I get it. You’re busy. If it’s not your job, it’s your family. If it’s not your family, it’s your pets. And the list goes on! There are so many reasons you might find it hard to fit in a workout, but that doesn’t mean you should give up on your fitness and weight loss goals!

A productive lifestyle is about creating a balance and making time for the things that matter. Your body is a temple, and your hair is no different! But who has time to spend caring for their hair pre and post workout, several times a week? Thankfully, by following some of these tips from at-home custom hair color company, eSalon, you’ll find it possible to fit your workout in while maintaining fresh hair!

Pre-workout Hair Prep

I know it seems a little counterintuitive. If you’re just about to hit it hard and work up a sweat, why bother doing anything with your hair other than throwing it up a ponytail? But hear me out! Applying a bit of dry shampoo before your workout can work wonders on your strands. Why? Because the dry shampoo will work to absorb excess oil and sweat you accumulate during your workout. The result is a much more manageable post-workout hairdo that will require much less time dealing with later! It’s also much easier to apply dry shampoo when your hair is dry and clean than when it’s sweaty and damp.

Styling your hair can also be a huge time-drain. I know sometimes you just want to let it be free and let it do it’s thing, but for those who want to keep their hair up and out of the way, you’re going to want to have a few elastics and bobby pins handy. Now, I don’t necessarily mean to use in a ponytail (tight ponytails can actually pull hard on your hairline and lead to breakage over time). There are a lot of other flashy workout hairstyles out there! But the best styles are those that look good without doing any damage. To minimize risk of any damage, we recommend changing the sections of hair you’re pulling from and wearing looser versions of your favorite updos. This will avoid creating constant tension on any one area of your hair, as well as allowing your hair to easily fall into post-workout styles.

Post-Workout Style Savers

After your workout, you may be tempted to shampoo your hair. But frequent washes may actually damage your hair, as shampoos strip your hair of its natural oils needed to stay healthy and hydrated. This problem is made worse by shampoos featuring sulfates, which are designed to better attract and remove water and oil. Instead, try using a sulfate-free shampoo and only elect to shampoo your hair on days you sweat heavily. As a general rule of thumb, you should be washing your hair 2-3 times per week. Consider investing in a good terry-lined shower cap on the days you want to rinse off without shampooing.

On busier days, apply dry shampoo again after your workout. Again, you’ll want to wait until your hair is dry. Applying dry shampoo to damp, sweaty hair can result in a clumpy, powdery residue. To apply dry shampoo, position the bottle 10 inches or so away from your scalp and spray your hair from your roots to your ends. If you do happen to see a build-up of powder on any strands initially, don’t worry! Just be sure to further blend those areas, using your fingers to massage in any excess (a little pampering never hurt anyone, right?). Next, brush out the product using a boar bristle brush to absorb any perspiration and to volumize your hair while you’re at it. The whole process should take about 4-5 minutes, getting you where you need to be faster and fresher!

Consider these time-saving hair tips the next time you want to squeeze in a workout!