Tousled texture, voluminous waves: beach hair is a familiar sign of a day well spent in sand, sun, and sea. Whether you’ve been jetskiing or simply lounging on the shore, you might’ve noticed how effortlessly good your hair looks afterward. It may seem like a result of the winds, humidity, or just ocean magic, but the true secret is in the saltwater.
Ocean water contains 96.5% water, and the remainder is mostly sodium and chloride, which combines to form salt. (Not all saltwater is made equal—the Atlantic Ocean is the saltiest, for instance.) Water temporarily breaks the hydrogen bonds in your hair, making it more flexible. When your hair dries, the salt is left behind, altering the bonds and causing waves or curls to form. Plus, the particles of salt rough up the hair cuticles, adding volume.
Aside from the beach hair look, there are some potential benefits to exposing your hair to saltwater. For instance, it can serve as an exfoliant, help remove excess oils, and provide minerals like magnesium, zinc, iron and potassium. However, there are also a host of more consequential downsides.
Through osmosis, saltwater draws out moisture, drying out your hair. Salt can also cause damage to the hair cuticle and contribute to scalp buildup and irritation. With repeated exposure, the result is frizzy, damaged, faded hair that’s prone to breakage. It’s not so great for your scalp, either, due to the same drying and irritating effects. This damage can even increase sensitivity to harmful UV rays.
But don’t worry: Avoiding these negative consequences doesn’t have to mean avoiding the water altogether. With the right protocols before and after you swim or surf, you can enjoy the sea while protecting your locks.
Before
Be sure to wet your hair so it can’t absorb as much saltwater. Then, apply a leave-in conditioner like OUAI Leave In Conditioner, focusing on the mids and ends. If your hair is long, consider tying it up into a protective hairstyle like a braid or bun.
Make sure to protect your scalp from the sun, too, with a product like Coola Scalp & Hair Sunscreen Mist, which has SPF 30.
After
Rinse your hair to wash out as much saltwater as possible. Follow up with a clarifying shampoo to remove any buildup—K18 Peptide Prep Detox Shampoo is a good color-safe option featuring salicylic acid. Then, focus on restoring moisture. Briogeo Don’t Despair, Repair! Deep Conditioning Mask is an award-winning, clinically-proven weekly hair mask that contains rosehip oil and plant proteins to properly nourish hair. And if you’re still seeking that beachy look, try OUAI Wave Spray, a salt-free styling product that’ll give you that same soft body, volume, and texture without all the damage.