8 Pro Surfers Spill Their Secret To Perfect Beach Hair

Beach spray's origin story doesn't start with a surfer — far from it. It begins with celeb hairstylist Chris McMillan, the man behind iconic cuts like Jennifer Aniston's The Rachel and Katy Perry's new pixie. In an effort to copy the piece-y texture and enviable grit that beach-goers naturally get, he filled a spray bottle with ocean water at the Santa Monica beach, added it to his kit, and used it to prep Aniston's hair for the 2000 Emmy Awards. And just like that, a category was born, with Bumble & Bumble's Surf Spray hitting shelves the next year.

Most surfers, on the other hand, wouldn't be caught dead with a beach spray in their bag — they let the waves take care of that. Instead, these athletes swear by nourishing cleaners, light oils, and leave-ins to counteract the elements and provide balance for their already salty styles.

The moral of the story: Beach spray is great for the red carpet (or a rooftop party, more likely), but when packing for the beach this summer, leave your salt spray at home and take the advice of some of the top surfers. Get ready to experience actual beach hair, not crunchy texture on top of already-salty strands.

We tapped eight badass pro surfers from around the globe to spill exactly what they swear by to keep their hair healthy, protected, and perfectly tousled all season. Spoiler alert: One product is so foolproof, it pops up over and over again.