What Does Sea Salt Spray Do? Top Hairstylists Explain

When it comes to styling our fine, thin hair, we love any volumizing tricks that save us time and money. And if they don’t require exposing our strands to damaging heat, that’s even better! Enter: Sea salt sprays. But what does sea salt spray do exactly? It gives hair added texture that mimics the natural waves hair gets after time spent in salty ocean water. For more about the hair-thickening benefits of these sprays, how to make one at home and more, read on.

What does sea salt spray do?

Keep scrolling to learn how you and your hair can benefit from using a sea salt spray.

1. Sea salt spray adds volume and texture

The sodium molecules in sea salt actually expand the hair’s cuticle, which gives even the thinnest head of hair increased fullness and movement. And the grittiness of salt helps your strands slightly separate from one another for added body. “Sea salt spray adds texture and volume,” sums up Raven Hurtado, a hairstylist at Maxine Salon in Chicago. She also notes that these sprays enhance hair that was natural wavy or curly texture.

2. Sea salt spray effortlessly styles hair

There’s no need to use hot tools to achieve gorgeous waves or curls. Simply spritz onto damp or dry strands and air dry or blow-dry (more on how to use the spray to style hair below) to enhance whatever wave or curl your hair typically takes on.

One thing to note with sea salt sprays: Experts advise that these sprays can be drying so it’s best to use them no more than 3 times a week.

3. Sea salt spray works for all hair types

For fine, straight hair: “Sea salt sprays work well with fine and straight hair to create texture and movement,” says Hurtado. Note: The spray probably won’t create full-on curls, but it will help pin-straight hair have more density and appear thicker.

For wavy hair: The texture given to hair from the spray enhances the natural wave pattern of hair.

For curly hair: Similar to wavy hair, a sea salt spray helps emphasize coils, too. It also works well to restore bounce to curls in between wash days if spirals have fallen flat.

How to DIY a sea salt spray

It’s a cinch to whip up a sea salt spray from home. And while you might think it’s made of just salt and water, adding in argan oil will deeply hydrate hair and counteract the drying effects of salt. Read on for the simple how-to from celebrity hairstylist Mia Santiago.

To do:

In a spray bottle, add 8 oz. of warm water and 1 Tbs. of sea salt. “Use less [salt] for fine hair and more for coarse hair,” says Santiago.
Add 1 Tbs. of argan oil and 2-3 drops of your favorite essential oil for fragrance (optional). Tip: If you don’t have argan oil on hand, swap it out with aloe vera gel.
Shake well to combine and shake vigorously before each use.

Watch the below video from the Gimme Some Oven YouTube channel to see how easy it is to make a sea salt spray.

The best ready-made sea salt sprays

If you don’t want to DIY a sea salt spray, try one of these affordable premade options.

Pacifica sea salt spray — Pacifica Beauty/Amazon

Pacifica Beauty Salty Waves Texturizing Spray (Buy from Amazon, $14)

This sea salt spray creates effortless waves and doesn’t leave hair looking or feeling crunchy. Plus, it contains sea algae and banana extract hydrate hair and boost strand shine.

Bondi Boost sea salt spray — Bondi Boost/Sephora

Bondi Boost Sea Salt Texture Spray (Buy from Sephora, $21)

Made with Himalayan sea salt, this spray not only volumizes hair, but also nourishes strands to ward off breakage. And it’s made with aloe vera that locks moisture into hair to reverse any dryness .

How to style hair using a sea salt spray

Before you start, shake your DIY or ready-made spray well to combine all the ingredients. Then, spritz the spray on damp hair from roots to ends and brush through hair with a wide tooth comb (this will prevent tangling and evenly distribute the product). Next, scrunch hair in 1-inch sections starting at the ends and push hair upward with hands to encourage the waves to form. Finish by letting hair air dry, or blow dry with a diffuser to further enhance wavy or curly texture. Tip: You can also use the spray on dry hair to give strands added texture and volume.

To see this technique in action, check out the below tutorial from YouTuber and hairstylist Angelina Schofield.

If your hair is straight and you notice a few sections aren’t wavy, you can touch them up with a 3-barrel curling iron, like Beachwaver 3B Catwalk Waver (Buy from Beachwaver, on sale now for $69.30). The iron’s three barrels mimic the same natural waves and curls a sea salt spray makes so the pieces will blend right in.

And once hair is styled, it’s up to you if you want to keep hair down or secure it into a pretty updo — the spray also gives hair some grip that will keep a style in place all day!