"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.
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.
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.
When your hair dries, the salt reaches the cuticle layer, forming little microscopic fibers between cells, and this makes curls much easier to form. As a result, sea salt spray will not miraculously make straight hair curly, rather it makes naturally wavy or curly hair more pronounced.
Because humid air has much higher numbers of water molecules than dry air, a given strand of hair can form much higher numbers of hydrogen bonds on a humid day.
Living near the ocean can have some negative effects on our hair. The drawbacks of salty air include frizz and dehydrated dryness, which require much more TLC. Another serious issue is our intense sun and heat, which wreaks havoc on our hair.
The hidden culprit is actually the salt that is in our air from the ocean. There is truth to the terms “beach wave” or “beach frizz” for many of us. It's usually not pretty. Salt is wonderful for detoxing; not so much for the hair.
It's inevitable, your hair and skin will be affected by the humidity in Florida. You can often walk through the air and feel the moisture begin to cling to your skin. And, if you're like me, you can feel your hair getting bigger and bigger in the humidity!
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. It's makes a fantastic after sun hair mask.
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.
Salt water is an effective natural shampoo. Occasional wash in salty water can help you to get rid of excess heavy oils, thus preventing greasy hair. The result: fresh, clean scalp and hair. It is also known to add volume and eliminate dandruff from your hair.
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.
Hair type 1A is super-straight. It doesn't even hold a curl! 1A is the rarest hair type. It is usually found on people of Asian descent.
Humid, muggy weather can make everything feel icky. The moisture in the air can not only make your skin feel sticky and your makeup melt off, but it can also penetrate your hair cuticle and cause your hair to either poof up or get hella greasy.
'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."
Like with chlorine, a precautionary strategy diminishes saltwater's damaging effects. “Generously apply a hair mask to damp hair and braid it—don't rinse. is helps to create a barrier so that the saltwater can't penetrate the hair,” offers Smalley.
Before hitting the beach, it's best to pre-treat the hair by saturating it with water and using a conditioning and moisture-rich product like the Amika Supernova Moisture and Shine Cream to lock in the moisture.