Every naturally wavy and curly girl likes to tweak her regimen and experiments with various product combinations, and many of us end up creating our own formulas, even by accident! My curl pattern falls between the 2b-3a Texture Types, and I wanted to find a product that would make my hair appear more uniform.
I liked the idea of beachy, defined waves and have tried out many sea salt sprays, but they would either weigh my waves down or dry them out. I thought back on beach trips when my curls had magically tightened into ringlets just from walking among the waves. Since I don’t always have the sun, sand, and saltwater of the beach at my disposal, I decided to take matters into my own hands and started mixing.
Before you make a sea salt spray…
I created my own sea salt spray formula with just a few ingredients, and the process of mixing taught me a lot! A few tips before you start your curl chemistry experiment:
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Look for a fine-mist spray bottle that will spray more than a single stream toward your hair. It does not matter how expensive the bottle is, it will eventually clog, so I opt for cheap ones that can easily be replaced.
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The higher the salt-to-water ratio, the more texture you will get–so don’t overdo it right off the bat! You can always add more salt if needed.
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Each head of hair needs its own balance of ingredients. For my type 2b-3a hair, the spray tightens my curls, but depending on your hair type, it may loosen them. The overall theme is achieving a natural and uniform texture.
What you need:
- 1 plastic spray bottle
- 75 ml filtered or distilled water
- 3/4 teaspoon sea salt
- A couple drops of the essential oils of your choice (I use lavender and jasmine”>
- 75 ml rosewater
The benefits for your hair
Just as shower water filters offer benefits to hair, using filtered or distilled water in DIY products can prevent excess drying from the chlorine in tap water, protecting color and shine.
Although salt water absorbs moisture and can dry hair out when used in excess, it is essential in creating a texture spray and has also been shown to stimulate circulation for a healthy scalp, according to Renee Loux of Women’s Health Magazine. We are only adding a small amount and it will be diluted in water, so it should not be drying to the hair.
You can add essential oils to your mix for their fragrances and aromatherapy benefits. 21 Drops says lavender is known to be calming and healing while jasmine has an uplifting scent. Disclaimer: Any time you are using natural oils in DIY products, watch out for bees! They love natural beauty just as much as we do and can be drawn to the scent.
Directions
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Fill your plastic spray bottle halfway with water. (Mine is a 150-milliliter bottle.”>
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Pour ¾ teaspoons of sea salt into the water. Screw on spray top and lock it if possible. Shake it up! If you have trouble dissolving the salt, try heating up the water slightly.
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Unscrew top and add a few drops of any essential oils–for me, it is really for the scent! I like to use 2 drops of Lavender oil and 4 drops of Jasmine oil.
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Fill the rest of the bottle up with rosewater, which can often be found in the “natural living” or “ethnic foods” sections of the grocery store. Leave a tiny bit of room at the top of the bottle so that the mixture can be shaken.
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Seal the top tightly and shake it up one last time. Now you are ready to style.
How to use salt spray
I typically use this sea salt spray as a finisher on damp hair to tighten my curls. I find that it works especially well when scrunched into hair that hasn’t been washed in a few days, and it provides a light hold for me on dry hair.
My favorite way to refresh my curls is to divide my hair in half and loosely French braid it on each side. Then, I spritz the sea salt spray all over and keep this protective style while I’m cooking, driving, or sleeping. I take the braids out, and my beachy curls are set and ready to go! The texture definitely builds throughout the week, and you will be able to tell when it’s time to wash it out and start over.
For tighter curl patterns
If you have a tighter curl pattern you may find that this salt spray doesn’t provide you with enough hold to give you definition. I would suggest adding a few drops of your favorite styling lotion or a lighthold gel and shaking up the mixture. Here is a modified sea salt spray that incorporates Curl Junkie’s Curls in a Bottle. If you find that the spray is drying out your hair, mix some coconut oil or a few drops of a leave-in conditioning spray. Otherwise, try using less salt the next time you make it.
