt neither weighed down or greasy. Rather like it received a much-needed hug that left my hair silky and moisturized.
Corpus Cypress Conditioner
Made in California, the plant-based formula is suitable for daily use and for all hair types. The silicone-free conditioner includes Baobab seed protein, which can help defend hair against UV stress. The ingredients also include nourishing oils like olive and squalane, both of which moisturize and hydrate.
What I loved: My hair felt deeply nourished and balanced, and the scent was just enough—a fusion of bergamot, cypress, and cedar, which was a welcome antidote to counter the salty smell of sweat-soaked hair.
Extra Hair Treats to Try
A quality shampoo and conditioning routine is the backbone to healthy hair. But sometimes, your locks need a little extra TLC. Here are some expert-recommended solutions, plus products I enjoyed.
Hair Mask
Just like your muscles need recovery, so too does your hair. While conditioning is an important part of any hair care routine, your strands can also benefit from a deeper approach, like giving it the equivalent of a facial for your hair. Enter the hair mask, a ritual De Monte says can be applied once or twice a month.
“It’s not an everyday thing. They are a lot heavier with product,” De Monte says. “The idea is that you oversaturate your hair with what it might need.”
Davines Restless Circle
Davines Restless Circle hair mask is a helping hand that hits the spot. A pre-wash treatment, it’s designed to be applied to dry hair and left on while you multitask (including while you exercise). Formulated to prevent breakage, it works into the hair to leave it soft and shiny after rinsing. The minimum leave-in time is 15 minutes, but unlike most other hair masks, the product can also be used overnight for an even deeper treatment.
What I loved: An easy and convenient refresh, the product melts into my hair without feeling overly coated and weighed down. Plus, the on-the-go use makes it an added convenience and is like a treat for your hair.
Scalp Scrub
“If you feel like you’re not achieving a good result with your technique in washing your hair, I would recommend a scrub every two weeks, not more,” Arroyo says.
You could do it the same day you use the hair mask, adds De Monte. “If you’re in the midst of training, maybe even doing twice a day workouts, a scalp cleanse followed by a mask would be a great monthly recovery ritual for your hair.”
Fable & Mane SahaScalp Wild Ginger Purifying Scrub
A scrub-shampoo, this potent formula integrates neem, an herb known to support hair health. It also includes ginger, which is believed to nourish hair follicles. Ginger is widely known as well as having antimicrobial properties. The formula, potent enough to only require a tablespoon per use, contributes to removing impurities from your scalp and purging product built up.
What I loved: Despite being an exfoliant, the product is actually quite gentle on the scalp, which is important if you have sensitive skin (like me). It effectively cleaned my hair without leaving an overpowering scent.
Dry Shampoo
Dry shampoos can be divisive, as both Arroyo and De Monte point out they are not meant to actually clean your hair, but rather to absorb oil. Sometimes though we all could use a little break from a daily wash, and for those in between moments when you want to take care of your scalp, let a high-quality dry shampoo enter the chat.
Oribe Serene Scalp Oil Control Dry Shampoo Powder
The award-winning brand Oribe has created an ultra-absorbing dry shampoo made with a special starch blend that includes rice and tapioca that help absorb product buildup and oil. It’s packaged as a powder that you sprinkle and massage directly onto your scalp, letting it sit for up to two minutes. Edelweiss flower is among the ingredients and is known for its high concentration of antioxidants that can help defend against oxidative stress, while rosebay extract contributes to a purifying effect.
What I loved: I hadn’t had the best of luck using dry shampoo in years past, as they typically left a white cast on my dark hair. At last, this particular dry shampoo left no trace. Having used other Oribe styling products in the past, I continue to be impressed with the brand.
Sun Protectants
SU Hair Milk
If you’re a runner who ties their hair up all the time and is routinely out in the sun, your hair is going to be dry and exposed to the elements, De Monte says. UV protection for your hair should be a priority.
“The sun does burn and damage your hair,” Arroyo adds. Her top recommendation for all runners is SU Hair Milk applied all over your hair before you run, as it’s a UV protectant. Arroyo says you can also spray it on your hair before bed, like a night cream for your hair, if the ends of your hair feel dry.
What I loved: I’d never really considered UV protection specifically for my hair, but it’s a haircare step to be mindful of, considering I’m in the sun daily. I like that this product is protective and simultaneously nourishing and doesn’t feel weighted down.
Hair in the Sun
Hair in the Sun by Sachajuan is another option that can be used daily on the lengths and ends of your hair. The formula is specifically designed to create a protective barrier for your hair to guard against the damaging effects of sun exposure.
What I loved: Apart from the incredible smell, I don’t notice that my hair is holding product because it’s thankfully lightweight and not greasy.
