DIY Sea Salt Spray For Hair

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.

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.

• Lavender
• Tangerine
• Sweet Orange
• Grapefruit
• Lemon
• Lime
• Rosemary
• Cedarwood
• Ylang ylang
• Geranium

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.

• Beauty by Earth Sea Salt and Texturizing Spray
• Brickell Texturizing Sea Salt Spray
• Alaffia Purely Coconut Texturizing Spray

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