My Favorite (and Least Favorite Ouai Products) – Acajou
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Ouai is a buzzed-about haircare brand that was started in 2016 with the release of their Wave Spray. The brand has really cemented itself as effortless cool and their minimalistic neutral-toned packaging is all over social media. The founder, Jen Atkin, is a celebrity hairstylist who has worked with the Kardashians and also started the hair blog Mane Addicts, so I was always curious to try the products to see if they were as effective as they were cool.
What Makes Ouai Different
Ouai’s branding is really about effortless cool and neutral packaging, but they’ve put out many familiar products that focus on hydration. They don’t focus too much on innovation or bond repair, but instead try to create nice and effective formulas with a sleek veneer.
They have a lot both on the haircare and hair styling side, but they’ve also expanded into bodycare, scent, and other categories as well (like dog shampoo and laundry detergent!) There are a few things that do seem to make Ouai different from the rest of the haircare pack.
They Separate Their Products By Hair Type
Ouai has three different shampoos and conditioners meant for regular use, each for a different hair type: fine, medium, or thick hair. Most brands will label their shampoos as being for volumizing or moisture, which can make things confusing if for example you’re looking for both volume and moisture! Their labeling system makes it quite easy, and this extends to other products like their hair masks where they have one for fine to medium hair, and a more moisture-rich version for medium-thick hair.
Their Founder is Jen Atkin
Jen Atkin herself is known for the hairstyles she’s created for Kendall Jenner for the Met Ball (among other things). The overall vibe of the line is sophisticated but casual.
Their Products Smell Amazing
One of the things that most appealed to me from the start about Ouai was their focus on scent. They have a few different scents which are available in eau de parfum but they also come infused into their hair products. They also helpfully lay out which products have which scents.
They Have Beautiful, Minimalistic Packaging
Their packaging is definitely fit for social media and great for neutral-lovers. Their clean color palette and curvy bottles make their products look beautiful in the shower.
Ouai Fine Hair Shampoo and Conditionerad Review
I have pretty fine hair that tends to get oily pretty quickly, so I picked up Ouai’s shampoo and conditioner set for Fine Hair. Ouai claims this shampoo makes hair thicker, cleaner, stronger, and gives it more volume.
This shampoo did a pretty good job of cleansing my hair, but I have tried a few shampoos that give my hair a deeper clean and keep my hair from getting oily so quickly. For a shampoo geared towards fine hair, I find it gives my scalp and hair slightly more moisture than I would like. I finished my bottle but likely wouldn’t repurchase since I have other shampoo and conditioner sets that perform better.
The scent in the Fine Hair Shampoo (and the Medium and Thick Har shampoos) is Mercer Street. It has notes of Italian lemon, Turkish rose, jasmine sambac, lily, iris, and white musk. It’s a nice fresh scent that is definitely there but it’s not an overwhelmingly powerful scent like I’ve experienced from Kerastase shampoos for example.
Final Verdict: Smells nice, but I have other shampoos that give my oily hair a deeper clean
Ouai Detox Shampoo Review
Clarifying shampoos were somewhat new to me still when I first tried the Ouai Detox Shampoo. This shampoo is best used once a week, perhaps twice a week if you have very oily hair, but using too frequently can dry out your hair. This shampoo gives my hair a very deep clean without making my hair feel stripped.
Since many hair types can benefit from a deep cleaning clarifying shampoo, this is a perfect product for those who want to clarify without leaving their hair feeling dry. This would be a great detoxer for curly or thick hair types, but it’s great for fine hair types as well.
Final Verdict: Love for many hair types and would repurchase!
Ouai Hair Mask for Fine to Medium Hair Review
A lot of hair masks seem to be one size fits all which can make it difficult to figure out which hair masks are truly intensely conditioning and which are better suited for less damaged or less dry hair. I love that Ouai has made hair masks for different hair thicknesses to solve the problem.
The Ouai Hair Mask for Fine Hair smells amazing and only needs to sit on the hair for about 5 minutes before rinsing. It makes my hair feel incredibly soft and healthy afterwards and feels like such a treat. It’s rare to find a hair mask that works well for fine hair without leaving your hair feeling heavy, but the one does the trick.
Final Verdict: My favorite Ouai product. Amazing for making fine hair soft and healthy without heaviness.
Would I Recommend Ouai?
Ouai’s products have been hit or miss for me, but the ones I’ve liked have really impressed me. The Detox Shampoo and the Hair Mask for Fine to Medium Hair are both repurchases for me. They smell amazing and are super effective for keeping my hair clean and soft. The shampoo and conditioner is not my favorite, but I’m probably spoiled for choice having tried so many shampoos and conditioners.
Ouai Haircare Review Conclusion
I’m looking forward to trying more of Ouai’s products! I haven’t yet tried any hairstyling products from Ouai but I’m curious to know if their haircare or styling products are better. Have you tried any products from Ouai? Which are your favorite?