Summer Repair
Irvine triathlete Karen Allard combined her sport with beauty care through Triswim, a line geared for skin and hair repair after exposure to chlorine, sun and saltwater.
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| POOL TIPS Hair absorbs the first thing it comes in contact with, so before jumping into the pool, rinse your hair in the shower to minimize the chlorine absorption in the follicles, says Karen Allard. Wear a cap while swimming and shampoo the hair and wash the skin with products designed to specifically attack chlorine after you’ve left the pool. Always use sunscreen and moisturize the body fully. FIND TRISWIM Visit the website for a list of Orange County retailers or purchase online. Prices range $4.80 for a 2 oz. “shot,” $13.20-$16.39 for regular 8 oz. sizes and $79.15-$98.25 for 64 oz. jug sizes. :: sbrsportsinc.com |
The end of summer is always a little sad for those of us Southern Californians who like nothing better than spending free time swimming or lying around the pool and ocean. We’re forlorn about bidding farewell to the long days and warm nights… but also over the state of our skin and hair.
“Chlorine is like a metal and it attaches itself to the hair and skin,” says Karen Allard, founder, president and CEO of SBR (Swim, Bike, Run) Sports Incorporated in Santa Ana, which makes Triswim, a line geared for skin and hair repair after exposure to chlorine, sun and saltwater. “That is why you can wash and wash until your skin is raw, but you cannot get rid of the chemical and that odor.”
In 2004, as a competitive triathlete and USA Triathlon coach spending hours in the pool, Allard came up with a way to save her skin and hair – and those of other athletes and non-athletes – by developing Triswim, including a shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and lotion. Since then, she’s built a following among triathlete pros and everyday people like moms trying to fix their children’s chlorine-induced green hair. (Speaking of green, Triswim is paraben free, product tubes are recyclable and the company does not test on animals.)
Allard took some time out from her athletic and business activities to answer some of our questions about Triswim and chlorine.
Why develop a line specifically for people who love the pool and ocean?
I was constantly outside in the sun and pool, and knew how damaging the combination of chlorine and the solar rays were. It was important to develop a product that would relieve the uncomfortable dryness and itching that we all experience from those two elements.
How does Triswim work?
The Triswim shampoo and body wash have more sequestering agents than our competitors, which are designed to attack the chlorine molecule and wash them completely out of the hair, off the skin and down the drain. With aloe vera, vitamins A and E and provitamin B5, our products protect from the sun, moisturize and restore the skin and hair to a healthy state.
What has response been like?
Ironman brought us in as the only chlorine-out line and I work closely with United States Masters Swimming. Daily we have requests for samples to be sent out to individuals to test our products or to place in athlete race bags. We have requests from all over the world.
How do your products stand out?
Since I was a swimmer first and foremost, I have tried them all. Some are made with lesser or cheaper ingredients. These products leave your hair feeling stripped and dry. Others leave your hair lifeless and some of the chlorine-outs are just too expensive. Triswim is a salon-quality chlorine-out hair and skin care line that is extremely effective, unbelievably hydrates and restores, smells great for men, women and kids, and the best part, doesn’t break the bank.
Can non-athletes also use your products?
Absolutely... It was formulated by the same chemists who formulated three of the top 10 brands in the spa and beauty market. I feel fortunate that they work for me and that they can create unbelievable products. Because all tap water contains chlorine, Triswim is a great everyday hair and skin care line to use.
