Is Salt Water Good For Your Hair? Essential Things You Should Know

Even if you’ve spent hundreds of dollars on your vacation wardrobe and have perfected the art of applying beach makeup without a mirror, it can be difficult to get your hair back to its previous condition after exposure to salt water. When you’ve given your hair a nice blowout or spent months getting your hair back to its previous state, it’s even more frustrating.

So, is salt water good for your hair?

No, salt water is not good for your hair. While most face shapes look particularly good with a natural, air-dried tousled wave, too much salt water can harm your hair.

Chlorine and sea water both make the cuticle on the hair’s outer layer swell, giving the appearance of damage. Additionally, it dulls color, irritates the scalp, and makes hair more tangled and knotted.

For more information, keep reading.

Is Salt Water Good For Your Hair?

I know what you’re thinking… “salt in my hair? I’ll never do it; it’s disgusting!”. But wait until your friends start enquiring about your shiny hair.

You see, exposure to salt water causes all of your hair’s tiny scales to burst open. This enables your hair and scalp to be cleaned more thoroughly. It functions as a fantastic, reasonably priced substitute for clarifying shampoo.

Natural cleansing properties of salt water aid in preventing buildup in hair follicles.

The salt water adds luster to lifeless hair and dries up excess oils at the root, but be careful not to overdo it! If you use salt water too frequently or for too long in an effort to achieve the ideal look, it may not always be beneficial to your hair.

Does Salt Water Harm Hair?

Don’t go overboard when using salt water to revive lifeless hair. If you’re not careful, the naturally occurring chemicals in ocean water could dry out your scalp and make your hair brittle.

Your hair is left with residue from daily products, which over time can buildup. What you don’t want are limp locks caused by this residue!

This debris, as well as things like chlorine from the pool, can be removed from your hair using salt water. New growth and stronger, healthier strands are made possible as a result. If used properly, salt water is actually beneficial for hair!

Pros Of Sea Salt

• The minerals magnesium, potassium, and sodium found in sea salt are all beneficial to hair.
• The mineral magnesium regulates oil production and keeps moisture in the hair shaft.
• In addition to moisturizing dry, brittle hair, potassium has been shown to lessen dandruff.
• You’ll have more volume because sodium helps to hold the water molecules together.
• Additionally, sea salt contains a lot of vitamin B12, which fortifies the hair and gives dark hair a rich sheen.

Cons Of Sea Salt

• Salt, which is enriched with sea minerals, can seriously dry out your already parched hair.
• Therefore, if you are aware that your hair is naturally oily or coarse, try not to use sea salt more frequently than once per week because doing so risks drying out your hair.

Are Colored Hair Products Bad For Salt Water?

The majority of people advise against using pure salt water on colored hair because it may cause color treatments to fade over time. There’s no reason, however, why it wouldn’t be safe if you’re using diluted salt water.

The best way to use salt water on colored hair is to combine a small amount of sea salt (about a tablespoon) with your regular shampoo and conditioner, then work the mixture through your scalp and down the length of your hair.

After rinsing off the salt water, you should notice more shine right away!

After rinsing the salt water out, you can also spritz your colored locks with some vinegar if you’re worried about the color. This will make the color neutral and bring out all of those lovely tones. See more about Is Tresemme Good For Your Hair?

Does Using Salt Water Thicken Hair?

One use of salt water can significantly increase the thickness of your hair!

Your hair swells up due to the ocean’s salt content, giving the impression that it is thicker.

If done frequently enough, your hair will eventually become thicker and more resilient despite the temporary swelling that results.

Next time you want volumized locks, give this a try: shampoo with sea salt (see above) and then rinse with vinegar (use whatever vinegar you already have in the house; no need to buy special vinegars).

Then, before blow-drying, work some mousse or a volume enhancer through your damp tresses. You’ll be amazed at how thick your locks appear after drying!

Use Salt Water On Your Hair

Going to the beach is a simple way to enjoy the advantages of salt water for hair. But what should you do if you don’t live near a beach or if going there is not an easy option?

Consider including one of the following salt water haircare techniques in your routine. You have the option of using plain table salt or sea salt, both of which are readily available at the grocery store.

Make A Shampoo

Castile soap and sea salt are mixed thoroughly in a container at a ratio of two to three. For about 15 minutes, shampoo your hair with this mixture, then rinse it with cold water to remove the remaining product.

Make A Pre-conditioner Solution

Stir in one cup of water and half a cup of salt until the salt is completely dissolved. Immediately after shampooing the hair, pour the solution over it and massage the scalp for up to a minute. Then use cold water to wash it off.

After rinsing off the salt water, use a nourishing conditioner for additional conditioning.

Make A Leave-in Treatment

In a spray bottle, combine one tablespoon of warm water and one tablespoon of sea salt and stir until the salt is completely dissolved. Next, include one tablespoon each of coconut oil and leave-in conditioner. To treat a variety of conditions, blend the mixture well before spraying it on your scalp.

Make A Simple Rinsing Solution

Simply combine three tablespoons of salt with warm water, then rinse your hair and scalp with this mixture. To avoid frizz and split ends, follow it up with a cold water rinse. Before washing it off, you can also massage this solution into your scalp for a short while.

Top Tips For Salt Water

Any sea salt will do, but the majority of people appear to prefer table salt that has been finely ground.

You can decide how long you want your hair to soak in the mixture and whether or not to rinse right away (opinions vary).

Following a cold water rinse, condition and shampoo as usual.

Before blow-drying their hair, some people like to scrunch out any extra moisture with a towel. By doing so, frizz is prevented.

Salt Water For Beachy Waves

Beach waves have become well-known for their volume and definition, even among people who don’t live near the ocean. They can appear effortless, playful, and carefree, so it makes sense. Who doesn’t enjoy heat-free styling, too?

But how does washing your hair in the ocean cause large, crashing waves? It all comes down to texture, really.

Tiny salt crystals in salt water stick to your hair. The cuticles of your hair become heavily laden with salt and hydrogen when it is wet with ocean water. As a result, the hair gets thicker and its shaft gets more texturized. As a result, the hair has lovely waves and curls that can be worn by anyone.

Don’t give up if you’re not near a beach, though! There are items that can help you look like a sea goddess this summer; more on this later.

While we’re on the topic, some products might actually be better than the real thing – because using ocean water for hair does have a bit of a dark side.

When Ocean Water For Hair Gets Too Salty

Beach waves are gorgeous, but we should acknowledge the elephant in the room: beach-day hair doesn’t always feel very good.

To the touch, salt water hair can feel parched and dry, the locks may feel heavy or weighed down, and there may be a gritty, filmy residue. Tangles will undoubtedly be in your forecast when it’s windy at the beach.

Why does this occur, then? Isn’t ocean water good for your hair because it’s an important component of many hair products?

The cuticle of the hair swells with salt when exposed to sea water. Excessive salt exposure causes the hair to dry out and become coarse, which irritates the scalp. Not to mention that windy beaches are undesirable because they have a gritty texture and tangles.

But don’t let this keep you from going to the beach, or creating those beachy waves! You can still benefit from ocean water’s advantages when you take care of your hair the following day. In the end, water is necessary to counteract the effects of salt water, and using a hair mask is one of the quickest ways to hydrate your hair. Water consumption is also important.

Your beach waves will eventually need to be cleaned out. But when you do, be gentle, and use a clarifying, hydrating shampoo. For added protection, apply an additional nourishing conditioner after.

The benefits of sea salt hair treatments will outweigh the harm caused by ocean water to your hair. A few spritzes of hair mist can get you ready for a beach walk!

But even with sea salt sprays, keep in mind that it’s best to avoid regular use because they can build up on the scalp and produce that undesirable texture.

Is It Possible To Leave Salt Water In Your Hair All Night?

Many stylists favoured by GH recommended to us that you rinse your hair with fresh water as soon as you’ve finished swimming, including Senior Stylist Nadia Dean works in John Frieda salons. “It will become dry and brittle if you leave it on for too long. Even if you only have bottled water on the beach, rinse it as soon as you can.”

Conclusion

Say that ten times fast: There are many wonderful reasons to try rinsing your hair with salt water.) and the bonus is, it’s cheap and easy to make.

If swimming in the ocean every day isn’t your thing, give your locks some extra oomph by using a sea salt spray or other sea salt-based products.

After a few days, when you shampoo it out, you might notice more shine and less frizz.

For best outcomes, try it at least once per week! Good luck!

Many thanks for reading.

Related posts:

Causes And Ways To Hair Breakage & Split Ends Can Toner Make Your Hair Fall Out: How To Avoid It? How Short Can Your Hair Be For Extensions? Answered How Many Hairs Are On The Human Head? Facts And Read To Find Out