How to Get Beach Hair Anywhere

There’s no way Jeff Spicoli anticipated becoming a hair god, unless, of course, he got so stoned he saw the future.

Illustration: Lorna Alkana

Back in the ‘80s, a surfboard and a coastline were to men’s hair what cheat codes were to the first video gamers.

A head of long, tousled locks styled by nothing but foam and salt—hair that flies where the wind wills—is the envy of all men who like to look good, and it’s why surfers get laid like mad.

Beach hair is the mark of a benign rogue, a guy who’s fine with how things are. Like a biker of the sea, he goes his own way. And like a biker’s hair, this kind doesn’t need a particular shape to qualify, per say, but it does need some length to at least be legit. And it’s got to fall into place. No combs or any real sense of “styling” are welcomed here. It’s just you and your hands, unless you’ve got a surfboard and a coastline close by.

But the physical parts aren’t all one needs to achieve beach hair. Jeff Spicoli understood this, and it was his apathy that took the lead with he had up top (though we’d bet he’d put some thought into it, whatever he had left of it back then, that is.).

You, on the other hand, should care.

The key is caring just enough so that it looks like you don’t.

Some men of note, like World Cup champion, Antoine Griezmann, don’t even need summer—let alone a beach—to nail this look. It’s like Neo said, “There is no spoon.” Then again, someone tell that to FC Barcelona right now.

Image: Wikimedia Commons

Iron Man was bang-on that time he called Thor “Point Break.”

Image: 20th Century Fox

By the way, those of you born after the mid-’90s who are still here after that film reference, we salute you. Fast Times (because no one refers to it by its full name) is as ‘80s that a film can get, not that it’s a bad thing. But don’t put blonde Sean Penn at the head of the table; There are other model examples of well-kept beach hair in our times, especially if that mullet left a little to be desired. Flashes of Patrick Swayze’s Bodhi in Point Break come to mind, for instance.

You, on the other hand, don’t need a beach to wear your hair this way.

Barber and founder of Barrie’s History Barbershop brand, Michael McIntaggart, knows a few things about replicating beach hair, so called the guy for some help.

The Prep. “First and foremost, salt texture sprays are a popular choice here,” confirms McIntaggart. “But they’re often light in hold and are typically effective to produce texture in wavy, or curly hair. They’re mostly ineffective for guys with straight hair.”

Remember, don’t get trigger-happy with this stuff.

Step One. The key to getting beach hair is knowing how to “cocktail”—or mix products—and unless you smoke as much good-good as Spicoli, you’ll remember we’ve talked about this before. “I’d say that cocktailing water-based products is definitely valid here,” says Michael. “And grooming spray is a great way to promote those waves and curls you want for in mid-length to short hair.” You’ll also need a good blowdryer with a diffuser attachment (more on this in a few seconds).

Step Two. Pat your hair a couple times with a towel, wait till it’s half dry, then spray it with “a sparing amount of grooming spray.” Be sure you don’t miss anything, but don’t overdo it either. “Spray it evenly around the head at no less than an arm’s length away."

Step Three. “A lot of guys don't have a diffuser attachment for a blowdryer, though it would be ideal. With a mix of heat and low air flow, a diffuser basically helps keep frizz at bay and it’ll promote natural curling. As you dry your hair, run your fingers through it from root to tip. This method forms a natural curl (or wave depending on your hair structure).” 

Wait ‘till your hairstyle’s locked in, then give it one more go with the grooming spray for good measure. That said, keep in mind not to drench your lid with grooming spray once it’s dry; it's a water-based product and according to Michael, “too much moisture resets the hydrogen bonds in the hair, which brings it back to its natural state, whatever that may be for the wearer.”

Bonus Hack. If your hair’s razor fine or devoid of waves and weight, McIntaggart’s got just the thing. “Mix about a nickel’s worth of Crown’s structure styling paste in your hands then, using your fingers again, run it through your towel-dried hair.” The paste won’t just help with holding good form, it’ll keep away shine, which isn’t the province of a stoic surfer.

“Then, grab your grooming spray and cover your whole head, and make sure keep that arm’s length while your’e doing it.” Grab a towel to mess your hair up a bit, then use your fingers to squeeze—and hold—any hair on your head where movement’s most needed. “Try to hold it in place for a minute or two,” which bides your locks some time to dry and set. 

Give it another round of grooming spray now. Or don’t. Your call. 

Even a slick-back with some length can go beach hair with the right product or two. Image: History Barbershop

That is, after all, the beauty of this look.

Unlike, say, Don Draper’s sidepart or your grandad’s flattop, beach hair is unbound by hard rules or visible identifiers.

But let’s not kid ourselves, there is an art—and even some nuanced thought—to not caring much (or at least looking like you don’t).

Just ask Spicoli.