The 10 Best Sea Salt Sprays We’ve Found After Testing on Type 1b and 4c Hair

Sea salt spray is basically the MVP for effortless texture, enhanced waves and curls, and a volume boost. For fine, flat, and mostly straight hair like mine (type 1b), a good sea salt spray can define beachy waves and add grit for easier styling. On the other hand, for someone with tight curls like my co-author and tester, Bianca (type 4b/c), sea salt spray can help hydrate hair, reform curls, and offer flexible hold. 

Every sea salt spray is formulated differently; what works well for straight hair may not do much for curls, and what leaves type 4b/c hair looking moisturized could weigh down type 1b hair. With this in mind, Bianca and I spent six weeks testing dozens of highly-rated sea salt sprays to find the best ones for our specific hair types. While testing, we considered each spray’s volumizing benefits, how they affected our hair texture, and how well our styles held up throughout the day. These are the ones we loved most. 

Best for Fine Hair

Oribe Après Beach Wave and Shine Spray

$46 at Amazon $46 at Sephora $24 at Nordstrom

Key Ingredients: Wheat protein, vitamin B5, glycerin, polymers | Size: 2.1, 8.5 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes 

Out of all the products I tried on my fine, flat hair, this one really stood out. When I applied it to wet hair, I ended up with super bouncy waves. When I applied it to dry hair, it gave me a fun, lived-in look that still came across as polished—in fact, I even got a compliment on the messier style from a co-worker during a video call. 

The formula is super lightweight and holds styles really well. My waves didn’t fall much throughout the day (a big win for my hair type), and my roots stayed nice and lifted. I also like that it comes in an aerosol bottle; it's easier to distribute evenly without overapplying. The formula is slightly sticky and has a somewhat musky scent (which doesn’t linger), but I think the results are worth these minor drawbacks. 

Best for Oily Hair

BondiBoost Volumizing Sea Salt Texture Spray

$22 at Sephora $22 at Ulta

Key Ingredients: Himalayan sea salt | Size: 6.76 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes 

I was nervous about following the product’s instructions by spraying it directly on my roots—I typically avoid putting much (if any) product there since my hair gets oily very easily. But I’m glad I followed through because I was blown away by how clean my hair still looked. It also added a bit of volume for good measure. 

It delivered noteworthy texture—I was left with soft, beachy waves, less frizz, and enough grit to hold styles in place. The decently sized product (6.76 ounces) comes in a spray bottle that’s easy to control and spray conservatively around my roots. Overall, I was impressed with this product but heads up that the scent is somewhat bitter.

Best Wave Defining

Bumble and Bumble Surf Sea Salt Spray

$16 at Amazon $16 at Sephora $35 at Ulta

Key Ingredients: Epsom salt, seaweed extract | Size: 1.7, 4.2 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes 

This one can be applied to either soaking wet or damp hair, which is particularly great for someone with fine hair who wants to have some control over their waves. When I applied it to wet hair and dried it with a hair dryer on a low setting, I got a lot of defined waves that looked like I had just come from a day at the beach. When I sprayed it on my dry hair, it helped enhance my minimal wave (it did a particularly good job on humid days). 

This spray is made with Epsom salt, which is ideal for adding texture and hold but doesn’t leave hair feeling super dry. It also has a subtle, fresh scent that’s not too sweet or too musky and doesn’t cause buildup. Overall, I was really happy with the waves this spray gave me, but I wish it did a better job of reducing frizz.

Best Budget

Not Your Mother’s Beach Babe Texturizing Sea Salt Spray

$21 $16 at Amazon $6 at Target $10 at Ulta

Key Ingredients: Sea salt, sea kelp | Size: 8 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes 

At less than $10 for 8 ounces of product, it doesn’t get much more budget-friendly than this option from Not Your Mother’s. Despite its lower price point, this product performed as well (or even better) as some of the higher-end sprays I tested.

The spray delivered some really pretty waves in my hair, especially when I applied it to wet hair and followed up with a hair dryer. It also gave me great style hold; since my hair was less slippery, it stayed up in a clip so much better than without any product. It has some weight to it, though, so if your hair is typically on the thin side, I recommend using a hair dryer to give it some volume instead of letting it air-dry.

Best Lightweight

Sachajuan Ocean Mist Sea Salt Spray

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

Key Ingredients: Salt, sugar, vitamin B4, castor oil | Size: 5.1 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes 

My hair looked better and better throughout the day while using this pick due in part to the lightweight formula. It helped my hair hold onto its volume even during super-humid weather and gave me the perfect amount of natural waves (not as much wave as a beachy look, but more wave than a lived-in look).

I also love that this formula is a sea salt and sugar spray; it delivers the right amount of grit while keeping the hair feeling soft. Additionally, the castor oil in the formula left my hair looking nourished. I did experience my usual amount of summertime frizz with this spray, but overall, I loved my results. 

Best for Coily Hair

Ceremonia Guava Beach Waves Hair Texturizing Spray

$30 at Amazon $22 at Sephora $22 at Revolve

Key Ingredients: Pink Bolivian salt, aloe vera, and guava fruit extract  | Size: 4.2 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes 

After reading the reviews, I was nervous to try this spray because many reviewers called out how strong the fragrance was when applying it. I'm not allergic to fragrance, I just prefer my products have a limited scent profile. As I sprayed this on, the first thing I noticed—and loved—was the formula; it was the least sticky, most creamy, hydrating formula I’ve tried. While there was a distinctive scent, I didn't find it overpowering.

I used this salt spray on top of my leave-in conditioner on my full wash day and dried my curls with a hooded dryer and diffuser. Once dry, the aloe vera and UV-protecting guava fruit extract (great for keeping my blonde color protected) gave my hair a light cast while making it super soft, voluminous, and bouncy. I had light hold and minimal frizz on day one. However, if you have coily hair, you can't use this solo; I’d recommend accompanying it with an ultra-hydrating, frizz-fighting leave-in followed by hair oil. You'll get great hold, hydration, and volume with no crunch. 

Best Hold

Blind Barber 40 Proof Sea Salt Textured Hold Spray

$20 at Amazon $20 at Ulta $38 $24 at Walmart

Key Ingredients: Tonka Bean, hops extract, sea salt, and citronellol | Size: 5 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes 

Blind Barber was the first salt spray I tried on my 4-type, coily hair. I'd always thought these sprays were for naturally straight hair. However, after spritzing this one on and letting it dry, I realized that it benefits coily hair, too—just for different reasons. It offers a soft, flexible hold and frizz control—products like that are always welcome in my haircare routine.

This spray is sticky, but you only need about three to four sprays to get a good, frizz-fighting hold. It won’t replace leave-ins or stylers like mousse and gel if you have coily hair, but it’s an excellent topper during hot, humid months or on a beach vacation. While I loved the formula, the spray nozzle could distribute the formula more evenly as the spray shoots out aggressively. 

Best for Dry Hair

Briogeo Superfoods Banana + Coconut Hydrating Soft Wave Texture Spray

View on Amazon $25 at Sephora $23 at Walmart

Key Ingredients: Coconut sugar, banana extract, coconut extract | Size: 5.75 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes 

Keeping my coily, blonde curls hydrated between washes is essential (curly and blonde hair tends to be more porous and prone to damage). My hair typically needs moisture around the three-day mark, and if I don't address it, that means breakage. This formula is infused with aloe and coconut sugar so it’s super hydrating. My curls soaked up the natural humectants packed in a lightweight formula. The spray didn't remedy frizz so much, but it did work well when I used a mousse to finger coil sections and followed it up with a diffuser.  

The nozzle evenly distributed the spray and never got stuck. The formula was sticky upon application, but once it dried down, the tacky feeling dissipated. This formula helped smooth and hydrate my coily hair before I put it into my go-to midweek protective style: Bantu knots. It’s perfect if you want to throw your hair up and add moisture but don’t expect hold. 

Best for Frizz

L’Ange Salt+Sea Texturizing Spray

$23 $20 at Amazon $20 at Ulta View on Walmart

Key Ingredients: Sea salt, kelp extracts, and glycerin | Size: 4 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

My hair is naturally curly, and this product did a great job mitigating frizz in high heat and humidity. However, the formula wasn't strong enough to keep my hair from shrinking in the 90% humidity. So, for coily hair, some shrinkage should be expected due to the moisture in the air. I use a gel to combat the shrinkage before applying this spray on top. You don't have to worry about flaking with this one. 

Truthfully, I was not expecting this salt spray to do anything for my coils. However, the lightweight yet impactful formula proved me wrong. A caveat: this formula is very sticky—if you use more than two to three pumps, your hair could end up with a stiff film.

Best Curl Refreshing

Rizos Curls Beach Waves Texturizing Salt Spray

$20 at Amazon $20 at Ulta $20 at Nordstrom

Key Ingredients: Sea salt, blue agave, red algae, aloe vera, and flaxseed | Size: 6.8 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

I'd been looking for a curl refresher besides water for years and hadn’t found a good one until now. Like most salt sprays, this one does have some stickiness, but the hydrating ingredients, such as glycerin and aloe vera, seem to balance out the tackiness very well. A little goes a long way; there's no need for more than four to five pumps.

My hair was on day five when I used this, which means it was flat, dry, frizzy, and ready for a wash. The spray legitimately helped re-plump my curls. It was like giving my hair a drink of water with hold. The formula's hydrating ingredients smoothed my hair while simultaneously waking it up. It’s a super versatile, curly-haired tool since it refreshes curls and stretches wash day in the same step.

What to Look for When Buying Sea Salt Spray

• Hair Type: If your hair is fine, you’ll likely want a sea salt spray designed to boost fullness and volume without weighing it down. For coily hair types, look for a spray with hydrating ingredients (natural oils and glycerin) that will help rehydrate your curls. We also recommend a lightweight option so you can easily use it in tandem with other stylers, such as mousses or gels, to add extra hold and starve off humidity. 
• Formula Type: At the risk of stating the obvious, the active ingredient in sea salt sprays is typically salt (which might appear as sodium chloride or magnesium sulfate on the ingredients list). However, there are various types and origins. For instance, some contain sugar and sea salt, while others lean on pink sea salt. Pink sea salt actually has a clarifying effect on the scalp, meaning it'll help prevent product buildup.
• Hydrating Ingredients: Salt is undoubtedly a great texture-enhancing ingredient. Yet, as anyone who's spent a day at the beach will tell you, it can dry out your hair. Thankfully, many options contain hydrating ingredients—such as aloe, glycerin, and coconut water—to balance those potentially drying effects.

Why Trust Byrdie

Bianca Lambert is an experienced writer and producer who started her career at BuzzFeed in Los Angeles, where she worked as a Style and Beauty Video Producer. She has 4-type curly hair and has tested dozens of hair products on her curls over the years. This was her first foray into sea salt sprays, but after seeing what it did to her hair, it definitely won’t be her last. Bianca graduated with a degree in Television Broadcasting from Middle Tennessee State University. 

Ashley Ziegler is a lifestyle writer specializing in beauty and fashion. She has written for several Dotdash Meredith brands over the years including Byrdie and InStyle. She also tests products and services, and is especially well-versed in hair products such as dry shampoos, texturizing sprays, and sea salt sprays. She has fine type 1b hair and is always on the lookout for high-quality products that will give her volume and texture.

We also interviewed an expert for this story. This expert is:

• Fuat Celik has been a celebrity hairstylist in Belgium, Los Angeles, and New York for more than 25 years.