Get Beach Hair, Minus the Beach

By: John Jannuzzi, photograph by Carter Smith

There’s something about the beachy combination of salt, sand and atmosphere that makes your hair look ten times better. But of course, that carefree style is all washed away with a quick shampoo. In hopes of learning how to recreate that look, we sought the expert advice of Sarah Mills. She’s been awarded New York Magazine’s “best men’s haircut” and knows more than most about men’s grooming.

"Everybody’s hair gets better when they’re at the beach," she says to me. Well, yes, that’s why we’re here. Acknowledging that there’s no way to get that exact look, Sarah advises me to pick up some of Bumble and Bumble’s Surf Spray.

Once you’ve got that, things get a little tricky, “I say to people, ‘it’s better if your hair is like a day from the gym.’ I know it sounds gross—but the combination of a little bit of your own sweat helps.” So, get your hair slightly sweaty and dirty before you apply the spray. Once it’s in there, use the palm of your hand to spread it around your hair and let it sit for a minute or two. After it sets, use your hand to pull it around and style it. Just don’t fuss too much, you’re going for kind of messy here. And there you have it, almost-instant beach hair. Just add sweat.

A note for guys with drier hair: throw on a small amount of conditioner before applying the spray to moisten things up.

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Photos: (1)Carter Smith, (2) image courtesy of brand