For perfectly undone mermaid waves, sea salt sprays are a must-have—whether you’re enhancing natural waves or creating new texture. These sprays bottle up that effortless beachy vibe, giving you tousled volume and movement without heat or a trip to the ocean.
Vogue’s Top Sea Salt Sprays
– Best for Dry Hair: IGK Beach Club Texture Spray, $36
– Best for Textured Hair: Philip B Maui Wowie Beach Mist, $34
– Best Salt-Free: Ouai Wave Spray, $16
– Best Hold: Maria Nila Ocean Spray, $30
– Best Clean Formula: Davines Sea Salt Spray, $32
While traditional sprays use sea salt to create texture (which can be drying), newer formulas swap in hydrating ingredients like sugars and proteins for soft, touchable waves.
### Why Sea Salt Sprays Work
They enhance all hair types—fine strands get lift, curls gain definition—while keeping hair healthy. Plus, their fresh, ocean-inspired scents (think coconut and citrus) make them a summer essential.
Just spritz, scrunch, and go for beachy waves—no sand required. Here are our top picks:
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### Best Matte Finish: Bumble and bumble Texturizing Surf Spray
$35 | Nordstrom | $30 Amazon
Why we love it: This spray gives fine to medium hair instant volume and a matte, lived-in texture. The light citrus-marine scent feels like a day at the beach.
Key ingredients: Seaweed, kelp, magnesium sulfate
How to use: Spray on damp or dry hair, then twist sections for windswept waves. Air-dry for a natural finish.
Size: 4.2 oz
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### Best Salt-Free: Ouai Wave Spray
$30 | Amazon | $28 Shopbop
Why we love it: No salt means no dryness—just hydrated, defined waves. Glycerin and rice protein add soft texture, perfect for all hair types.
Key ingredients: Glycerin, panthenol, rice protein
How to use: Shake well, spray on damp hair, and scrunch. For more definition, braid or twist before air-drying.
Size: 4.9 oz
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### Best Hold: Maria Nila Ocean Spray
$30 | Bluemercury
Why we love it: This spray locks in beachy waves all day.
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Best with Natural Salt:
This spray combines natural salt and sunflower seed extract for a stronger hold than typical salt sprays. The higher sodium chloride concentration adds grip and durability, while the antioxidant-rich formula protects hair from UV damage and free radicals, keeping color vibrant. 100% vegan, it’s perfect for voluminous, non-sticky matte texture.
Key Ingredients: Sunflower seed extract, sodium chloride
How to Use: For beachy waves, spray onto towel-dried hair and let air dry. For extra texture and hold, use as a finishing spray after heat styling.
Size: 5.1 fl oz
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Best with Panthenol: Sachajuan Ocean Mist Sea Salt Spray
Price: $38 (Amazon)
Why We Love It:
Sachajuan’s spray blends sodium chloride (for texture) and magnesium sulfate (for grip) to mimic natural sea-swept waves. Panthenol softens and hydrates while adding shine. The formula is vegan, paraben-free, and cruelty-free.
Key Ingredients: Sodium chloride, magnesium sulfate, panthenol, hydrogenated castor oil
How to Use: Spritz onto hair before air drying or diffusing.
Size: 5.1 fl oz
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Best for Lightweight Hold: R+Co Sail Soft Wave Spray
Price: $36 (BlueMercury)
Why We Love It:
Perfect for a tousled look rather than defined waves, this lightweight mist gently holds curls while keeping movement. Antioxidant-rich alma extract adds shine, sea kelp provides texture, and rose hip conditions while leaving a lovely scent.
Key Ingredients: Alma, sea kelp, rose hip
How to Use: Mist generously over styled hair (like loose waves or a blowout) to lock in place.
Size: 5.2 oz
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Best for Dry Hair: IGK Beach Club Texture Spray
Price: $36 (Nordstrom)
Why We Love It:
A non-drying finishing spray that adds instant texture without salt. Glycerin locks in moisture, while hydrolyzed wheat protein boosts volume. Great for tousled waves with a matte finish.
Key Ingredients: Glycerin, sunflower seed extract, hydrolyzed wheat protein
How to Use: Spray onto dry, styled hair for root volume or all-over beachy texture.
Size: 5.0 oz
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Best Clean Beauty: Davines Sea Salt Spray
Price: $32 (Nordstrom, Amazon)
Why We Love It:
With just eight ingredients, this clean formula uses sodium chloride and magnesium sulfate for effortless waves. Free from parabens and colorants, it delivers natural texture with a beachy feel.
Key Ingredients: Magnesium sulfate, propanediol, sodium chloride
How to Use: Works on wet or dry hair—spritz and air dry for a sun-kissed finish.
Size: 250 ml
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Best for Textured Hair: Philip B Maui Wowie Beach Mist
Price: $34 (Nordstrom)
Why We Love It:
Ideal for wavy hair, this ultra-light spray enhances natural waves for a tousled, ocean-fresh look. Infused with coconut oil, it nourishes while adding body.
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Let me know if you’d like any refinements!This product leaves your hair soft, shiny, and full of bounce—never stiff. It contains sea salt and carrageenan for texture and hold, while aloe leaf juice and gardenia tahitensis extract soothe and hydrate. The paraben- and phthalate-free formula is safe for color-treated or keratin-treated hair.
Key Ingredients: Sea salt, carrageenan, citric acid, aloe leaf juice, grandiflorum flower extract, coconut oil, gardenia tahitensis flower extract, aleurites moluccana seed oil
How to Use: Shake well, spray on damp or dry hair, and scrunch for effortless waves. Finish by diffusing.
Size: 5.07 oz
### Best With Sugar: Drybar Seashore Spritzer Wave Spray
Price: $27 at Nordstrom
Why We Love It: This texturizing spray creates soft, tousled waves with a semi-matte finish. Enriched with pineapple extract and sea kelp, it nourishes hair with vitamins and antioxidants. Ideal for fine to thick curly or wavy hair, it enhances natural texture without leaving grit. Sugar adds softness, while a polymer blend boosts fullness and style memory.
Key Ingredients: Coconut water, sugar, kelp extract, pineapple fruit extract, tocopherol
How to Use: Spray generously from roots to ends, scrunch for definition, then air dry or diffuse.
Size: 5 fl oz
### Best Multipurpose: Reverie Mare Mediterranean Sea Mist
Price: $34 at Amazon or Revolve
Why We Love It: A versatile styling product, this mist enhances waves, adds volume, and even works as a dry shampoo. Pro stylist Samantha Draper loves it for its lightweight, workable texture. Rice seed extract strengthens hair, while algae extract thickens, and Mediterranean sea salt adds soft bounce. Plus, each purchase helps remove ocean-bound plastic waste.
Key Ingredients: Rice seed extract, algae, Mediterranean sea salt
How to Use: Apply to damp or dry hair for air drying, diffusing, or refreshing between washes.
Size: 5 fl oz
### Best Mineral-Rich: David Mallett Australian Sea Salt Spray
Price: $45 at Dermstore
Why We Love It: This spray mimics the effortless texture of beachy hair. Made with ultra-pure Murray River salt, it enriches hair with minerals for natural waves and movement. Suitable for all hair types, it adds subtle volume with a refreshing bergamot scent.
Key Ingredients: Murray River salt, sodium chloride, magnesium sulfate, hydrogenated castor oil
How to Use: Shake well, spray 3-6 times on wet or damp hair, twist strands, then air dry or diffuse.
Size: 150 ml
### How to Choose a Sea Salt Spray
David Mallett recommends a “less is more” approach—opt for formulas with natural ingredients to keep hair looking healthy.A Relaxed, Post-Vacation Look Without the Dryness
Sea salt sprays give hair a natural, beachy texture—more like a laid-back post-vacation vibe than a dry, chalky feel. Spray bottles are especially handy for at-home styling, letting you control how much product you apply.
### How Do Sea Salt Sprays Create Waves?
Sea salt sprays enhance definition and add that effortless beachy texture. “They work just like when you’re on vacation and saltwater dries in your hair,” says Mallett. “That’s why so many people love their hair after a day at the beach—the salt adds natural waves.”
Essentially, salt tightens the hair’s cuticle, mimicking loose waves. But since it can be drying, use it sparingly for texture without damage. Many modern formulas now skip salt altogether, using ingredients like hydrolyzed wheat or rice protein instead—so you can spritz freely without worrying about dryness.
### How to Apply Sea Salt Spray
You can use wave sprays two ways:
– On wet hair for an air-dried, textured look.
– On dry hair to refresh heat-styled waves.
“Spraying wet hair gives a great base for waves and volume,” says hairstylist Eden Fabbo. “If your hair is dry or frizzy, a light mist can smooth flyaways and hold everything in place. You can blow-dry it in or let it air dry—either way, it tames frizz while keeping texture.”
Mallett prefers applying it to freshly washed, wet hair for a natural effect. To avoid dryness, he suggests leaving a bit of conditioner in or using a light serum first. His golden rule? “Less is more—it’s better to underdo it than overdo it!”
### Meet the Experts
– David Mallett – A Parisian hairstylist known for his work in fashion, runway, and celebrity styling.
– Samantha Draper – A New York-based stylist specializing in cuts and blowouts at Suite Caroline.
– Edden Fabbo – A Jersey City hairstylist and makeup artist with 15+ years of experience, co-founder of Sainte Lüx.