The Foolproof Way to Get Beach Waves with Salt Sprays
It’s peak season for Instagram Envy, with your feed filled to the brim with post-beach hair, itty-bitty bikinis, and golden tans. But even if you’re spending this summer inland or indoors instead of by the shore, you can still fake your beach waves for the #Instas. Manhattan-based Sally Hershberger Downtown hairstylist Jae Cardenas — who rocks an enviable head of naturally curly hair himself — shares a foolproof and beach-free way to get mermaid hair that works for both thick and thin strands. All you need is a good nap and some salt spray:
Go to bed while your hair is still wet after showering. Put a foundation product in your hair, like Sally Hershberger 24K Supreme Body Volumizing Mousse ($32), while your hair is still wet. “What you do to your hair the moment you get out of the shower changes the outcome of your hair,” Cardenas says. Don’t rough your hair with a towel, for example — it’ll create more frizz. To avoid clumping product in your hair, Cardenas recommends rubbing a little bit in your hands and running your hands through the ends of your hair. Afterwards, brush it out with a paddle brush.
Braid your still-wet hair. You can create one big loose braid, or for a ropey look, two braids at the side of the head. “Always remember: You want very loose braids,” Cardenas explains. “They don’t have to start right at the root. They can start two inches down at the root so that you don’t get tight curls.”
Sleep. When you wake up, your hair should be dry. Once you undo your braids, you should have easy-breezy waves. If your curls fall easily, try using a light hairspray like Living Proof Flex Shaping Hairspray ($24).
For a little more texture, use salt spray. “People tend to overuse salt sprays,” Cardenas warns. Most salt sprays use alcohol to dry your hair and give it some texture without the grease. Cardenas advises spraying evenly at least 10 inches away from the hair. “You don’t need any salt spray at your roots,” he advises. “Just spray it at the ends.” Cardenas uses Sally Hershberger Glam Waves Texture Spray ($13), which comes with jojoba oil and meadowseed oil, but there are a lot of different salt sprays, made of different types of salts, scents, oils, and botanical extracts to choose from.
Here are some of our tried-and-tested favorite salt sprays, from drugstore gems to indie discoveries to luxury splurges:
Related:
How to Get Sexy Sports Illustrated Beach Waves
The Best Wave Sprays for Summer
Summer Hair in 5 Minutes or Less
Photo: Ben Ritter / Makeup: Bobbi Brown / Hair: Joseph DiMaggio /Styling: Noelle Sciacca / Model: Amanda Mondale, Wilhelmina / Top: Flagpole Swim
