Craving the beachy wave but worried that sea salt spray will mimic Mother Nature and dry out your hair? Hair experts say you’d be wise to use a bit of caution in pursuit of a mermaid ‘do if your locks are a little dull. Salt on your hair pulls out moisture because of the natural attraction water molecules have for salt. Add to that the alcohol that is a major ingredient in many texturizing sprays, and you have a formula for drying. Finding the right formula and limiting use of sea salt spray will keep your hair shiny.
Look for sprays with ingredients that are kind to your hair and hold the alcohol to a minimum. Oils and proteins should be prominent. Treat your hair just as you would after coming home from the beach or chlorinated swimming pool by shampooing and conditioning after spritzing with sea salt spray. Olive oil is great for a heavy-duty treatment; lightweight oils such as coconut are also good.
Here are five of the best when you want to spray, crunch and go:
Herbivore Botanicals Sea Mist
The ingredient list is right up there with the hair-fortifying necessities: Purified water, aloe vera, Dead Sea salt, and essential oils. Perfect for dry or damaged hair. And the clean, delicate, lavender scent is one you’ll love.
Herbivore Botanicals Sea Mist – Lavender, $20, Birchbox
Not Your Mother’s Beach Babe Texturizing Sea Salt Spray
Did your mother douse her hair with Dead Sea salt and sea kemp? I don’t think so. Do her a favor and take her a little ocean in a bottle.
Not Your Mother’s Beach Babe Texturizing Sea Salt Spray, $6, Walgreens
Coconut + Sea Salt Beach Wave Hair Mist
This natural sea salt texturizing mist enriched with non-drying aloe water is available online only at Sephora. It’s health benefits include coconut and essential oils to keep moisture levels stable. It scents your hair with the tropical fragrance of vanilla.
Coconut + Sea Salt Beach Wave Hair Mist, $20, Sephora
Fekkai Soleil Beach Waves Spray
Treat your hair to a St. Barth’s getaway with this unique formula infused with sunflower seed oil to enhance radiance without weighing it down.
Fekkai Soleil Beach Waves Spray, $12, Amazon
PHILIP B®Maui Wowie Beach Hair Mist
Pure orchid and kukui nut oils are the key that makes this ultra-light spray safe for color- and keratin-treated hair. Botanical moisturizers lend a gorgeous beachy scent.
PHILIP B®Maui Wowie Beach Hair Mist, $25, Nordstrom
