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Best Sea Salt Sprays

Updated November 2022
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Pros
Cons
Best of the Best
John Paul Mitchell Systems Awapuhi Wild Ginger Texturizing Sea Spray
John Paul Mitchell Systems
Awapuhi Wild Ginger Texturizing Sea Spray
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Bottom Line

Enhances curls and provides texture without weighing down hair.

Pros

Great for giving texture to fine hair and for defining curls for curly or wavy hair. Has a nice ginger scent. Lightweight formula keeps hair soft.

Cons

Can dry out hair a bit if used too much.

Best Bang for the Buck
Toni & Guy Casual Sea Salt Spray
Toni & Guy
Casual Sea Salt Spray
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A very affordable sea salt spray that creates texture and beautiful waves.

Pros

Doesn't leave hair sticky or heavy. Not overly scented. Best for fine to medium thickness hair that is short to medium in length.

Cons

Not ideal for thick, long hair as it doesn't produce that many waves with this hair type.

TRESemmé Perfectly (Un) Done Sea Salt Spray
TRESemmé
Perfectly (Un) Done Sea Salt Spray
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Creates subtle waves with a nice scent without costing a lot of money.

Pros

Enhances curls for curly or wavy hair. For straight hair, it's recommended to blow dry soft waves and then spray to hold and enhance. Not sticky or heavy.

Cons

The waves the spray creates for straight hair are pretty subtle.

Sun Bum Texturizing Sea Spray
Sun Bum
Texturizing Sea Spray
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Creates beachy waves with extra protection and a great scent.

Pros

Offers UV protection for your hair while also creating subtle waves. Lightweight with a great coconut scent. Works even on thick hair.

Cons

A little goes a long way – using too much can make your hair feel greasy.

Saltitude West Texturizing Spray
Saltitude West
Texturizing Spray
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Bottom Line

Coconut oil and aloe vera will combat sea salt’s drying effects.

Pros

The smell alone is worth mention, never mind the fact that this spray will bring out natural waves. Leaves your hair soft and voluminous without making it sticky. Saltitude West’s spray works best for enhancing natural curls and waves.

Cons

Not the best choice for fine hair.

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BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We only make money if you purchase a product through our links, and all opinions about the products are our own. About BestReviews  
BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We buy all products with our own funds, and we never accept free products from manufacturers.About BestReviews 
HOW WE TESTED

We recommend these products based on an intensive research process that's designed to cut through the noise and find the top products in this space. Guided by experts, we spend hours looking into the factors that matter, to bring you these selections.

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Buying guide for Best sea salt sprays

Who doesn’t love hair with natural-looking beach waves? The perfectly relaxed, tousled look works for any occasion, whether you’re headed to work or a night out on the town.

While you could achieve this carefree style after a day in the ocean, not all of us have easy access to a beach or year-round beach weather. The answer? Sea salt spray. These salt-infused sprays add texture and volume to your hair and can hold your waves in place for hours.

But before you go off to buy one, there are some considerations to keep in mind. The kind of hair you have — whether it’s straight, curly, or thin — dictates the kind of sea salt spray you should use and how to use it. Some sea salt sprays even include a conditioner, helping to combat the salt’s drying effect.

Regardless of hair type or gender, there’s a sea salt spray for everyone. 

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Sea salt spray is drying, which can cause breakage for fine hair. Some beauty experts recommend skipping sea salt sprays altogether and using a texture spray instead.

Key considerations

Looking for the right sea salt spray for your hair type? Here’s a rundown on what works best:

Thin hair

Sea salt spray works wonders for people with thinning hair. The salt thickens the hair follicle, giving you instant volume. For best results, use sea salt spray on slightly damp hair. Carry the bottle with you throughout the day for needed touch-ups once your beach waves lose their hold. Start with a conservative amount of spray (it can weigh down your hair when used in excess) or choose one with a lightweight formula. Find a sea salt spray that has extra moisturizer, too.

Thick hair

Beach waves are more of a challenge with thick hair. Those with thick tresses can have trouble finding products that hold, so a sea salt spray with extra moisturizer is key. Choose a spray with extra conditioner or hydration and one specifically formulated to hold. Massage or comb the product into damp hair, scrunching the locks between your fingers to get waves.

Curly hair

It won’t take much product to give natural curls and waves a lift. Wavy hair only needs a few spritzes in damp hair, then scrunch with your fingers as necessary. To smooth curly hair into waves, apply the sea salt spray to damp hair and comb it with a wide-tooth comb, making sure you don’t miss the ends. Then shake your hair gently and air dry. For smoother waves, you can put your hair up in a tight bun to dry. Sea salt can make curly hair extra dry, so it’s best to use a small amount of spray or choose a spray that includes conditioner.

Straight hair

If you're looking for instant curls, sea salt sprays aren't the way to go. But it’s definitely the way to achieve waves that look effortless. Sea salt sprays will add texture and volume to your hair and will hold your waves in place. There are two ways to use it: you can use some spray after a curling iron to enhance your curls or, to use the spray alone, mist the spray on your hair, comb through it with your fingers, and, lastly, scrunch up the hair for optimal beach waves.  

Dry hair

Sea salts already exacerbate dryness, so you’ll want to choose a spray that has extra moisturizing properties, like a built-in conditioner or essential oils. Sea salt spray should be the last product applied to your hair after a series of moisturizers or serums.

Oily hair

The salt in sea salt spray absorbs excessive oiliness, so the good news is that you’ll be able to go longer without washing your hair. Because oily hair may be limp as well, sea salt spray will add much-needed volume.

Short hair

Sea salt sprays are easiest to apply on medium to long hair, but you can produce the beachy effect on short hair, too. With short hair, you can apply the spray with the aforementioned methods. For extra hold, try sectioning off your hair and using a curling iron first. Then, enhance the curling iron waves with a sea salt spray. Gently tousle your hair, and you’re good to go!

Sea salt spray adds texture to existing short hair styles, such as a pompadour. To add volume with the spray, you can mist it through your hair, then grab a comb or brush and a hair dryer, and dry your hair as you comb it out. Add the cream or pomade of your choice to finish things off.

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Expert Tip
To combat frizziness in curly hair, try using a styling cream before adding the sea salt spray.
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Sea salt spray prices

Inexpensive

Most bottles contain between six and eight ounces of product. The $8 to $15 range is plenty if you’re looking for a straightforward spray that gets the job done. These sprays may contain additional ingredients like kelp, essential oils, or even actual sea water.

Mid-range

For $15 to $20, you can find a professional-quality sea salt spray. Sprays that contain added hydration or conditioner can cost more but that’s not always the case.

Expensive

Sprays that go for more than $20 tend to boast all-organic, GMO-certified ingredients in addition to salon-quality name recognition. If you have the extra money to splurge, go for one of these sprays. Otherwise, the $10 to $20 range will do fine.

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Expert Tip
In a pinch, you can use sea salt spray as a substitute for dry shampoo. But note that sea salt spray’s purpose is exclusively for styling, so excessive use can dry out your strands.
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Tips

  • For straight hair, try braiding or twisting it, then air drying. The smaller and tighter the hairstyle, the smaller and tighter the waves will be.
  • Concentrate on spraying your hair from the middle down to the ends. If your hair is thin and flat, you may try spraying a small amount to your roots.
  • If your hair is overly crunchy from too much spray, use a leave-in conditioner spray to soften up your strands.
  • Try applying sea salt spray after a wash right before you blow dry. The hot air will give some extra hold to the product.
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Expert Tip
You can use sea salt spray on dry hair for a pick-me-up. Spray the product, comb through your tresses with a wide-tooth comb, tousle it gently, then let it air dry.
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Sea salt spray can add texture and volume to straight hair. Simply mist it on and scrunch up your tresses for gorgeous just-back-from-the-beach waves.

FAQ

Q. Does sea salt spray damage colored hair?

A. While sea salt spray is drying, you can choose a formula with moisturizer. For added protection, wet color-treated hair with some water and olive oil before applying the spray.

Q. Does sea salt spray lighten hair?

A. If you have blonde hair and use sea salt spray in the summer, you may notice a subtle lightening. Otherwise, the spray alone won’t have too much of an effect on hair color.

Q. Can sea salt spray cause hair loss?

A. This is uncommon. However, over time, sea salt spray can exacerbate the dryness in thin hair, making it brittle. If this happens, opt for a sea salt spray loaded with moisturizer or stop using one at all.

Q. Can sea salt spray expire?

A. All hair products expire. Check the area near the botte code to find the expiration date — it’s often an image of an open jar with a number inside it, followed by the letter M (example: 12M means 12 months). If the spray starts to cause irritation or works less effectively, it’s time to toss it.