I must have been born a water baby because I could spend all day at the beach. I’m serious, get me in the ocean, and I’m a happy girl.
Rather, get me in a warm ocean, and I’m a happy girl. 🙂
I vividly remember the last time I was in the water at a warm beach because it was also the day I saw some of the best beachy waves I’ve ever seen. It was the day after Thanksgiving last November, and we were visiting El Hub’s parents in Hawaii. We spent quite a chunk of that trip chasing sea turtles, so to speak, flapping in our flippers and snorkels.
We’d just climbed out of the water to take a short break, which meant people watching and nomming on local snacks (coconut balls and Pass-o-Guava juice, anyone?). I was watching a group of kids build a giant sand castle on the shore, and one of the girls involved in its construction had a perfectly tousled, messy mop of pure, casual awesomeness on her head. She must’ve only been about seven or eight, but I remember thinking, “Hot damn! I wish my hair looked like that!”
Ever since that day I’ve been trying to reproduce the very same look; I’ve tried a bunch of different sprays specifically made to maximize beachy waves, but not even the famous $23 Bumble & Bumble Salt Spray has risen to the task.
Instead of that purposefully messy mane that looks like the best bed head I’ve ever had, I usually end up looking like I just walked through a wind tunnel, slowly, with my thick, wavy hair turning into a frizzy, dirty-looking mess (picture Doc from Back to the Future, or Kesha the morning after a long night of Long Island Iced Teas).
Then, a friend suggested I try TIGI’s Catwalk Sessions Series Salt Spray ($18.95 for a 9.13-oz. bottle), which I did.
Now, all I have to say is “HOLLA!” I think I’ve finally found great beachy hair in a bottle. 🙂
On the catwalk!
Launched earlier this summer, Salt Spray is like a combination of a light hold volumizing gel, a hair texturizer and a curl/wave enhancer. It’s designed to add texture to hair. In my case, it lifts my layers and encouraging my existing waves to play. I also think the tobacco flower scent smells divine (woodsy, with a hint of citrus).
I think the mess is what sets it apart from the flotilla of beachy wave-building and enhancing sprays on the market. It makes waves with just enough texture to look purposefully disheveled, but not so much that I look like I forgot to condition and comb (or like I fell off a truck).
Like other sprays, it couldn’t be much easier to use. I spray it on my hair after stepping out of the shower, gently scrunch it in with my hands, and then let it air dry for a couple of hours.
That’s it. A tousled, casual look with beautiful, beachy waves.
I have to use between 20-30 spritzes to cover my entire head of long, thick hair (yes, I counted). That is a lot, but the bottle’s pretty big (about twice the size of Bumble & Bumble’s similar 4-oz. spray). In about about two weeks of using it almost every day, I’ve only gone through about an eighth of the bottle so far; I figure the rest should last a while.
I do wish it were easier to find online, but other than that, this stuff’s the sh*z.
PRICE: $18.95 for a 9.13-oz. bottle
AVAILABILITY: Available at select beauty stores and salons (check TIGI online for a location near you)
MAKEUP AND BEAUTY BLOG RATING: A+
A Nor Cal beach tip: Don’t forget a sweatshirt
Yesterday I went to the rodeo!
Well, Rodeo Beach, which is out in the Marin Headlands area just north of San Francisco and the mouth of the Golden Gate. I was quickly reminded of why I don’t hit the beach that often here in Nor Cal. It was crowded, with tons of families out enjoying the sun and sand, but most of ’em were wearing sweatshirts, egad! A mile inland, it was more than 90 degrees, sunny, without a cloud in the sky, but at the beach a cold wind steadily blew in from the ocean.
It was still nice to watch the waves for a while and to feel the sand between my toes.
How about you? How was your weekend? I hope you had time for some fun.
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
I love hearing about El Hub, he seems like such a good catch! Could we hear/see more about him? Maybe a guest post, guys point of view?
Hi Vanessa,
He’s a pretty good catch (I got really lucky!). He did a guest post a few months ago…
https://www.makeupandbeautyblog.com/skin-care/the-gillette-fusion-proglide-razor-and-fusion-pure-sensitive-hydragel-moved-me-to-blog/
I need to bug him to write some more!
Hah I loved this post! El Hub is a great blogger!
So what exactly is a coconut ball? Is it a candy? Because it sounds DELISH to me! I love coconut anything!
I like the look this gives your hair a lot! Is it drying at all? Because that’s one thing I hate about those sea salt sprays. I find they dry my hair out.
Yup, it’s candy — basically sugary shredded coconut goodness in a hot pink ball. Once you start you can’t stop. 😉
Any idea how it compares to fekkai’s coiff wave spray? I tried b&b’s and find it ok, I prefer fekkai but if there’s something similar and less expensive I will give itt a try.
Hmm, I haven’t tried that one.
Can anybody else weigh in?
I havent tries the fekkai coif but use the fekkai wave creating spray and loveeee it. Smells really clean and not crunchy at all. But I will have to try this.
Somehow I think you’re going to hate me…I have that natural beachy hair going for me! Literally. My mom has super curly hair and dad has wavy, so I have hair that will hold a curl for hours without hairspray or do the beachy hair when it dries naturally to begin with! Used to wish for straight hair, but since I’ve finally learned to work with the texture, I love it a lot more. Just a bit of serum when it’s out of the shower smoothes down flyaways and keeps them in check (Garnier Fructis Sleek and Shine serum).
You lucky girl!
Lovely, Karen! Thanks for this awesome post, I’ve been debating about picking up that Bumble&Bumble one, but it looks like I can save a few bucks and get this one! Exciting:)
Let me know what you think of it once you get it! I hope you like. 🙂
I’m always trolling for new hair stuff. Thanks for the review. <3
You’re welcome!
This is my wave-defining styling product of choice and I agree with you! My hair’s not super thick but it isn’t thin either and it’s got tons of layers and length. The way i use it is: I shower at night, spray only a few spritzes and then I kind of ‘pick up’ little chunks of hair as to separate the layers. I also scrunch the rootsl along the back of my head to give it volume. Then I scrunch it a bit all over, go to sleep with my hair still being slightly wet and I wake up with defined waves that have volume but not frizz! People have started to ask me how I curl/style my hair ever since I started using this product 🙂 It does smell great too.
I bought mine along with its dry shampoo companion -special offer, and my hair gets oily faaaast too- and it’s just excellent, with a great scent as well!
Hi Andrea,
I’ll have to try your method. Maybe I’ll do it tonight. 🙂
Ohhh, the beach. That’s sounds good right about now. It’s so humid here!
We didn’t do anything special here. It was mostly tranquilizing poor Z because EVERYONE has to pop firecrackers and snaps firesnaps and set off fireworks starting JULY SECOND. Poor Zena was petrified. I mainly watched television marathons and read The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. I think I’m going to finish it tonight. I’ve been going to my mom a lot for help with the German (it’s not mainly for translation, although there is a bit of that. I want to know how to say a lot of them! I’m German. was born in German and I can’t even swear in German! I know now!!!!)
Today, I made 70% cacao chocolate mousse from scratch. My poor wrist hurts from all that whisking! I never knew chocolate mousse involved so much whisking. I couldn’t even cheat and use a blender. I even thought about it and realized I couldn’t use one because of the bowl situation (and the whole texture issue). Grrr.
You can buy it online at feelunique.com: http://www.feelunique.com/p/TIGI-Catwalk-Session-Series-Salt-Spray-270ml?curr=USD $17.08 and free worldwide shipping!
Oh this is great! I’ve been wondering about getting the B&B for months now, but the price has always stopped me. I’ll have to try this! I generally get great results from TIGI products (and my beloved genius of a hairdresser owns a TIGI salon, I should look there).
Karen, I must say your posts make me want to visit Hawaii and Northern California so very badly. I love all the photos you post! And since reading some comments the other day about diving in Pago Pago, I’ve been obsessed of going there too… (sigh, it’s raining here today)
Karennnn! your hair is so gorgeous!!!
i want this spray, and i lurve your beach photos!
Did you guys go to the beach over the long weekend? I bet the water’s warm out your way!
we stayed home because we wanted to avoid the crowds. we are going this weekend though! 🙂
This is very timely because my hair has been driving me nuts lately and I’ve been thinking about new products to try. I have Redken’s curl spray but it leaves my hair too crunchy unless I blow dry. My stand by Cloud 9 is just not defining my curl/wave lately (horrid, hot mess!). I’m going to check the TIGI out. I’ve never been a fan of their stuff, but this definitely sounds worthwhile. Do you find it to be drying (or harsh on your color)? Sodium Chloride as the second ingredient is giving me a bit of pause. I’m hoping the castor oil helps. 🙂
I must try this. I always try to get bumble surf spray to work but it just ends up making my hair feel dirty (in a bad way) and I get mad frizz.
Ugh!
Your hair looks all kinds of pretty! I’m sure I’d be a big ball of frizz if I attempt that on my own!
Karen,
Do you have to have natural curls in order for it to work? I have that neutrally sometimes wavy-sometimes not, Filipina hair thing going on, so I don’t know how well it’d work on me!
Thanks,
Bri G.
You have to try Alterna Hemp Ocean Waves spray. It is so good. It is hands down the best wave spray I’ve ever used. It leaves my hair nice and soft but really be beachy and naturally wavy. You can get it on Hautelook every once in a while for cheap. And omg it smells so good!