These lightweight, salty mists make achieving sexy texture a breeze — no beach vacation required
Just because summer is behind us, doesn’t mean you have to leave behind your wind-tousled, perfectly beachy hair. All you need is the best sea salt spray for your hair type and texture, and your effortless waves will make you look like you just went out for a beach stroll.
There are quite a few hair products that will add texture to limp hair, but cosmetic chemist Ginger King is keen on salt. “You add any particles to the hair, [and they] will create volume such as mud, dry shampoo, starch, etc., but the difference is the effect,” she tells Allure. “Sea salt spray can work as a light texturizer with some hold — think about the salt on a margarita glass; it sticks so it has some ‘hold factor’ when it is wet.” King notes that sugar can also work as a texturizer, but she prefers salt because of its antiseptic properties.
These days, there are a number of these texturizing hairsprays on the market—and they won’t leave your hair as sandy and crispy as the salt sprays of yore. Whether you need something to perk up fine, thin hair or you want to add some waves to your thick, straight hair, there’s bound to be a top-tier salt spray to add to your arsenal of styling products. Ahead, check out 14 of our favorites from brands like Briogeo, R+Co, Ceremonia, and more so you can achieve effortlessly beachy hair all year round.
Best Overall: Ceremonia Guava Beach Waves
Why It’s Worth It: A fave of Allure commerce editor Sarah Han, this buildable spray adds movement and volume, and won’t turn your hair into a crunchy mess. And one of its key ingredients, guava extract, not only adds a tropical scent, but also creates a natural barrier against UV damage.
Best for Straight Hair: Odele Sea Salt Spray
Why It’s Worth It: Odele is one of our favorite affordable hair-care brands because all of its products cost $15 or less — and partially because the packaging is so chic and minimalist. The brand’s Sea Salt Spray has a simple formulation — 13 total ingredients that start with water and sea salt, and add glycerin, amaranth, and hydrolyzed rice protein — to add fullness in addition to texture, so this one is ideal for straight hair that could use a little life.
Best for Wavy Hair: Unite Beach Day Texturizing Sea Salt Spray
Why It’s Worth It: To add a beachy vibe to hair that already has some natural texture, hairstylist Mia Santiago turns to the Unite Beach Day Texturizing Sea Salt Spray. Formulated with curl retention in mind, this spray is proof you don’t have to sacrifice hair hydration in the name of texture.
Best for Frizzy Hair: Oribe Après Beach Wave and Shine Spray
Why It’s Worth It: Oribe’s Après Beach Wave and Shine Spray is another beachy hair spray that believes tousled texture and heavy, product-loaded hair don’t have to go hand in hand.
Best Budget: OGX Moroccan Sea Salt Spray
Why It’s Worth It: The not-so-secret ingredient that makes the OGX Moroccan Sea Salt Spray so good is argan oil. This rockstar hydrating ingredient adds shine and smoothness to your waves, so if you’re not into texturizing sprays with a matte finish, add this one to your cart ASAP.
Best for Soft Waves: Briogeo Superfoods Banana + Coconut Hydrating Soft Wave Texture Spray
Why It’s Worth It: Leave it to Readers’ Choice Award-winning brand Briogeo to make a wave spray that’s so hydrating, that it has to be included in the name. Not to mention, it smells like someone bottled the beach. Don’t let the salt-free formula freak you out — this spray will still give you the tousled hair of your dreams, thanks to coconut sugar, which creates piecey waves.
Best Sea Salt Foam: Bumble and Bumble Surf Wave Foam
Why It’s Worth It: Bumble and Bumble’s Surf Wave Foam is the first finishing product the brand has added to its iconic Bb.Surf line. Since it’s a foam, your hair won’t feel crunchy. It’s infused with hair-strengthening, protective ingredients like aloe, kelp, coconut, and UV filters.
Best-Smelling: Rahua Enchanted Island Spray
Why It’s Worth It: The only thing better than hair that looks like you walked directly out of the ocean is hair that looks great and smells like a tiki drink you got from a beachfront bar. It’s great for hair that already has some natural waves, as it adds definition and volume.
Best for Color-Treated Hair: Ouai Wave Spray
Why It’s Worth It: “When my clients need a fool-proof, user-friendly salt spray, I prescribe the Ouai Wave Spray,” says Kenyon. “Just a light mist on [the] mids and ends is enough to build in seamless waves that you can run your fingers through and rework all you want.” In addition, Dawson loves it because it creates lots of shine for both fine and dull textures.
Best on Dry Hair: Not Your Mother’s Beach Babe Texturizing Sea Salt Spray
Why It’s Worth It: Affordable and effective, what’s not to love? Not Your Mother’s Beach Babe Texturizing Sea Salt Spray salt spray has been a staple in hair kits for years — and for good reason. The airy, aloe vera-infused mist creates soft separation and body that stands up against heat damage thanks to protective UV filters (which are basically sunscreen for your hair).
Best Luxury: Balmain Paris Texturizing Salt Spray
Why It’s Worth It: According to hairstylist Ted Gibson, Balmain Paris’s Texturizing Salt Spray is designed to be used sparingly. “You won’t have to apply more throughout the day,” he says. And he’s not the only one who loves it. “This salt spray is ideal because it is humidity-resistant with lots of hold, making it great for any tropical vacation or humid climate,” says Nine Zero One Salon hairstylist Tauni Dawson.
Best for Thin Hair: Sachajuan Ocean Mist
Why It’s Worth It: “Sachajuan Ocean Mist is a go-to for a huge variety of hair types that want a touch of texture without leaving hair feeling overly sandy,” says Kenyon. It’s spiked with moisturizing panthenol and castor oil so your hair won’t feel parched.
Best for Fine Hair: R+Co Sail Soft Wave Spray
Why It’s Worth It: R+Co’s Sail Soft Wave Spray promises to give you the dreamy mermaid hair you want with some shine to boot. “This is great for girl-on-the-go beach texture,” says Dawson. “Put it on dry hair and scrunch in for lightweight texture.”
Best for Dry Hair: Davines This Is A Sea Salt Spray
Why It’s Worth It: Buzzy indie brand Davines knows a thing or two about creating hardworking formulas. “Davines’ This Is A Sea Salt Spray is a very strong sea salt spray for medium to thick hair,” explains Rob Peetoom hairstylist Linda de Zeeuw. “Spray it on damp hair before blow-drying and finish with a hot tool to create those beautiful beach waves.”