Four Surf Sprays Even a Real Surfer Girl Needs for Beachy Waves

Racked is no longer publishing. Thank you to everyone who read our work over the years. The archives will remain available here; for new stories, head over to Vox.com, where our staff is covering consumer culture for The Goods by Vox. You can also see what we’re up to by signing up here.

After a long soak in the Ocean, my hair is an over-salted, matted mess -- definitely not the windswept, California waves so commonly associated with a day surfing at the beach. Unfortunate, yes. But after a quick rinse in the shower, a spritz of texturizing spray, a blast of hot air, and a twirl of the finger, my hair tells a story of frolicking on the sand rather than one of total saltwater submersion. These are my favorite sprays to achieve that sexy, sun-kissed volume that even a surfer girl needs to use.

Sachajuan's ocean mist is the king of all surf sprays. It can be used at any point in the hairstyling process, but I like to spray a little into damp hair and twist portions around my fingers under the blow dryer for perfectly easy beach curls. This spray gives effortless volume and staying power to a carefully crafted beach head. Just remember, a little goes a long way.

The most glam of them all is Oribe's dry texturizing spray, which gives the best big hair. The result looks as though strong beachside winds mixed with the salty air blew insane volume into your hair, and it works on even the finest locks. I use this one for the times I need my hairstyle to last a couple days since it also does a killer job at absorbing oil at the roots. Stock up on the large size but always carry the travel size around in your bag for those last-minute touch ups.

Bumble and Bumble's surf spray is the OG of texturizing sprays. This was the first spray I ever tried and I remain loyal for all those times it did me right. I find it works best after curling hair with an iron, then following up with a "run-and-fluff" of the fingers to create a more natural look. This one can leave a crunch to hair if not used sparingly.

The new spray on the block is Alterna's boho waves spray. Truly weightless, this spray feels good on sun-soaked, thirsty hair. The effect is less dramatic than the others, but it's great for spicing up bedhead on those mornings when blow driers and styling irons just aren't in the cards. I do notice a bit more shine from this spray so proceed with caution if that's not your jam.