A DIY sea salt spray creates beachy, textured waves and adds mega volume to your hair. Plus, it's an excellent way to deliver essential oils to the scalp and control oiliness throughout the day. Bonus points for hair that smells like you just came from the beach!
I don't normally use hairspray or much product in my hair, but I'm now addicted to this stuff. It creates loads of texture and volume, and it instantly makes me feel all beachy and ready for a pina colada.
I'm so ready to go to the beach this year! The salt water and wind always combine to make my normally flat-as-a-pancake hair super textured and full of body. So I finally got around to trying a DIY sea salt spray for beachy hair, and—what a surprise—it works!
Ingredients
- Sea salt and Epsom salt have so many beauty benefits, from reducing inflammation to improving detoxification. Sea salt is great for oily hair as it naturally pulls out oil and moisture.
- To counteract the drying effects of the salt, add a small amount of aloe vera gel and jojoba oil to condition the hair.
- Chamomile tea and lemon juice will naturally lighten your hair as well. But if you use tea as a base (or add lemon juice), the spray will need to be refrigerated.
- Rosemary is another herb that's awesome for your hair. So feel free to infuse in a bit!
See the recipe card below for quantities.
Instructions
Steep tea in almost boiling water for 5 minutes. Then discard tea bags. Combine tea and salt in a reusable 8 oz spray bottle.
Shake well to dissolve the salt. Let cool completely, then add the aloe, jojoba oil, and essential oils.
Shake before each use and spray on clean, slightly damp hair.
Scrunch and twist with your hands to define the waves. Let hair air dry. Apply more spray to dry hair for a stronger hold.
Hint: Add 1 teaspoon of lemon juice to naturally lighten your hair even more.
Substitutions
Salt—Sea salt is the go-to, but I also like using Epsom salt. Pink salt works as well.
Tea—Stick with distilled water if you prefer not to refrigerate your spray. Or, if you're not looking to lighten your hair, use a tea that enhances dark or red hair. If you're struggling to grow your hair, use rosemary hair tea as your base.
Oils—You need a bit of a conditioning oil or a hydrating ingredient like glycerin to avoid drying out your hair too much.
Essential oils—Find the right essential oil for your hair type here. Rosemary and lavender are always good choices for sparking hair growth and making your hair smell amazing.
Variations
- Refreshing Hair Mist: Fill a spray bottle with water, and add a few drops of cypress or rosemary essential oil. Spritz it onto your roots to refresh your hair and control oiliness throughout the day.
- Sea salt shampoo: Incorporate sea salt into your shampoo for even more volume. A shampoo bar makes it easy, or you can combine equal parts shampoo and kosher salt when you're ready to wash.
- Sugar spray: For a lighter hold, try using sugar spray instead of salt. It's also less drying to your hair.
- Sea salt body spray: Sea salt can help dry up excess oil on your skin just like it does on your hair, so add it to a body spray to help control bacne.
Equipment
Finding the right spray bottle makes using salt spray so much easier! I like these 8 oz spray bottles with handles because they're easy to spritz and don't clog as often.
And as long as all of the ingredients are well dissolved (so there's little chance of clogging the tube), I like to use a fine mist spray bottle so I can apply it evenly to my hair without overloading any one area. Finger pump bottles (like the one in the photo) are my least favorite because they seem to have a higher rate of breaking or clogging.
Also, I've found that a mini funnel set comes in super handy for filling spray bottles. Ingredients like aloe are a pain to get into a small bottle opening, so it's often much easier to combine everything in a glass measuring cup first and then pour the mixture into the bottle.
Storage & Usage
Keep the spray refrigerated (if using tea instead of water) and use it within 1 to 2 weeks. To apply salt spray, shake the bottle to mix the ingredients, then spritz it onto damp or dry hair.
Use your fingers to scrunch or tousle your hair. I like to air dry after using salt spray because adding the heat of a blow dryer 1) makes my hair feel too dry and 2) gives me too much volume and turns my hair into a poof ball. But try it and see if it works for you! The texture and hold last for several hours.
Top tip
Salt spray works best on those with oily or straight to wavy hair. If you have curly or very dry hair, you should use it sparingly and may need to follow up with additional moisturizing products to avoid dryness.
FAQ
The salt in the spray creates texture and adds grip to the hair, making it easier to style and create tousled waves. It also absorbs excess oil, giving the hair a matte finish.
To make salt spray at home, you can mix 1 cup of warm water with 1 tablespoon of salt until the salt dissolves. Optionally, you can add a few drops of essential oils or a teaspoon of coconut oil for fragrance and moisture.
Salt spray can be drying to the hair, so it's recommended to use it in moderation and follow up with a hydrating conditioner or hair oil to prevent excessive dryness.
Sea Salt Spray for Hair & Body
Equipment
- 2 8-ounce spray bottles
Materials
Sea Spray for Hair
- 1 cup hot chamomile tea (or distilled water if you don't want to refrigerate)
- 1 tablespoon sea salt
- Pinch Epsom salt
- 1 teaspoon aloe vera gel
- 1 teaspoon fractionated coconut oil (or almond or jojoba oil)
- 4–5 drops rosemary essential oil
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice optional, for additional lightening
Sea Spray for Body
- 1 cup cooled green tea, distilled water, or other tea type
- 1 teaspoon aloe vera gel
- 1 tablespoon sea salt
- 1 pinch Epsom salt
- 2–3 drops essential oil
Instructions
Sea Spray for Hair
- Steep tea in almost boiling water for 5 minutes. Then discard tea bags.
- Combine all ingredients except aloe vera and lemon juice in a reusable spray bottle.
- Shake well to dissolve salt.
- Let cool completely then add aloe vera and lemon juice.
- Shake before each use and spray on clean, damp hair.
- Scrunch and twist with your hands to define the waves.
- Let hair air dry. Apply more spray to dry hair for a stronger hold.
Sea Spray for Body
- Steep tea in almost boiling water for 5 minutes. Then discard tea bag.
- Combine all ingredients except aloe vera in a reusable spray bottle.
- Shake well to dissolve salt.
- Let cool completely then add aloe vera.
- Keep refrigerated. Spritz onto skin as needed.
