For the most texture per dollar, Byrd Texturizing Surfspray has the lowest cost per ounce in this comparison. For guys with thin or medium hair who want a light hold, Pete & Pedro SALT is built for that job. If salt dries your hair out, Ouai Wave Spray is the alternative, because it contains no salt at all. One finding surprised us. In three of the four salt sprays, the ingredient listed right after water isn’t sea salt. It’s magnesium sulfate (see what’s actually inside).
This is a buying comparison built from the makers’ product pages, checked October 18, 2026: ingredient lists, stated hold, directions, sizes and direct list prices. We did not run wear tests. If you want to know how to use sea salt spray (wet or dry hair, with clay or pomade, every day or not), our sea salt spray styling guide covers that in 12 questions. This page is about which bottle to buy.
Four Texturizing Sprays Compared
| Spray | Maker-stated hold / result | Size and direct list price* | Cost per ounce | Shortlist it for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Byrd Texturizing Surfspray | Texture, natural shine and beachy volume. The maker says it is not for styles that need strong, structured hold. | 8 oz, $16.00 | $2.00 | Relaxed waves, or a base under pomade when you need more hold |
| Pete & Pedro SALT | Volume, thickness, texture and a “light, flexible hold” | 8.5 oz, $20.00 · 2 oz travel, $9.95 | $2.35 (travel size $4.98) | Thin, medium and longer styles. The maker positions it as a pre-styler. |
| Sun Bum Sea Spray | A “piecey beach look”; no hold level stated for this product | $16.99 (size given only in the product URL: 6 oz) | About $2.83, if 6 oz | Spraying on the lengths rather than the roots, as the directions say |
| Ouai Wave Spray (salt-free) | Texture, body and volume; the maker claims it holds natural waves for up to 8 hours, based on lab testing it commissioned | 6 fl oz, $30.00 · 3 fl oz, $16.00 (not available when we checked) | $5.00 ($5.33 for 3 oz) | Longer hair, or hair that feels dry after salt sprays |
The spread is wide: from $2.00 to $5.00 per ounce for the full sizes. Ouai’s premium buys a different formula, not just a different brand (see below). Pete & Pedro’s travel size costs more than twice as much per ounce as its regular bottle. That’s fine for a test, expensive as a habit.
What’s Actually Inside a “Sea Salt” Spray
U.S. labeling rules require cosmetic ingredients to be listed in descending order of predominance. Ingredients at 1 percent or less may follow in any order (21 CFR 701.3). So the top of the list shows what a spray is mostly made of. Here is what the makers list:
| Spray | First ingredients after water | Where sea salt appears |
|---|---|---|
| Byrd Texturizing Surfspray | Magnesium sulfate, hydrolyzed quinoa, polysorbate-20 | 8th, after the preservative phenoxyethanol |
| Pete & Pedro SALT | Magnesium sulfate, polysorbate 20 | 4th (“Sea Salt/Maris Sal”) |
| Sun Bum Sea Spray | Magnesium sulfate, isoceteth-20, fragrance | 8th |
| Ouai Wave Spray | Propanediol, PVP, polysorbate 20 | Not listed. The maker sells it as salt-free. |
What that means for you: magnesium sulfate, the compound sold as Epsom salt, is the main salt in three of these “sea salt” sprays, and sea salt plays a smaller part. We can’t tell the exact amounts from a label, especially for ingredients that may sit in the 1-percent-or-less group. But if you’re choosing on the strength of “sea salt” on the front of the bottle, the back says something more specific. Ouai gets its texture from polymers such as PVP instead, which is why it’s on this list as the salt-free option.
Which Spray Fits Your Hair?
For relaxed waves on a budget: Byrd Texturizing Surfspray
Byrd calls it a “reparative styling spritz”, with sea salt and coconut water for texture, plus quinoa protein, vitamin B5 and seabuckthorn extract. Those are the maker’s claims about hair care. It says it’s for all hair types, can go on damp or dry hair, and can be mixed with pomade when you need more hold or shine. It’s explicitly not for strong, structured styles. See Byrd Surfspray on Amazon · maker’s page.
For thin or medium hair: Pete & Pedro SALT
Pete & Pedro describes added thickness, volume, texture and a light, flexible hold, with sea salt and kelp extract. It positions SALT for thin, medium and longer styles and suggests using it as a pre-styler under another product, such as its putty. Directions: 3–5 pumps into towel-dried or damp hair, then style on its own or finish with another product. See Pete & Pedro SALT on Amazon · maker’s page. If you’re choosing that second product for thin hair, see pomade, clay, wax, paste or gel for thin hair.
For a piecey look: Sun Bum Sea Spray
Sun Bum mentions Hawaiian sea salt and sea kelp. Its directions are the most specific about placement: spray the strands more than the roots, and lift your hair to reach the layers underneath. See Sun Bum Sea Spray on Amazon · maker’s page.
For a salt-free alternative: Ouai Wave Spray
Ouai sells Wave Spray as salt-free and says it enhances natural texture, helps control frizz and adds hydration for a soft-to-touch feel. Its frizz, hold and volume figures come from lab tests the brand commissioned (TRI/Princeton, 2023 and 2024), not from an independent product comparison. For straight hair, the directions say to spray it on clean, wet hair from 6–8 inches away, roots to ends, then scrunch or twist. It’s the most expensive per ounce here. See Ouai Wave Spray on Amazon · maker’s page.
What Changed From Our Earlier List
- Ouai Wave Spray was listed as a sea salt spray. The maker calls it salt-free, so it’s now marked as the salt-free alternative.
- Bumble and bumble Surf Spray, our old “best overall”, is out. We couldn’t open the maker’s product page to check the formula and price, and we don’t list what we can’t verify.
- “Best overall” and “best budget” labels are gone. They implied a performance ranking we never measured.
What This Comparison Does Not Claim
We didn’t measure texture, hold, dryness or how long waves last. Hold descriptions aren’t standardized across brands, and Ouai’s numbers come from lab tests the brand commissioned. Whether salt sprays dry out your hair depends on your hair and how often you use them. Our styling guide covers daily use. Prices change, and retailers often sell below list price.
FAQ
Is sea salt spray mostly sea salt?
Not in three of the four we checked. Byrd, Pete & Pedro and Sun Bum all list magnesium sulfate right after water, and sea salt further down. See the ingredient table.
Which sea salt spray is cheapest per ounce?
Byrd Texturizing Surfspray, at $2.00 per ounce in our October 2026 check, followed by Pete & Pedro SALT at $2.35.
Is there a texture spray without salt?
Yes. Ouai Wave Spray is sold as salt-free and lists no salt in its ingredients. It costs more per ounce than the salt sprays here.
Do I use it on wet or dry hair?
Byrd says damp or dry. Pete & Pedro says towel-dried or damp. Ouai’s directions for straight hair start on clean, wet hair. For the general technique, see our sea salt spray guide.
Axel Lander is the founder and editor of ReadySleek. He publishes practical guides on men’s style, grooming, and fragrance, with a focus on clear comparisons, value, and the trade-offs readers should know before deciding.
