DIY Sea Salt Spray For Hair

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sea salt spray for hair
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Second to Dry Shampoo, sea salt spray is probably my most used hair product, and it’s also super easy to make yourself!

Sea salt spray or beach waves spray has gained popularity lately, and it’s the product most often used for those popular beachy waves. It gives off surfer girl vibes. Many of the sea salt sprays leave hair feeling dry, as the salt pulls moisture and natural oils out.

The gold standard of beach sprays for hair (in my opinion) is Bumble and Bumble Surf Spray with hydrating kelp. While this spray works great it’s still a conventional hair product and has some ingredients I prefer not to use. I do like that it uses magnesium sulfate (aka Epsom Salt) instead of sea salt, which makes it less drying to the hair. It also has some natural oils (aka conditioner) to replenish hair.

Creating Your Own Beach Waves Spray

I set out to create my own version of sea salt spray for hair that didn’t have any of the questionable ingredients. The result is one of the simplest natural hair care recipes to make. And it costs so much less than store-bought versions.

Homemade Beach Waves Texturizing Spray

It adds great texture and volume to hair without harsh chemicals. If you make it yourself, you can also customize it to your hair type to get the texture you want.

If you have drier hair, then feel free to experiment by adding some jojoba or argan oil. For a light hold, omit the sea salt and just use the Epsom salts. For those with wavy hair or curly hair, this sea salt spray can help tame frizz for a tousled look.

I use this all the time and it works great, even on my hair that can be hard to tame and really hard to get to hold a curl. In fact, I used this on the cover of my cookbook. I got a lot of questions about how I got my hair to stay like that and if I used natural products (I did).

My whole protocol for the cookbook cover hair was texturizing spray and dry shampoo for volume, this ceramic curling wand for curl/waves, and sugar and salt spray to set.

Sea Salt Spray Supplies

You’ll need a spray bottle that holds at least 10 oz. I originally used a glass bottle made from an old apple cider vinegar bottle and a regular spray top.

Because this is a natural product and doesn’t have a preservative (other than the salt and alcohol), it won’t last as long as store-bought versions. It’s best to keep it in the fridge and use it within a few weeks. If you don’t think you’ll use it that quickly then cut the recipe in half.

All About That Base

Sometimes I’ll use chamomile tea or black tea instead of water in this recipe. Chamomile helps lighten hair by accentuating natural highlights. Black tea helps to darken hair. If you’re using tea though, the spray will only last approximately 1 to 2 weeks in the fridge. If it smells off or develops a different texture before that, then pitch it.

To help deter microbe growth it’s important to use either distilled or filtered water in this recipe. If using filtered water boil it first and then allow it to cool a bit before using.

Essential Oils for Sea Salt Spray

You don’t have to add essential oils but it adds a nice scent to hair. Read more about the best essential oils for hair here. My favorites for this salt spray are lavender and citrus but here are some good options.

sea salt spray for hair
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4.17 from 37 votes

DIY Sea Salt Spray For Hair

This sea salt spray uses all natural ingredients for that beachy waves look.
Prep Time5 minutes
Total Time5 minutes
Yield: 10 ounces
Author: Katie Wells

Materials

Instructions

  • Add all of the ingredients to a spray bottle.
  • Put the cap on the bottle and shake for several minutes, until Epsom salt and sea salt are dissolved.
  • Shake well before each use.

Notes

Shelf life and storage: Store your sea salt spray in the fridge. If using lemon juice or tea as a base then use within 1-2 weeks. If you just use the distilled water and don’t add the tea or lemon, then use it within one month. 

How to Use Sea Salt Spray For Hair

Spray on damp hair and scrunch with a towel to dry for loose beach waves. Spray on dry hair and on roots for volume and hair texture without the waves. It helps thinning hair and fine hair to look fuller.

If you have thin, straight hair and you want all-day natural waves: Wash your hair the night before and spray it with the sea salt wave spray while still damp. Then, either french braid it into pigtails or wrap it in a tight scrunched bun on top of your head. and leave overnight to air dry.

Spritz with a little more salt water spray and remove the braid/bun. Voila- all-day beach waves. Spray with additional spray and scrunch if you want a hairstyle with more stiffness.

Best Sea Salt Sprays to Buy

Don’t have time to make it? Here are some paraben-free and overall healthy sea salt spray for hair options.

Ever used Sea Salt Spray? Ever made your own hair products? Tell me below!

Katie Wells Avatar

About Katie Wells

Katie Wells, CTNC, MCHC, Founder of Wellness Mama and Co-founder of Wellnesse, has a background in research, journalism, and nutrition. As a mom of six, she turned to research and took health into her own hands to find answers to her health problems. WellnessMama.com is the culmination of her thousands of hours of research and all posts are medically reviewed and verified by the Wellness Mama research team. Katie is also the author of the bestselling books The Wellness Mama Cookbook and The Wellness Mama 5-Step Lifestyle Detox.

Comments

262 responses to “DIY Sea Salt Spray For Hair”

  1. Carol L Avatar
    Carol L

    If you use both the lemon juice and vodka, does it still need to be refrigerated? I used the exact measurements in the recipe.

  2. Chris Avatar

    I have natural wavy hair but it is unruly and frizzy. If I use this will it calm the frizz and make it more manageable

  3. Gabby Avatar

    What about just using actual ocean salt water in a spray bottle. Would that work the same way?

  4. Emily Avatar

    This spray has CHANGED my hair! Thank you! Just use magnesium flakes (instead of epsom salt), Himalayan salt, and pure aloe Vera gel.

    However, do not keep it refrigerated and find that there’s black specks/particles floating around in it only after a few weeks. Does this mean it’s spoiled?? Doesn’t look like mold, but doesn’t look good either. Not sure if it’s just a weird reaction that happens with the ingredients.

  5. Sannja Avatar

    i have problems with sea salt spray made at home. If i finish my hairstyle with hairspray, before i use sea salt spray, sometimes i have white trails on the hair. Can you have some advices about that?

  6. Laura Avatar

    Hi. Thanks for this. Can I ask? What is the purpose of the aloe vera gel? Is it necessary?

    Laura

  7. Ivan Avatar

    I can’t wait to try this spray. I love all of your ideas WellnessMama and have been using your hair wax for a couple of years now. Thank you so much for the effort you put into this great information!

  8. Berlee Avatar

    I had a question about the aloe vera gel… Would the Banna Boat Aloe Aftersun stuff work? Or does that have other stuff in it that it would ruin your hair?

  9. Gina Avatar

    I just made this spray for my naturally curly hair and I love it!! My curls are soft and there’s no frizz at all. I just sprayed it in, combed my hair and let it dry. It was so quick and easy! i got the idea from going to the ocean and coming home with soft curls, then mentioning to my cousin that I would like to make a sea salt spray. She said she buys a spray and loves it but me being frugal and looking for non toxic alternative, I decided to do a search for a recipe and found yours. Thanks for sharing!!

  10. Camila Avatar

    I have everything except the Epsom salt and vodka. Is it okay if I don’t use those ingredients? Oh and can I replace the sea salt with regular salt?

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