Does Salt Water Damage Your Hair? How to Protect It Before You Swim
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“Why does my hair feel like straw?” Salt water can be incredibly harsh on hair. And if you swim regularly — surfing, beach days, snorkeling, or even pool vacations (chlorine) — the damage adds up fast. Don't stop all those fun adventures, just get your hair some support.
Why Salt Water Is So Drying Ocean water contains a high concentration of salt (sodium chloride). Salt is hygroscopic, meaning it pulls moisture out of whatever it touches — including your hair.
When your hair soaks in salt water, salt crystals form as it dries. These crystals pull moisture out of the hair shaft and the outer layer (cuticle) lifts and roughens. Hair becomes dry, tangled, brittle, dull, and dehydrated.
What Salt Water Actually Does to Your Hair Structure
Hair is made of protein (keratin) protected by overlapping scales called the cuticle.
Salt water causes:
Moisture loss
Hair becomes dehydrated from the inside out.
Cuticle damage
The protective outer layer lifts, making hair rough and porous.
Increased breakage
Dry hair snaps more easily — especially when brushing.
Tangling and matting
Rough cuticles catch on each other.
Color fading
Salt accelerates the fading of dyed or highlighted hair.
Sun + Salt = Double Damage
At the beach, salt isn’t acting alone. UV rays degrade hair proteins. Salt dries and roughens the hair. Together, they create the classic “beach hair damage” cycle. It may look cute at first, but it is slowly ruining your hair. Going from wild and funky to dead and crunchy.
Who Is Most Affected?
Salt water can damage any hair type, but it hits some harder:
Dry or curly hair (me, the founder)
Fine hair prone to breakage
Color-treated hair
Gray or thinning hair (me, again)
Long hair (older ends are fragile)
Perimenopausal hair (more porous and dry)
Not a super fun list, but it's honest at least. As we age, our hair needs more attention. I didn't care about any of this when I was in my 20's, even early 30's but one day I remember thinking.....wow, my ends are crunchy. And then I went through pretty severe breakage and hair loss and it got me here. Researching the heck out of this stuff and making a product to fix it.
Why Rinsing After Swimming Isn’t Enough
Many people assume showering afterward fixes the problem. But by then, damage has already begun. Salt water penetrates deeply into hair, continues drying as it evaporates, and leaves mineral residue behind. Once the cuticle lifts, it doesn’t magically reseal. This right here is what I never knew. I thought, so what, my hair is exposed to salt for a few hours, I'll wash it out. Turns out I was wrong.
Prevention works far better than repair.
The Best Way to Protect Hair From Salt Water
Swimmers, surfers, divers, boogie boarders, hand plane riders, body surfers, wave frolickers, SUPers, beach bikini photo shoot gals, anyone that is drawn to the sultry salt water, here is what you need to know.
Create a barrier before entering the water. BEFORE. When hair is coated with protective oils or balms salt water can’t penetrate as easily (yay!), moisture is sealed, cuticle stays smoother, hair tangles less and damage is dramatically reduced.
It's got to stay on your hair and not wash out. That's why we use plant butters and beeswax, anything that has just oils is better than nothing, but it will eventually wash out and won't protect your hair for too long.
Why Natural Oils Work So Well
Hair is naturally protected by sebum (your scalp’s oils). But frequent ocean dips strip this away. Plant oils mimic that protection by repeling water, reducing salt absorption, adding slip to prevent tangles, protecting from sun exposure and nourishing the hair shaft- like a hair mask.
But not all oils stay put in the ocean — many wash out quickly. Like I said before, the butter we use and the beeswax help with this. Don't worry, it does come out easty after when you want it to. Use conditioner first- the oils in the conditioner bind to the oils in the Surf Balm and it comes out easy. Shampoo as you like after. Personally, I don't always shampoo after, I'll just use the conditioner and that works for me. I also have curly thick hair, though so you do.
How to Use a Pre-Surf Surf Balm
Apply to dry hair
Focus on mid-lengths and ends or anywhere you know needs extra attention
Work it in best you can. Then braid it or put a bun in, just want to stop it from flying around everywhere. I know you feel like a mermaid out there but secure the hair best you can. Wash out afterward (conditioner first works best)
Your hair should feel softer, smoother, and far less tangled.
The Bottom Line
Salt water isn’t “bad”, it's actually the best thing in the world — but it is dehydrating.
Without protection, repeated exposure can lead to dryness, breakage, thinning ends, frizz, dullness, tangling, and color damage. The simplest fix is to protect your hair before you enter the water.
Protect Your Hair Without Avoiding the Ocean
You don’t have to choose between healthy hair and time in the sea. If i had to I would pick the sea, but the good news is you don't have to make that decision.
With the right pre-swim protection, you can enjoy surfing, swimming, and beach life — without sacrificing your hair’s health.
That’s exactly why Surf Balm was created. I needed it for myself, and I bet you'll love it too.
