Sea Salt Spray

[jenwexler]

I noticed my hair looks good with some of my own natural waves. I want to enhance it and I heard sea salt sprays can help. Does anyone know of a good recipe? I know it can be drying so I would probably add an oil to it or something. Any ideas?

[bumblebums]

I would advise against it. Poke around here and you'll see that sea water is something that longhairs protect their hair from. It swells the cuticle and makes the hair more fragile. Luckily, there are other ways to enhance waves. The best method is plopping (http://www.naturallycurly.com/curlreading/curl-products/to-plop-or-not-to-plop). Providing your hair with lots of moisture is also important. You can leave a light conditioner in the hair (on the ends rather than the roots), and that will encourage the curl.

[luxepiggy]

Shu Uemura's Liquid Fabric does what you're looking for, I believe (^(oo)^)

http://www.shuuemuraartofhair-usa.com/styling/design-and-perfect/liquid-fabric.htm?cm_mmc=LabeliumSearch-_-Google-_-ShuArtofHair+Products-_-shu%20uemura%20liquid%20fabric&gclid=CJngtrylgqUCFRBzgwod-3WRPg

[aenflex]

There are products premade out there like luxepiggy's suggestion. I used to use Nolita Grit Gel and that worked too, and there was this spray, was is called ocean potion, I think? It gave nice beach waves. Of course these are not exactly the most wholesome ingredient formulations, but if it's just once and a while I don't see the big deal. Lush has a shampoo with sea salt, I've never tried it, but you might be able to find some info about it somehwere here.

[Cheeks1206]

I don't have any recipes, but I don't see why you couldn't just add a little salt to your spritzer bottle, if you have one. I would suggest adding a tiny amount, about 1/8 teaspoon, to one cup of water to start out to see if that works for you. If that doesn't give you the curl definition you want try adding a tiny bit more. Just watch out for dryness. My curls like a little bit of salt, too. :)

ETA: Epsom salt seems to be the kind most people/companies use in their products.

[Sundial]

I would advise against it. Poke around here and you'll see that sea water is something that longhairs protect their hair from. It swells the cuticle and makes the hair more fragile. Luckily, there are other ways to enhance waves. The best method is plopping (http://www.naturallycurly.com/curlreading/curl-products/to-plop-or-not-to-plop). Providing your hair with lots of moisture is also important. You can leave a light conditioner in the hair (on the ends rather than the roots), and that will encourage the curl.

I have used Bumble and Bumble Surf Spray and I liked the texture that it gave my hair. But as bumblebums said, I don't think it's good for the hair so I only use it on special occasions when I need some texture in my hair

[Cheeks1206]

I would advise against it. Poke around here and you'll see that sea water is something that longhairs protect their hair from. It swells the cuticle and makes the hair more fragile. Luckily, there are other ways to enhance waves. The best method is plopping (http://www.naturallycurly.com/curlreading/curl-products/to-plop-or-not-to-plop). Providing your hair with lots of moisture is also important. You can leave a light conditioner in the hair (on the ends rather than the roots), and that will encourage the curl.

This is true about the different methods to encourage curl formation, but like I said in my previous post, my hair does tolerate salt very well. When I use products containing salt I also use the above methods. I apply conditioner as a leave in, apply my products and then I plop. I get very good results for this method, which are only enhanced by products (homemade or otherwise) containing a little sodium.

[jenwexler]

I would advise against it. Poke around here and you'll see that sea water is something that longhairs protect their hair from. It swells the cuticle and makes the hair more fragile. Luckily, there are other ways to enhance waves. The best method is plopping (http://www.naturallycurly.com/curlreading/curl-products/to-plop-or-not-to-plop). Providing your hair with lots of moisture is also important. You can leave a light conditioner in the hair (on the ends rather than the roots), and that will encourage the curl.

I like the conditioner idea the best. I want my hair to have its moisture.

[jenwexler]

My cut is cute messy. What if instead of using salt, I only use distilled water, a little bit of honey, a little bit of tea tree oil, and some aloe vera gel to keep the mess without ruining it with salt?

[bumblebums]

My cut is cute messy. What if instead of using salt, I only use distilled water, a little bit of honey, a little bit of tea tree oil, and some aloe vera gel to keep the mess without ruining it with salt?

You probably don't need the TTO--it doesn't do anything for your length, so unless you really like the scent...

Look here for some recipes, too: http://www.longlocks.com/hair-care-recipes-cookbook.htm

The flaxseed gel is popular:

Hair Gel (#1 is not vegan, #2 is):

1/ 1/2 to 1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin
1 cup warm water
Dissolve gelatin in 1 cup warm water. Keep refrigerated and use as you would a purchased gel. 2/ One cup water
2 tablespoons flax seed
1-2 drops of essential oil of your choice.
Combine the water and seeds in a small saucepan, bring them to a boil and then remove from heat. Set aside for a half hour. Strain through a colander. When completely cooled, add the oil and mix through. Transfer to a wide-mouthed jar with a tight lid (mason jars work well!), and use as you would any other gel product.


(copied from http://babyslime.livejournal.com/174054.html#ingredients)

[Cleopatra18]

I found this article (http://www.buzzle.com/articles/homemade-sea-salt-spray-recipes-for-hair.html) on the topic and I think ill give it a try soon.I already have some dead sea salt which I think may work nicely.

[Anje]

I'd be cautious about salt spray. A user several years back (Snowymoon, later the inventor of the SMT) managed to totally kill her hair's texture by spraying it with salt water. I believe she had a fairly concentrated solution, but I'm not sure. I believe the SMT was developed as part of the recovery process, though her length was never quite the same.

I'd suggest going with a leave-in conditioner or something along those lines. Maybe aloe gel or alcohol-free hair gel, or Kimberlily's defrizz spray. Combined with plopping and minimal combing afterward, you should get nice waves and leave your hair in better condition rather than worse.

[jenwexler]

Great suggestions everyone!

[HintOfMint]

I'd be cautious about salt spray. A user several years back (Snowymoon, later the inventor of the SMT) managed to totally kill her hair's texture by spraying it with salt water. I believe she had a fairly concentrated solution, but I'm not sure. I believe the SMT was developed as part of the recovery process, though her length was never quite the same.

I'd suggest going with a leave-in conditioner or something along those lines. Maybe aloe gel or alcohol-free hair gel, or Kimberlily's defrizz spray. Combined with plopping and minimal combing afterward, you should get nice waves and leave your hair in better condition rather than worse.


I remember reading that too! Basically, the salt had crystallized in her hair and had to be chelated out, or something like that. I believe the salt had managed to crystallize INSIDE her hair shaft, so the damage and dryness was pretty extensive. Granted, she didn't wash her hair right away, and it was a high concentration of salt water, but still. It was enough to make me not want to trifle with salt sprays ever.

[Melisande]

I use Lush BIG with sea salt for clarifying about every six weeks - it keeps for ages because I dilute it very very much. It is extremely strong and concentrated, no idea who can put that on his head and not burn a hole in it ;-)

I found no adverse reactions. My hair seems to like salt. I use dead sea mud sometimes for my scalp and my hair seems to like it well enough if followed with conditioner. And a bit of dead sea salt in distilled water gives my hair body. If I use it (very very rarely), then I add aloe vera gel and some drops of jojoba oil to the mix.

Maybe try it first on one strand.

I love the sea and sea salt and when I sea bathe, my hair seems to thrive on the sea water.... but I guess this is very individual.

There was a user here who recommended sea salt and bentonite together, which I never tried (and never forgot!), which seems to me a mix similar to dead sea mud. She said that on its own, each ingredient may be harsh, but together they make lovely soft hair.

Have to try it! But where do I get bentonite from....?

[bumblebums]

There was a user here who recommended sea salt and bentonite together, which I never tried (and never forgot!), which seems to me a mix similar to dead sea mud. She said that on its own, each ingredient may be harsh, but together they make lovely soft hair.

Have to try it! But where do I get bentonite from....?

They sell bentonite at Whole Foods. You can get it online as well, at Mountain Rose Herbs and similar places.

[Melisande]

I don't live in the USA.... so I don't know the shop and online ordering is expensive. I have cut down and deprived myself of hairtoys ;-) I hope to find the stuff one day somewhere and then I'll try it!

[jenwexler]

Looks like I'm going on a whole foods shopping adventure when I get home!

[GRU]

I saw this stuff by Garnier Fructis at the store last night that might do what you're looking for without all the potential for damage:

Surf Hair Texture Paste (http://www.garnierusa.com/_en/_us/our_products/product-struct.aspx?tpcode=OUR_PRODUCTS^PRD_STYLING^FRUCTI S_STYLE^STYLE_DISCOVER^STYLE_SURF_HAIR)

I obviously don't use anything like that, but when I'm in the haircare aisle, my eye is instantly drawn to anything new... "oooh, shiny pretty thing!" :lol:

[tanya222]

Funny someone should bring this up. I've been pondering mixing myself up a spritzer of seasalt water to mist onto my roots to try to combat the oilies in between washes... and also was wondering if it might help with my mild case of dandruff?

Anybody ever use a salt solution just on their roots and does it help with either oilies or flakies?

I used to buy Lush's Rub Rub Rub shower gel and use it in my hair, it has salt in it, and if I recall correctly it made my hair soft and shiny... but I am poor right now and won't be able to afford Lush for a long while....

[jenwexler]

I was looking up baking soda the other day and I think I read something about that helping with dandruff and build up if you mix it with your shampoo.

[Sherri]

I was about to make up a batch of the sea salt spray and now I am on the fence about it. There seems to be mixed reviews about it. Would like to hear some more of people's reviews about this and the recipes they have tried.

[jenwexler]

I wish I bottled up some water from the ocean last time I was in florida. My hair had crazy waves.

[xovictoryxo]

Funny, I get a bucket of sea water when Im at the beach to dip my hair into so I can get "beach hair"
you can try "Big" shampoo; made by Lush... :)
ingredients: Sea Salt (Sodium Chloride), Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Fresh Organic Lemon Infusion (Citrus limonum), Fresh Sea Water (Aqua), Toothed Wrack Seaweed Infusion (Fucus serratus), Cocamide DEA, Lauryl Betaine, Fresh Organic Lime Juice (Citrus aurantifolia), Extra Virgin Coconut Oil (Cocos nucifera), Neroli Oil (Citrus amara), Mandarin Oil (Citrus nobilis), Vanilla Absolute (Vanilla planifolia), Orris Absolute (Iris florentina), *Limonene, *Linalool, *Benzyl Benzoate, Coumarin, Perfume