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.
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.
Should you wash your hair after swimming in the ocean? Yes — and before you go swimming, as well. Skip the shampoo, but give your hair a fresh-water rinse prior to hitting the waves. That's because dry hair is more likely to absorb chlorine and salt, while wet hair is naturally less absorbent.
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 sea salt is perfect for hair growth. If you suffer from alopecia, or hair loss, then you need to use sea salt for natural stimulation of the growing of your hair. Wash the hair as you do normally and gently massage the wet scalp with sea salt for around 10-15 minutes. When you are done, wash it off.
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!
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.
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.
"Put something moisturising in, like a leave-in-conditioner or a product that protects your hair with UVA and UVB filters to help with sun damage," she says. "Then detangle it with a wide comb — that way you still have salt crystals in there to give it some texture and hold."
When swimming in the ocean, the salt from the sea can lighten your hair, especially since you are out in the sun. You can simulate that effect using sea salt and warm water. Just dissolve one tablespoon of sea salt with about a ½ cup of warm water. Apply it to your hair, leaving on for about 20 minutes.
While having sand in your hair won't cause any structural damage, nobody wants a scrappy, sandy scalp which can look like dandruff.
Surfer hair is a tousled type of hairstyle, popularized by surfers from the 1950s onwards, traditionally long, thick and naturally bleached from high exposure to the sun and salt water of the sea.
Most surfers tie up their hair so it stays out of their face when they're out catching waves. Over time, this creates waves or curls in the hair which is a signature part of the surfer look. You can replicate this at home by letting your hair air dry while it's scrunched up.
“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.
Elevated levels of ABRs on the skin lasted for six hours post-swim, according to the study To reduce the risk of skin infections, it's best to shower shortly after you've been in the ocean. Much like with showering post-workout, a shower after the ocean washes away bacterium.
Since the ocean has a high salt content, it is osmotic. That means that it removes water from hair and makes it become dry and brittle. Saltwater can make hair dull, tangled, and rough and can affect colored hair. It can also cause split ends and breakage.
Ocean water or salt sprays can give hair texture and enhance appearance. In addition, the salt can improve the curl by tightening it up. That is why your hair gets extra wavy when you are at the beach!
Saltwater is damaging because it dries out your hair and scalp, it strips it of all its water, leaving it rough and dehydrated. This lack of moisture for your hair leads to split ends breakage and dandruff on your scalp.
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.
“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.
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.
“Saltwater and chlorine are also culprits for lightening,” Gonzalez says. “They alter the natural keratin in your hair, resulting in lighter shades.” If frolicking in the ocean or a pool every day isn't an option or you don't want to leave it to chance, a salt spray or some lemon juice can help things along.
A Nose By Any Other Name--or Color
Oh, and you'll be needing some zinc oxide to protect your nose from sunburn. You know zinc oxide. It's that slimy white stuff that surfers and lifeguards have been smearing on their proboscises since Annette Funicello and Frankie Avalon first hit the sand in “Beach Party.”