What You Don't Know About the Beach CAN Hurt You
You waited all winter. You counted the days all spring.
And now...you’re finally at the beach!
You spread out your towel, kick off those sandals, and BOOM! You’re off like a shot for the water.
That scorching sand sprays from between your toes as you race through the foamy breakers.
Then, as that ocean roar envelops you...a graceful plunge into the sparkling blue.
“Dazzling skies, fresh sand, and clear blue water...what could be more exhilarating?”
It’s perfect bliss. This is what summer’s all about.
Make sure you savor that moment…
...because no matter how much you love those waves…
...that salty seawater could leave you hair in for some rough sailing!
FEELING SALTY
To be perfectly honest, you may be wondering why we’re even warning you about sea salt.
After all, sea salt texturizing spray is one of the most popular styling products around.
It boosts your hair’s body...adds dimension and depth to fine strands…
...and provides that texture-fortifying grace note...for beachy waves truly worthy of the name!
But there’s an obvious difference between a touch of sea salt spray...carefully formulated with other hair-pampering ingredients…
...and simply drenching your tresses in ocean water...and the raw, unfiltered salt that fills it!
SO WET...SO DRY
Let’s take a closer look at just why salt is so potentially threatening to your hair.
But first...let’s try a little exercise.
Grab yourself a Dixie cup.
Fill it halfway with salt. Then add water to the brim, mix it together....
...and take a sip!
After you’ve spit it out...notice how parched that mixture left your mouth feeling.
That’s because salt is osmotic…which means it absorbs moisture at a fast speed.
It’s why you’re always craving a drink after you’ve eaten something salty like French fries.
“Whenever you enjoy an order of fries...you always want to have some hydration handy!”
And when you consider that a regular order of fries has around 270 milligrams of salt…1
...while, on average, there’s about 35 grams in every liter of seawater…2
...you’re looking at a liquid bound to leach moisture from your skin and hair...no matter how wet that cool dip leaves you feeling!
NO SALT FOR ME, THANKS
Professional stylists and hair-health specialists (known as trichologists) have all cited the harmful effects of too much salt on your hair.
That accelerated sapping of moisture can leave your locks dehydrated and brittle.
And since properly moisture-rich hair is far harder to style and manage...don’t be surprised if your brushing or combing becomes a wrist-straining ordeal!
Excess salt exposure can also leave your hair with a rough, coarsened texture.
And it’s going to be more likely to tangle...which means even more time with that pesky brush!
“Brushing your hair should always be a quick and easy refresher...not a frustrating chore!”
Plus, if you’ve color-treated your tresses, all that salt will throw off the balance of your shade…
...leaving you with dull-edged color, bled of all its luster, vibrance, and life.
But there’s even more:
If this salt saturation continues, without steps taken to rehydrate and renew your locks…
...you could wind up with a head full of split ends...or full-on hair breakage!3
SALT-PROOFING YOUR BEACH STYLE
Naturally, you want to enjoy all the pleasures a beachside getaway has to offer…
...without salt-scarred hair forcing you under a beach umbrella till it’s time to head home!
So, to make sure you can savor all the surfing, swimming, and body-boarding you crave…
...and still look Instagram-ready when you and your guy hit that moonlit ocean-view hotspot…
...here are some simple style-preserving tips you can try, before and after you hit the waves.
- PRE-SOAK: Saturating your locks with fresh water before you dive into the sea will coat your strands...keeping all the salt from reaching your hair!
- GIVE YOUR STYLE AN EARLY VACATION: The effects of heat styling and product build-up can leave your hair vulnerable to salt damage. So, try making the day or two before you reach the beach low-maintenance, natural-texture days.
- LEAVE-IN CONDITIONER: Think of it as deep-hydrating body lotion...for your hair! Not only does it add extra moisture, and another barrier between your hair and the salt...but the best varieties are also formulated to protect your color’s shine and brightness!
- DRINK PLENTY OF WATER: At the shore, you’ll be spending time with intense sunshine and brisk winds, not to mention the salt...so make sure your body’s getting plenty of hydration, to better face those moisture-draining conditions!4
LEAVE YOUR SALT CARES BEHIND
Of course, there’s one other way you can minimize the threat salty seas pose to your style:
Get your beach fix...without visiting the ocean!
All across the country, you’ll find dozens of vast, tourist-friendly freshwater lakes…
...and while you still want to keep your hair safe from the effects of wind and UV sunlight…
...these sand-and-surf destinations offer you beach-day thrills without the hazards of salt water!
These are among the most celebrated freshwater beaches in the USA:
- PRESQUE ISLE STATE PARK, Erie, PA
- PARK POINT BEACH, Duluth, MN
- OAK STREET BEACH, Chicago, IL
- GRAND HAVEN STATE PARK, Grand Haven, MI
- BIG BEAR LAKE, San Bernardino County, CA5
So, when you hit these beaches, don’t you fret:
The only sea salt spray you’ll encounter is the one you bring along in your travel styling kit!
BEACHY BLISS
A trip to the beach is a chance to create memories you’ll treasure forever.
But the last souvenir you want to bring home from the shore is dry, salt-damaged hair!
So, when you’re pampering yourself with a day on the sand...don’t forget to treat your hair extra-special, too.
Your style will reward you for it…
...with a carefree vacation, full of nothing but endless excitement and joy!
CITATIONS
- “McDONALD'S, French Fries Nutrition Facts & Calories.” Nutrition Data Know What You Eat., nutritiondata.self.com/facts/fast-foods-generic/8054/2.
- “Sea Water.” ScienceDaily, ScienceDaily, www.sciencedaily.com/terms/seawater.htm.
- Oliver, Dana. “How Salt Water REALLY Affects Your Hair.” The Huffington Post, TheHuffingtonPost.com, 2 Aug. 2013, www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/02/salt-water-hair-damage_n_3683042.html.
- Hayes, Miki. “How To Prevent Skin & Hair Damage From The Beach.” Bustle, Bustle, 25 Apr. 2018, www.bustle.com/articles/169907-8-ways-to-prevent-hair-skin-damage-at-the-beach.
- “Best Freshwater Beach Winners: 2016 10Best Readers' Choice Travel Awards.” 10Best, USA TODAY 10Best, www.10best.com/awards/travel/best-freshwater-beach/.