Best After Sports Shampoo Reviewed
Many people take a quick rinse after their exercise, however, they do not really think about what this is doing to their body. While a rinse is usually necessary to remove the sweat, dirt, and grime off your body, it is also stripping you of natural oils. Choosing an after sport shampoo can help protect your body from becoming too dried out as this can cause a lot of irritation and inflammation.
An after sport shampoo is designed to protect your scalp from any further damage and moisturize the skin on the top of your head. They are meant to help balance out your scalp environment and also encourage healthy hair growth. By choosing to use an after sport shampoo you are not only protecting your hair and scalp from harm, but also giving your head the essential vitamins and nutrients it needs.
In a Hurry? The test winner after 5 hrs of research

Fresh scent
Two in one
Very affordable
Ergonomic bottle design
Invigorating and energizing












Top 10 Picks
1. AXE 2 in 1 Sport Blast


Fresh scent
Two in one
Very affordable
Ergonomic bottle design
Invigorating and energizing
Scent is a little too strong for some people
Axe is a company that has been around for decades. In the past ten years, their personal hygiene products have risen to the top of the pack. Today, Axe is a leading brand that has a strong customer base. Their products are popular as they are scented and effective in masking odors emitted by your body. Recently they have evolved from deodorants into shampoos and shower gels. This is a particular product that is was specifically designed for after sports use.
Read moreOne of the biggest reasons why this particular product is popular is the scent. It is both strong and refreshing, which can greatly re-energize you in the shower. This allows you to have an extra burst of energy to get you through your day. This product has great value as it is very affordable and also comes in a large sixteen-ounce bottle. This is a versatile product which you can wash your hair and body with. This makes it a very convenient product to use and will also help save space in your small fitness center locker.
2. Adidas 3-in-1 Sport Energy


Mint scent
Suitable for face
Anti slip design
Vitamins and minerals
Citrus extract
All the scents clash and cause a sensory overload
Adidas is one of the leading brands in athletic apparel. Their popularity is due to their products being made of high-quality materials and long-lasting. They are well known for their triangular three striped logos and are seen as one of the more prestigious brandings. In the past years, Adidas has started to dabble in personal hygiene product such as deodorants and perfumes. This particular shampoo is in line with the beliefs of Adidas by creating a product that is effective and stands well against the competition.
Read moreThis particular product is a three in one product. What that means is that the shampoo can also be used for the face. Most regular shampoos are too harsh for the skin on your face and can cause a lot of damage. However, the ingredients in this formula is very gentle and soft, allowing you to rid your face of any dirt or grime incurred during your training. The shampoo has a strong minty scent, which can help stimulate your scalp and encourage your hair to grow. For people using the shampoo in the morning, the sharp scent can also help get your brain running and ready for the day.
3. Head and Shoulders Active


Two in one
After sport use
Moisturizes and repairs
Anti dandruff and anti itch
Clinically tested
Tingly feeling on your scalp can be a little uncomfortable
A significant concern that many people have is the production of dandruff by their scalp. This can be quite an embarrassing concern that is difficult to hide. Dandruff is a medical condition that is often triggered by multiple things such as a dry scalp, allergies, or underlying medical condition. Most of the time, using an anti-dandruff shampoo will do the trick and get rid of the problems. In the event you are struggling with a dandruff problem, then this product may be right for you.
Read moreOne of the biggest reasons why combat athletes get an itchy scalp is because it has become dry. This is usually caused by over washing or rising of your head. It is no surprise that when you exercise, your body produces sweat. If you do not rinse yourself after your training session, your body may emit an odor that is unpleasant for other people. As a result, you could be rinsing or showering multiple times a day. This particular product moisturizes and restores the balance of your scalp so that it does not keep itching. This can relieve a lot of your discomfort and allow you to go about your day without scratching all the time.
4. AquaGuard Pre-Swim Hair Defense


Protects each strand
Pre or post swim
Prevents green hair
Cost efficient
Improves hair health
Hair needs to be rinsed before entering the pool
Swimming is one of the greatest cardio exercises that a combat athlete can do. It greatly increases your endurance and stamina. Unfortunately, a trade-off to that could be damaged or coarse hair. This is a common occurrence because there is a certain amount of chlorine in every pool you go to. There needs to be a specific balance of chlorine in the water to get rid of all the bacteria and germs that people to bring with their bodies. While the chlorine protects you, it also greatly damages your skin and hair.
Read moreThis particular product works as a shampoo that is best used prior to entering a pool. The shampoo is rubbed into dampened hair and given a few minutes to be absorbed. The ingredients included in the formula will work to protect your hair and reduce the amount of damage that the chlorine does. In the event you end up using the product after your swim, it will work as a regular shampoo that can help soften your hair. This product overall protects your hair and helps maintain the healthiness of each strand.
5. TRISWIM Chlorine Removal


Easy squeeze bottle
Vitamin and minerals
Strengthens hair
Nice scent
Maintains hair health
Does not help remove green once the chlorine has turns it
This is a fantastic product that comes in a squeeze tube with a cool design. The standout style of this bottle will ensure people do not accidentally grab the wrong product. This is a shampoo that is suitable for combat fighters who enjoy incorporating swimming into their training.
Read moreFor those who are lucky enough to live by the sea and swim in the ocean, this product can protect your hair from the salt. Despite all the benefits from the salt in the ocean, it is actually very harsh to your hair and eats away at the good bacteria in each strand. This can lead to dry and damaged hair that becomes brittle and easily splits. This is a great product that can be ideally used for daily shampoo whether you are at a gym or at home. The ingredients contained in the formula can help remove any build up that is caused by chlorine, salt, and even minerals found in hard water. It can work similar to a hair therapy shampoo and help repair damaged strands and prevent healthy strands from deteriorating.
6. Head and Shoulders + Old Spice


Refreshes and rejuvenates
Fresh scent
Removes dandruff
Moisturizes scalp
Soothes inflammation
Active ingredients can be quite harsh on the scalp
This is a company that has been around for decades. Their product is often recommended by many hairstylists as it is the top leading brand for dandruff problems. Head and shoulders are known for its effectiveness in dealing with dandruff. There are active ingredients contained within the formula that can reduce the amount of flaking in as little as two washes. This particular product brings it up a notch by creating a crossover with old spice, which is a well-known brand for odor prevention products.
Read moreThese two companies have worked together to create a great smelling and effective product. Because combat fighters have to shower more often, it can significantly dry out the skin on their scalp. When that happens, small flakes of skin will start to come off. When your scalp is itchy, it can also cause you to scratch your head and more flakes to come off, thus a vicious cycle. This particular product has ingredients that can help reduce the amount of itchiness by quickly moisturizing your scalp. It can also help reduce the amount of inflammation on your scalp, thus removing the need to scratch your head as often.
7. Art of Sport Hair and Body Wash 2-in-1


Great bottle design
Contains aloe vera
Two in one
Rehydrates hair and skin
Protects against further damage
Cap sometimes causes slight leakage
This particular product is a two in one. These are a great product as they help save you space in your gym bag by only needing to bring one product and requires much less room when stored in your locker at the fitness center. It also saves you both time and money when purchasing a two in one product. They require little thinking and much less time on research. This particular product was designed for use for combat athletes and people who partake in serious training for their sport.
Read moreAthletes often take more showers than a regular person as they need to remove the sweat and grime after their workout. However, this can often mean that the skin and hair are stripped of its natural oils. Most products are made with harsh chemicals that are designed to remove any oil build-up or residue. This product takes it a step further by adding aloe vera into their formula. This can help moisturize and revitalize hair that has taken quite a beating. It also comes in a light scent that can keep you energized and feeling refreshed.
8. Old Spice Pure Sport


Unique combo
Value pack
Lightly scented
Rich and creamy
Repairs damage
Too fragrant
Old Spice has been making a wave in the personal hygiene market in recent years. Their commercials are famous for being unique and one of a kind. Their bright red bottles are hard to miss in the supermarket aisle as they are bold and stand out. Similar to their commercials, this product challenges the normal beliefs and creates an interesting but effective combination.
Read moreUnlike other products on the market, this particular two in one combo is of shampoo and conditioner. The formula will first lather to create a lot of bubbles, but it starts to soften each strand after you leave it in your hair for a minute or so. This is particularly useful as the conditioner is usually the first to be sacrificed in a gym back or locker that does not have enough room. Unfortunately, conditioner is actually one of the more important products as your hair needs the nourishment after being washed so many times. Every time that you shower in a day, the natural oils of the hair is stripped. Using a conditioner and shampoo combo can help restore some of those lost nutrients and repair any damage.
9. Zealios – Swim and Sport


For sensitive skin and hair
Vitamin B
For daily use
Gentle formula
Sulfate free
Thickens at the bottom, shake well before use
For combat fighters who are engaging in regular training, this is a fantastic product. It was designed specifically to combat the effects of showering often and is a very soft formula. It contains significantly less amount of harsh ingredients that can damage both your skin and hair while you wash. The formula is suitable for people with sensitive skin and dry hair. It can work to remove any chemicals such as chlorine and hard minerals from every strand of hair.
Read moreUnlike any other product on the market, this shampoo contains Vitamin B which is essential for healthy hair. Biotin is crucial to the well being and durability of your hair. By incorporating that mineral into the shampoo, your hair is able to absorb a little more than whatever you end up eating. This can lead to a reduction of shedding hair and can also strengthen your brittle strands. This means there is less breakage, fewer knots, and a much more healthy scalp environment. Overall this product is going to help encourage your hair follicles to produce more hair that is strong and healthy.
10. Ultraswim Chlorine Removal


Extra lathering
Soft formula
Removes chlorine smell
Twist bottle
Value pack
Quality control issues when product is being shipped
Often times, shampoo products travel with us wherever we go for our training. This is because combat fighters could be training at different gyms, fitness centers, or even in a shower room at a competition site. Because there is so much movement, it is imperative that the shampoo bottle is able to stand against the other items in your gym bag. The last thing you need is a dirty gym bag when you arrive and are ready to start training. This product comes with a screw top bottle that allows you to screw it tight and ensure it does not leak during transport.
Read moreThis particular product uses an ultra moisturizing formula. After a particularly long training session in the pool, your hair can accumulate a lot of chlorine. Rather than relying on harsh chemicals to remove all the chlorine from each strand of hair, consider using a product that is gentler so that it does not break your already damaged hair. The ingredients in this formula can lather really well and ensure every strand of hair is coated and cleaned.
Criteria Used for Evaluation

Value
One of the biggest concerns that people may have is the cost of sport shampoos. Because they are considered a specialized product, they can be slightly more expensive. However, the overall price of shampoo is usually very affordable and will not break the bank. When purchasing a sport shampoo, try to find value packs as they can give you additional savings. These value packs are simply discounts that are offered by the manufacturer when you purchase multiple of the same product. This helps keep their cost low, which is then translated into a lower price for consumers.
Another value to consider is whether the sport shampoo gives you additional benefits. For example, one of the highly sought after add ons to shampoo is UV protection. While hair does not physically get sunburned, your scalp can. During hot sunny days with the sun beating down, people recommend you wear a hat to protect the skin on your head from becoming damaged by the UV rays. However, there are a plethora of reasons why people may not want to be wearing a hat like not wanting to ruin their hair, being too hot and muggy, or even just that the hat makes them uncomfortable. If any of these reasons apply to you, then it is worthwhile to find a sport shampoo that can protect your head from the sun while you are training outside.

Materials
While there are many chemical ingredients found in shampoo, there are also extracts and other beneficial things that they contain. When purchasing one of these hair products, try to find one that contains aloe vera. This is a natural ingredient that is proven to have a host of healing properties. Aloe vera can work to rehydrate any of the hair that is dry and damaged. It can repair some of the more brittle strands that are ready to snap and break. These moisturizing properties also extend to the scalp. Often times, combat fighters have dry and itchy scalps from over washing. The aloe vera penetrates deep into the different layers of skin and gives it a boost of hydration. This will prevent the cracked skin that ends up flaking and causing dandruff to your head. This natural ingredient also has great antioxidant properties that can help restore the balance of your scalp. It can calm down any redness or inflammation you have and remove the itchy feeling so that you can stop scratching and actually allow your scalp to recover.
Another ingredient you want the shampoo to contain is menthol. This can cause tingly feelings in your scalp which encourages the blood circulation to flow better in the skin on your head. With better blood flow, more nutrients and essential minerals are delivered to your hair so that it can become stronger and tougher. It also gives it the opportunity for your scalp to regenerate and promote healthy growing hair.

Effectiveness
One of the simplest, yet biggest concerns people have when purchasing a shampoo is how well it works. This is a valid issue because it is waste of money to purchase a product that does not benefit you in any way. So an important thing to consider when you are selecting the right shampoo for your hair is what you want it to do. For people who do a lot of their training in the water, it may be beneficial to select something that can fight chlorine or salt. These products may be labeled as swimmer shampoos, but they are designed for people to use after training in the water. It can help prevent damage to your hair and also protect your hair from going green. This can be caused by spending time in a pool in which the chlorine has come into contact with metals that cause it to react. This is a concern that is more prevalent in lighter hair colors, however, once your hair turns green you will be required to specialized shampoos to rid your hair of the color.
Another thing to consider is how your hair feels afterward. The point of a shampoo is to get rid of any sticky or oily residue. After washing your hair, it should feel much lighter and more refreshed. Your hair should not have a reflective sheen and should not have knots in it. A brush run through your hair should not get caught.

Potency
When choosing a good shampoo, two of the most important ingredients in the formula should be Vitamin B and Vitamin E. The more of these that your shampoo contains, the better it is for your hair.
Vitamin B is actually a complex of multiple different vitamins that work together to help your body run better and efficiently. The specific Vitamin that helps improve your hair is Biotin, also known as Vitamin B7. In general, this particular mineral is known for turning carbohydrates and proteins into usable energy. This is important as your hair needs specific nutrients to grow. This vitamin ensures that each hair strand is getting the necessary ingredients for healthy and durable growth.
Another ingredient that is important in your shampoo is Vitamin E. This is a vitamin that has a host of health benefits when ingested. In regards to your hair, this vitamin can cultivate a healthy environment for your scalp to live in. This will also help promote additional hair growth and keep up the maintenance of the hair follicles. The Vitamin E helps rebalance your scalp than it is in a healthy living environment, which reduces and eliminates any signs of dandruff. This can help reduce the amount of stress that is put on the skin on top of your head.
Together these vitamins create a strong duo which can prevent diseases or hair disorders. They fight off any bacteria or germs that are found and carry out preventative measures against hair damage.

Comfort
One of the things that people take for granted is soft and fluffy hair. It is almost an expectation that any shampoo you use will yield results for your hair where it looks absolutely fantastic. This is only achievable if you end up picking the correct shampoo for your hair. This is why it is so important for combat fighters to be aware of what sort of hair products and shampoo they are putting into their hair.
When choosing a shampoo, it is important to observe what happens after you dry your hair. A shampoo can be considered ineffective if it renders a lot of knots in your hair. This can happen because the natural oils of your hair have been stripped, meaning a lot of tiny rough edges start to pop up. These edges will catch on each other and end up completely tangled, before you know it you will be having difficulty running your comb through your hair.
Another thing to consider is how rough your hair feels after you’ve washed it. While conditioners are supposed to make your hair soft and touchable again, shampoo can actually have properties that do the same thing. No shampoo will ever make your hair as smooth as a conditioner, however, it is important to choose a product that can get you close to it. The rougher your hair feels means the harsher chemicals were used. It is not recommended to choose something with strong chemicals as it can damage your hair down to the follicle.
Expert Interviews & Opinions

A little thing no one really thinks about is why their hair on their head grows longer than any other hair on the body. This is because the hair on your head has a different make up than the rest of the hair on your body. Depending on your genes, some of your hair may grow longer while other people may have difficulty reaching that length. Another dependent factor is also how well your hair grows during the growth cycle. Every strand of hair has a specific phase in which it can grow. If that particular hair follicle is receiving more blood, then it will grow much faster and stronger. The average amount of growth per strand of hair is half an inch each month. However, the length of your growth cycle is determined by genetics, meaning your hair can grow much longer than your friends or vice versa.
Historically, we have always been taught to use shampoo first and conditioner after. Not many people have ever challenged that or asked why. The reason why we always use shampoo first is because manufacturers have created a two step system in which we clean then protect. The idea is for people to use shampoo as a way to rid their hair of excess buildup. The shampoo cleans each strand of hair to remove any oils or foreign substances that may be there. The conditioner phase is to protect the strand of hair from damage. The ingredients in the formula end up making your hair sleek and shiny at the end. However, the ingredients in conditioner are also known to make your hair more flat and flush against your scalp. As a result, the idea of reverse washing has been floating around. This means to condition and take care of your hair prior to the shampooing. By doing it this way, the your hair is able to retain the volume that you want while still having some of the protection from the conditioner.
Other Factors to Consider

Bottom Line
Sport shampoos are great as they can greatly help reduce any residue or build up found in your hair. However that is not to say there is no downfall to using them. Many of these products contain a lot of different chemicals that can become quite harmful to your body. Hair contains a lot of pores that help them quickly absorb all the nutrients and vitamins that you give them with every wash. However, being quick absorbing also comes with downfalls. One of downsides are the fact that your hair cannot regulate or control what it absorbs. So when chemicals are mixed in with the vitamins and nutrients, your scalp absorbs everything it can get. Some of these chemicals may cause allergic reactions or skin sensitivity while some can be dangerous carcinogens. Once these things are in your body, it can also cause harmful reactions such as hormonal changes and even hair loss. The best way to prevent adverse reaction is to take some time and research the product you are choosing to purchase. Once you decide to go with a product, it will be highly beneficial for you to do a patch test first before using it.
Frequently Asked Questions
q: Where can I buy a sports shampoo?
There are many different ones located in your local supermarket or sports store. For a more comprehensive list, go online and purchase from an online retailer.
q: Are there shampoos that do not sting my eyes?
Absolutely! There are shampoos that are designed to be tear free, meaning they do not cause irritation to your eyes.
q: Can I use sports shampoo for sensitive scalps?
The answer is yes. There are many shampoos that use a gentler formula that is ideal for sensitive skin types. Always check the label prior to using.
q: How do I know if I am allergic to the ingredients in the shampoo?
Regardless of any product you purchase, always do a patch test. Place a little bit of the shampoo onto your wrist and wait twenty minutes. If there is no itchiness or redness, the product is safe to use. If there is, stop use immediately and consult a doctor.
q: Can my kids use sports shampoos?
Of course! Shampoo is not restricted to any age. They are ideal for children who have afterschool activities or participate in swim clubs.
Sources
- Dear Science..., Online Newspaper Article ,
- Best Vitamins, Informational ,