From Lauren: Today’s post is from Stephanie at Naturally Mindful. She shares an easy DIY Beach Waves Spray recipe so you can skip the chemical-laden (and expensive) sprays from the store!
Beach Waves without the ocean (or chemicals!)
I don’t know why messy hair is considered sexy hair, but everyone wants sexy beach waves this time of year! I thought I would never achieve the perfect beach waves; especially because I stopped using conventional hair products due to the harmful chemicals they contain. (Besides, they aren’t gentle on your hair, leaving you with dry, damaged hair.)
I embarked in a search for the perfect sea salt texturizing spray, much to my disappointment I realized that every recipe I came along included hair conditioner or hair gel, and what’s the purpose of a DIY natural product if it isn’t all-natural, right? And after a few trials I found a DIY Beach Waves Spray formula that offers the perfect hold and it is gentle on my hair.
- 1 cup of hot coconut milk
- 1 tsp virgin coconut oil
- 2 tbs Epson Salts
- ½ tsp of Sea Salt
- Optional: 5 drops of essential oil of your choice
- Start by heating up on the stove a cup of coconut milk, either canned or homemade (I used homemade: add a cup of boiling water to ½ cup of unsweetened coconut flakes, let it sit for one hour. Blend and strain with a cheese cloth). No need to boil it, you want it hot enough that it'll melt the oil and salt. Add the oil, Epson Salt, sea salt, and essential oil if using. Stir until oil has melted, transfer to a small spray bottle and shake vigorously for a minute or two.
- Store in the refrigerator because it contains the coconut milk.
- Instructions for use: It works better on hair that has been washed the day day before. Spray generously to dry hair until damp, with a towel scrunch hair to desired amount of waves. Voila! You have sexy beach waves! Now go out there, you gorgeous thing you, let the wind hit your hair and feel like a swimsuit model!
About Stephanie at Naturally Mindful
Stephanie is a mom to a curly-haired 2 year old boy, wife to a handsome and very supportive man—even during her crazy attempts at homemade natural concoctions. She is currently a nursing student with emphasis in Alternative Medicine and blogs about living a green and healthy life at www.naturallymindful.com . She believes in Real Food, in living green without being difficult or expensive, and hopes to encourage others venturing in this wonderful world of Eco-consciousness. Visit her on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter and Instagram.
Do you make your own hair care products? Do you love beachy waves?
I’m excited to try this! How does it wear throughout the day? Do you notice an increase in tangles?
Michaela–it keeps the hold for a few hours, it’s awesome! The tangles are actually way less then when I used to use store bought or DIY recipes with hair gel in them. I hope you like it!
Stephanie, thanks for the info! =)
I just made this…couldn’t wait to try it so I cooled it in the freezer haha. Anyway LOVE LOVE LOVE it! I have very curly hair that tends to be on the dry side, I wash my hair about every 4 days. This perked up my curls and gave it’s moisturizing and my hair looks great again!! I will honestly NEVER use anything else now!
Thank you also for all your amazing tips, recipe,s insights and healthy lifestyle changing ideas! I’ve just recently joined your blog, and have already used so many of your tips.
Hey do you know if the salts in this will strip hair color?
So the recipe says 1 cup of coconut milk, and there is no water listed. In step 1 you say to add 1 cup of hot water to 1/2 cup of coconut milk. I am confused, please clarify for me. I just can’t wait to make this and I want to make it right. =D
I think the water was if you were making your own homemade coconut milk. If you are using canned coconut milk you do not use it.
Kimberly, Michelle is right. If you are using canned coconut milk simply heat it up before using it, if you are making it from scratch you add a cup of hot water to coconut flakes, which is the instructions I listed in parenthesis. I hope that helps! 🙂
Hi, thank you for the recipes. I don’t have epsom salt can I skip it and and do the hair spray with the rest of the ingredients.
Nonna, I’ve never tried it without Epson Salts, but I would use just two tbs of seal salt in that case. I don’t know if it’ll have the same hold, though. Let us know how it turned out!
I am SO excited to try this! Do you know how long the spray will keep for?
I LOVE this stuff. I have always had hard to tame waves–not curly, not straight hair. This is perfect with the right amount of hold and, for me, it lasts all day. Best of all, I’m just super glad to use ingredients I recognize. THANKS!!!
Does it make your hair smell like coconut or can I add an essential oil for a scent?
This is exactly what I have been looking for! After several years of no-poo hair cleansing, yet using commercial yet “natural” conditioner and other styling products that gunk up my hair (which then needs to be clarified off using baking soda and vinegar), I have made the switch to using only homemade products (honey shampoo is the best thus far!). Inspired by the Morrocco Method (but not those price tags), I am now brushing my hair with my old neglected boar bristle brush, and then re-wetting my hair to revive the natural curly wave. Yet even though my hair is softer, shinier, hydrated, and cleaner, the curl is not as well defined as before, due to the brushing I suspect. So my hopes are that this recipe will help restore my curls. When I go to the beach, I hesitate to rinse the salt water out of my hair because it, and the sea breeze, makes it look so good…
Hi,
Wouldn’t the oil separate when the spray cools down?
Thanks