Is Sea Salt Spray Bad For Hair?

Sea salt spray offers a beachy textured look to your hair. These are must-have hair styling products that work great on all hair lengths and types. But is sea salt spray bad for hair? Some believe it may help achieve that carefree, voluminous, and a refreshing hair look. This article answers all the questions about sea salt spray, its benefits, and the best way to use it. Keep reading.

What Is Sea Salt Spray?

Sea salt spray is a hairspray that contains seawater or saltwater. The saltwater absorbs moisture and gets trapped inside the hair cuticles. Many people use sea salt spray for hair as it helps add volume and texture. It makes the hair look straight out of the ocean, dripping with beach vibes!

Let’s take a quick look at why sea salt spray is so loved by women, men, and hair stylists worldwide. Scroll down.

Benefits Of Sea Salt Spray

Sea salt hair spray comes quite handy if you want your natural hair to look like curly hair or a beachy wave hairstyle without having to use loads of hair products. However, these are all based on anecdotal evidence. Here are the benefits of using sea salt spray:

• Adds texture to the hair.
• Adds volume and body to the hair.
• Enhances and defines natural waves and curls.
• Reduces frizz.
• Perks up limp hair.
• Helps achieve beach waves hairstyle easily.
• A little goes a long way.
• Fixes the hair quickly.

While the benefits of sea salt spray for hair aren’t scientifically proven, some of its effects may be linked to the natural properties of salt on hair and scalp health. Some studies suggest that salt-based solutions may offer scalp care benefits. For example, a pilot study found that magnetized saline water (saltwater treated with magnets) showed promising results in promoting hair growth by activating scalp autophagy — a natural process that helps repair and renew cells. Although this involves a different approach, it highlights the potential of salt-based treatments in hair care (1).

Though sea salt spray carries various benefits and is ideal for all hair types, a common question that often arises is, does it work well on straight hair as well? Check out the section below as we answer this question in detail.

Does Sea Salt Spray Work On Straight Hair?

Yes, as mentioned earlier, sea salt spray is suitable for all hair types and can help achieve effortlessly bouncy and free-flowing tresses. It bestows endless volume and body to the strands, while also adding subtle texture. While you may not get the same result as someone with curly hair, you can expect subtle waves. For best results, use sea salt spray on damp hair. That will add some grittiness to your straight hair shafts and then you can style your locks to create soft, beachy waves.

Quite naturally, sea salt hair spray is loved by so many people. But if you use sea salt hair spray regularly, you may have wondered, ‘Is sea salt spray bad for hair? Scroll down to the next section to find out if it can damage your hair.

Can Sea Salt Spray Be Bad For Hair?

Sea salt sprays add beach waves, volume, and texture to your hair. However, the salt in the seawater or spray has an osmotic action. It draws out all the water from the hair, leaving it dry, weak, and brittle. Moreover, sea salt sprays also contain alcohol, which further dries the hair. Anecdotal evidence suggests it may irritate the scalp, cause itchiness, and increase frizz, especially if your hair is already dry or curly. If you have colored hair, sea salt sprays might make the color fade faster. In some cases, using them without proper washing can lead to product buildup, making hair feel sticky or heavy.

But let’s face it – nothing works as well as a sea salt spray for that textured beach wave hair texture. If you cannot give up using it, here are some of the best hair styling techniques to use sea salt spray on your hair.

Quick Tip

Choose sea salt products that contain nourishing serums or natural oils as they are less likely to damage your mane and can keep hair moisturized.

Best Way To Use Sea Salt Spray

• Comb your hair to detangle the knots. Skip this step if you have just washed your hair.
• It works best on damp hair, so spray your hair with water. Skip this step if you have just washed your hair.
• Divide your hair into four sections.
• Spritz the store-bought or DIY sea salt spray on all the sections.
• Use a scrunching motion to add volume and texture.
• Use a blow dryer with a diffuser.
• Apply a serum or argan oil to retain moisture and shine.

Quick Tip

The number of sprays needed for a perfect style depends on your hair length and thickness. One spray of a sea salt product is enough for fine or short hair.

Though you know a lot about sea salt spray now, it is best to learn how much you can use based on your hair type and lifestyle so that you can assess whether it is right for you or not.

How To Decide If Sea Salt Spray Is Right For You

Hair Type Consideration:

• If you have oily, fine, or flat hair: Sea salt spray can add volume and texture, making your hair look fuller.
• If you have wavy or curly hair: It helps enhance and define your natural waves.
• If you have dry, damaged, or color-treated hair: Use it sparingly and always follow up with a moisturizing product.

Lifestyle Consideration:

• If you style your hair daily: Limit sea salt spray to 2-3 times a week and use hydrating products to balance the dryness.
• If you prefer a low-maintenance routine: Reserve sea salt spray for special occasions or when you want a textured, beachy look.
• If you spend a lot of time outdoors: Protect your hair from sun exposure and dryness by using a leave-in conditioner or hair serum before applying sea salt spray.

Is sea salt spray bad for hair? No, but frequent use of sea salt spray can lead to damaged hair. That is why you need to take extra care to restore your hair health. Here are a few hair styling tips that will come in handy.

Tips To Reduce Hair Damage Due To Sea Salt Spray

• Use a coconut oil or castor oil mask once a week to strengthen your hair.
• Use avocado or banana to hydrate your hair strands.
• Get a hair spa treatment once a month.
• Shampoo your hair twice a week to get rid of sea salt residue.
• Use a deep conditioner every time you wash your hair.
• Apply argan oil or a hair serum.

• Avoid using heating tools frequently. Use a heat protectant while styling your hair.
• Use the sea salt spray on your hair strands from a distance.
• Drink 2-3 liters of water per day.
• Use gentle cleansers that are free of sulfates and parabens so that there is less drying of the hair.
• Improve your consumption of good fats – olive oil, seeds and nuts, seafood, etc. – to internally hydrate the hair strands.
• Repeated usage of hairsprays can weaken the hair. Hence, consume a hair vitamin containing all necessary nutrients to strengthen hair roots after consulting your doctor.

Samantha Duguay, a blogger, shared her personal experience with using a natural sea salt spray for her hair. She says, “This really is the best sea salt spray I’ve used in my hair…Other sprays leave your hair feeling too crunchy or don’t do much to enhance the natural wave and texture in your hair (i).”

If you are looking for ways to get beachy waves or texture without using a sea salt spray, there are several other products that you can try. These alternatives can give your hair volume and texture while being gentle on your hair.

Alternatives To Sea Salt Spray

Here are some great alternatives to sea salt spray:

1. Mousse: It adds volume and texture, especially for fine hair.
2. Texturizing Sprays: These give your locks a lightweight, tousled look without drying them out.
3. Natural Oils: Natural oils, like coconut or argan, help enhance waves while keeping your hair soft.
4. Dry Shampoo: Helps add grip and body to your hair for a more textured style.
5. Curl-Enhancing Creams: Enhances natural waves without adding a stiff crunch.

Infographic: How To Apply Sea Salt Spray

A sea salt spray can benefit your hair as well as cause damage. However, using it in a limited quantity and in the right way can reduce the damage. Check out the infographic below to learn a few simplified steps to apply a sea salt spray on your hair to reduce damage.

Illustration: StyleCraze Design Team

Frequently Asked Questions

Is sea salt spray bad for thinning hair?

Not if used in moderation. Sea salt spray adds texture and volume to thinning hair. However, overuse may lead to brittle, breakage-prone hair.

Does salt water cause gray hair?

There is a lack of evidence to suggest that excessive contact with salt water leads to hair graying.

Can you use sea salt hair spray everyday?

No. Too much of it can dry out your hair and make it brittle, thereby causing your hair to break easily.

How many times a week should I use sea salt spray?

The recommended usage of the spray is not more than twice or thrice a week.

Is sea salt spray the same as texturizing spray?

No. Sea salt spray gives you those effortless, beachy waves thanks to the salt water and other natural ingredients it contains that add texture and volume. Texturizing spray, on the other hand, is a dry spray that adds grip and texture to hair with powders and other ingredients. It doesn’t have any shine and instead gives a matte finish while adding volume.

Is it safe to use sea salt spray on color-treated hair?

No, as sea salt spray can harm color-treated hair. Coloring can cause dryness, and too much sea salt spray can make it worse. If you do use the spray, restore moisture by using a moisturizing conditioner, and avoid using hot tools that can damage your hair further.

Is a sea salt hairspray good or bad for your hair? Find out in this video! Explore the pros and cons of using sea salt spray to help you decide if it’s right for you.

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Reviewer Author Editor Fact Checker

Dr. Swati MuthaMBBS, DDV

     

Dr. Swati Mutha is a clinical and aesthetic dermatologist with over 10 years of experience. She has done her fellowship in Pediatric Dermatology from Singapore. She is a part of the Indian Dermatologist Association(IADVL) and has presented several papers and given lectures at national dermatology conferences.

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Arshiya SyedaCo-Editor-in-Chief

 

Arshiya Syeda is the Co-Editor-in-Chief of StyleCraze with 8 years of experience. Prior to that, she was a content writer who combined her writing and research skills to write over 200 high-performing articles on hairstyles, hair care, and skin care.

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Ramona is an editor at StyleCraze with 11 years of experience in writing and editing. She has authored over 200 articles on skin and hair care. She graduated from the University of Calcutta, West Bengal, and did her post-graduation from the University of Kalyani, West Bengal.

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Medha Deb is a commerce editor with a master's degree in applied linguistics from the University of Hyderabad, which has allowed her to develop a deep understanding of language and its application in various contexts. She specializes in the areas of beauty, health, and wellness and is committed to ensuring that the content on the website is of the highest quality.

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