South Surf 18

Bumble and bumble uses the lowercase logo trick that made kate spade famous, but can they deliver when it comes to the salty goodness? We were intrigued by their Bumble South line’s Surf Spray, with its rough and tumble rubberized packaging and the promise of hair freshly tousled with a beach towel.

The Product Junkie historically is very skeptical about styling goops. We can’t help it, really. After all, the salons promise to shine and refine, lift and separate, fluff and restore, and every other action verb combo in a copywriter’s thesaurus. Certainly, we can’t expect them to spend all that money on spin and still have some left over for something that actually, dare we say it, works.

Luckily, Bumble and bumble is choosing its battles wisely and hasn’t promised anything more than it could deliver, which was the wind-whipped salty hair you might have after a day in Cabo San Lucas. After years of sleek and languid, it’s time for a shake up and judging by the recent spreads in Vogue and Esquire, matte is back once more. With the recent return of big 80’s hair and shine-free lips (goodbye, gloss, we hardly knew you), using Surf Spray, we couldn’t help but be reminded of the hair touted by the alternative bands in the late 80’s. In fact, after a few bursts of the product and then a quick shot with the ionic hairdryer on a tepid setting, we had almost precisely replicated the hair of the late Aussie Michael Hutchence, circa Back When He Was Hot.

We are probably revealing our age with all of these 80’s references. Please excuse our reminiscing.

The product provides just enough control to resuscitate limp hair and any latent curl or waves you might have, while also providing a piecey texture, but without weighing down the hair like a pomade or styling mud. We like this product as a style reviver too. It has a very light fresh scent vaguely reminiscent of seawater mixed with a little rum and lemonade (Oh cabana boy!)

One caveat, however: just like the real surf, don’t overdo this spray. Our crispy matte hair hung lank and tired, as though we had just been rescued by a bronzed lifeguard earlier in the day and hadn’t quite recovered.

It seems to work best with existing layers or short hair rather than long, blunt cuts. Sorry, girls with long straight hair, but that has died faster than Justin Guarini’s career. Shine is passe. It’s time to once again embrace the crunchy hair.

Bumble South Surf Spray 24.99 for 4 ounces