The 11 Best Sea Salt Sprays to Score Beach Waves, According to Celeb Stylists

Best Overall

Sachajuan Ocean Mist

$38 at Amazon $34 at Dermstore View on Sachajuan.com

Our top pick is Sachajuan Ocean Mist. This spritzer works on every hair type, from fine and flat to kinky and coiled—and everything in between. It uses not only salt (in the form of sodium chloride) but also sugar (another choice texturizer) to form waves while adding a bit of volume and flexible hold. Unlike formulas that make hair greasy or shiny, this one leaves a matte finish without over-drying.

"I love how nicely this works into the hair, creating a beautifully textured look without feeling too rough," says Celik. Spray it onto damp hair and let it air-dry—you can even brush it out post-spraying if you want a more subtle effect.

Who It's For

This stylist-approved mist combines salt and sugar to give all hair types (including naturally curly, wavy, fine, and thick) texture, fullness, and hold without stiffness.

Active Ingredients: Salt, sugar, vitamin B5, castor oil | Size: 5.1 ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Best Budget

Odele Texturizing Sea Salt Spray

$12 at Ulta View on Odelebeauty.com

This affordable haircare brand truly can do no wrong in our book—its wave-enhancing Texturizing Sea Salt Spray is proof positive. Ideal for fine to medium hair, it contains sea salt to impart a tousled texture and noticeable fullness. Meanwhile, glycerin and rice protein hydrate and strengthen locks, which helps keep hair looking healthy. We're also big fans of the refreshing herbal cucumber fragrance. Some users have noted it can feel a tad sticky though.

Who It's For

We recommend Odele's salt spray for those with fine or medium hair looking to volumize and texturize without added weight or high cost.

Active Ingredients: Sea salt, glycerin, rice protein | Size: 8 ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Best for Thick Hair

Kristin Ess Beach Wave Spray

$15 at Ulta $15 at Target $15 at Walmart

While this pick works for all hair types, it's an especially great option for those with thicker hair. Meant to be used on dry hair, you can layer on as much of this as you need. If you have coarser strands, you can use it liberally—without worrying about crunchiness or a sticky residue. This styling product is also great if your hair requires a little extra TLC, as the formula touts a proprietary strengthening complex that promises to help seal split ends.

Who It's For

We stand behind Kristen Ess's Beach Wave Spray for people with thick hair who want to achieve a wavy, textured look without a crunchy or sticky feel. However, those with thin hair may find it weighs their locks down.

Active Ingredients: Proprietary strengthening complex | Size: 6.7 ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Best Multipurpose

Bumble and bumble Surf Spray

$16 at Sephora $33 at Ulta $33 at Target

Arguably one of the most—if not the most—popular salt sprays out there, Bumble and bumble's Surf Spray spawned a thousand copycats. The OG formula boasts Epsom salt (in the form of magnesium sulfate), which makes for a tousled texture. It also has absorbent properties to help soak up excess oil, so it works as a dry shampoo, too. Meanwhile, seaweed and kelp extracts impart smoothness and shine. This one may also leave a bit of a sticky residue.

Who It's For

Suitable for all hair types, we love how this tried-and-true spritz creates a relaxed wavy look while absorbing oil and adding lightweight volume.

Active Ingredients: Epsom salt, seaweed extract | Size: 1.7–4ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Best for Volume

R+Co Rockaway Salt Spray

$32 at Amazon $32 at Dermstore $24 at Walmart

Craving not only beachy waves but added volume, too? Try this mist. A plant-based ingredient known as cranesbill plumps each shaft for added fullness, while salt leaves hair looking naturally tousled. It also contains antioxidant-rich and protective vitamin C, plus various plant extracts, so your hair is safe from free radicals while you're using it. Celik is a big fan of this formula, noting how easy it is to work with and the great scent. However, users have noted the bottle can sometimes leak.

Who It's For

This stylist-approved plumping product is ideal for fine or medium hair craving fullness and texture.

Active Ingredients: Magnesium sulfate, cranesbill, vitamin C | Size: 4.2 ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Best Splurge

Oribe Après Beach Wave and Shine Spray

$45 at Amazon $46 at Sephora $44 at Dermstore

True to its name, a quick hit of this aerosol spray really does leave you with just-got-back-from-the-beach hair. It is more expensive than others we reviewed, but you get a lot of bang for your buck. The salt-free formula contains a combination of wheat protein, vitamin B5, and a polymers which work together to swell the hair shaft and create that coveted peice-y, wavy texture. We also appreciate that it protects hair from UV damage. We've found the product does come out fast and quick though, so it can be easy to put on too much at once.

Who It's For

After trying this splurge-worthy product firsthand, we sold on the salt-free formula, which softens hair, makes it feel healthy, and transforms it into a beachy mane.

Active Ingredients: Wheat protein, vitamin B5, glycerin, polymers | Size: 2.1–8.5 ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Best for Colored-Treated Hair

Sun Bum Sea Spray

$16 at Amazon $17 at Ulta $17 at riteaid.com

Color-treated hair can easily fade in the sun (especially if it's a semi-permanent color), which is why we love this spray from Sun Bum. Along with giving you beachy waves with stunning texture, Sun Bum Sea Spray goes above and beyond the call of duty. It offers UV protection—very important if you color your hair since it protects against fade and unwanted tones. It also blocks humidity to prevent flyaways and keep styled hair in check. The only negative we've noticed is it can be a bit drying.

Who It's For

We recommend this sea salt spray to for anyone who regularly dyes their hair and wants to avoid fading and unwanted tones. It's also great for humid climates.

Active Ingredients: Hawaiian black lava sea salt, sea kelp | Size: 6 ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Best for Dry Hair

Briogeo Soft Wave Texture Spray

$25 at Sephora $25 at Ulta $25 at Dermstore

Okay, so this isn't technically a sea salt spray, but it offers a similar effect of beachy, undone texture. The formula uses coconut sugar and banana and coconut extracts to add piece-y texture without drying out hair, while glycerin provides hydration and softness. Oh, and as a bonus, it smells delish (think pina colada). We just wish the spray nozzle was a little more predictable.

Who It's For

If your hair is on the dryer side or you need a moisture boost during the winter or in a cold, dry climate, Briogeo Superfoods is where it's at. It can also be used on second (or third or fourth)-day hair to give it a little lift.

Active Ingredients: Coconut sugar, glycerin, coconut and banana extract | Size: 1.75–5.75 ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Best Drugstore

Not Your Mother's Double Take Texture Spray

$7 at Ulta $6 at Target $5 at Walmart

We love a good texturizing product you can find at your local drugstore, and this one definitely qualifies. This drugstore favorite is infused with sea kelp and sea salt to give gorgeous waves and a slightly messy—but not unkempt—look without any crunchy feeling. We like that it works well on wet or dry hair and does a good job of adding body. It does use PEGs to help create texture, though, so if you're not about adding those chemicals to your hair, we'd skip this one.

Who It's For

Not Your Mother's Beach Babe Spray can be used on damp or dry hair before blow-drying or air-drying to add fullness and laid-back texture.

Active Ingredients: Sea salt and sea kelp | Size: 8 ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Best Natural

Rahua Enchanted Island Salt Spray

$34 at Amazon $34 at Dermstore View on Rahua.com

This is an incredible product that uses all naturally derived ingredients, and we're totally here for it. The blend contains pink sea salt, fruit sugars, floral extracts, and plant oils which all work together to create soft, loose waves without a crunchy feel. You should be able to brush, comb, or tousle with your fingers and not lose the flexible hold. If you're looking for more built-out body or curls though, this product likely won't deliver.

Who It's For

We like how the earth-derived formula contains natural ingredients to form beautiful waves and add hold while still allowing you to brush and comb your hair.

Active Ingredients: Pink sea salt, Guayaba sugars, passion fruit, hibiscus, moringa oil | Size: 4.2 ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Best for Damaged Hair

Ouai Wave Spray

$28 at Amazon $14 at Sephora $28 at Ulta

When our hair has seen better days, we reach for Ouai Wave Spray. Instead of sea salt—which may be too drying for fried or otherwise over-processed hair—it leans on rice protein to safeguard and bolster the keratin naturally found in your strands. We like that it adds body and texture without weighing down hair and leaves you with noticeable shine. It even seems to work well on fine hair without weighing it down. It can be a bit sticky though.

Who It's For

This product is suitable for all hair textures. The salt-free formula is ideal for those with dyed, chemically processed, dry, or otherwise damaged hair.

Active Ingredients: Rice protein, coconut water, glycerin | Size: 1–5 ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes