In turn, salt – or sodium chloride and magnesium sulphate (both elements present in the seawater) create extra crosslinks within your hair strand, which curls and curves it, thus putting the “waves” in your beach waves.
"Salt absorbs the moisture from your hair, which makes it less straight, less elastic and more prone to breakage." That's not to say he thinks real beach waves should be avoided. The minerals in ocean water—not to mention the sand and wind and UV blast—are also key for creating matte, messy, voluminous texture.
'Sea water and chlorine both swell the cuticle on the outside layer of the hair, making it look damaged" she said. 'It also makes hair more tangled and knotty, fades colour and irritates the scalp."
The salty water makes it look fuller and feel thicker, and you get to enjoy the best hair day you've had in months. Beach hair is essentially the opposite of dull, lifeless hair. It's got volume, texture, definition.
Sea water contains many nutrients that help your hair to stay healthy. For example, magnesium and potassium are both helpful for keeping the pH of your scalp in check - which is important because having too much alkalinity can cause damage to the structure of proteins found on your hair!
The salt in general, including sea water, is hygroscopic: i.e. it attracts more water to your hair and forms salt crystals. Those salt crystals may give your hair extra body, but this process also wicks away the moisture from the inside of your hair strand – making it dry and brittle.
Saltwater and chlorinated water can cause damage to your hair even once you're out of the water. If you don't wash your hair with fresh water after you finish your swim, the saltwater or chlorinated water can sit in your hair for the rest of the day and make your hair dry out and cracked.
The salt in ocean water draws out the moisture from your hair and dehydrates it during the osmotic process. Instead of getting beautiful beach waves, your hair can become dry, tangled, and dull. No wonder it's so difficult to brush and detangle hair after a day at the beach!
Salt water, sweat, as well as constant exposure to the sun can suck out all moisture from your hair and leave it extremely dry and susceptible to breakage. To avoid this, make sure you drink enough water. After all, the more hydrated you are, the less damage your hair will incur.
Before you paddle out for a surf, rinse your hair with fresh water — this helps prevent your hair from soaking up as much saltwater. It can also be helpful to spray on a leave-in conditioner before heading out, as it coats the hair in a protective layer and helps lock in moisture. Some surfers even use coconut oil.
After you've been swimming in salt water, it's important to wash your hair right away. The longer salt water sits on your hair, the more moisture it pulls out. If you want to avoid dry, brittle hair, you need to head to the shower and give your hair a quick wash.
Salt Water is a No Go: How saltwater affects your hair
Unfortunately, that is not always the case. Actually, your hair when overexposed to salt can become damaged, frizzy, and just a mess. These effects are even worse if your hair has been dyed or processed recently.
To enhance the natural wave in your hair, simply spritz your sea salt spray throughout your mane and scrunch to amp up the texture and say hello to gorgeous beach waves.
The most traditional way to get beachy waves is with a curling iron or wand. Opt for a barrel that's approximately one-inch in diameter, , and be sure to apply a heat protectant to your hair before styling. Simply shake out your hair and you're ready to go.
That's right – taking a dip in the sea is actually good for your skin. One of the most common benefits of salt water on skin is exfoliation. A swim in the ocean allows the salt to scrub away dead skin cells and open the pores. There aren't many all over natural ways of exfoliating, so lap it up.
Salt water is an excellent exfoliator and also stimulates blood flow in the scalp. This ensures that more nutrients get to the hair follicles, which results in healthier hair. Salt has anti-fungal properties and helps get rid of fungus-induced dandruff by reducing moisture. Sea water is a natural shampoo.
“Ocean water contains high levels of salt, which has a drying and exfoliating effect on the skin. There are anecdotal reports of ocean water clearing up skin conditions like acne. The salt helps remove excess oil from the skin to dry out pimples,” Dr. Zeichner confirms to Teen Vogue.
“The outcomes of the study support the epidemiological observations of increased risk of skin infections after swimming in the ocean. Cleaning the skin immediately after recreational ocean activities is recommended to reduce the opportunity for infection,” reads the study.
Experts recommend washing your hair is the best thing to do after using the swimming pool. Because if left unwashed, the chemicals from the pool will settle in your hair and create havoc. But if you do not want to use a shampoo every time, it is best advised to rinse it using water.
A coconut oil hair mask is the best after sun hair conditioner. If your hair is feeling a little dry after a day on the beach, then organic, virgin coconut oil is one of the best beach hair products.
Salt and water create a saline solution that coats the hair and can leave [it] feeling rough even after shampooing,” the stylist explains. Furthermore, continuous exposure to saltwater can make your hair color and toner fade much faster, strip your hair's natural oils, and even make your hair appear dull.
“Sea Salt adds extra thickness and a gritty texture to hair, making it look fuller and more rigid. It also simply makes hair easier to style.” says Murdock Covent Garden Head Barber Miles.
In its most extreme form, besides dandruff, salt water damage also causes hair to split at the ends and leads to breakage. These effects are even worse on dyed or processed hair. If your hair is colored, salt water damage not only gives it a rough texture but alters its color as well.