Since this year, I have been taking extra care with my hair and I'm loving every second of it. I have two reviews of hair products and treatments here and here which you can check out. For today I would be talking about OUAI hair care which I am sure everyone who loves social media must have heard about. I was so lucky to get some products to try out shortly before it was launched here in the UK. I have used them for well over a month and I am in love with the range. It's very hard not to fall in love with it because it is a beautiful brand with effective products that can be used by everyone. The amazing luxury beauty distributors- Mark McDonald Consultancy are the brains behind launching OUAI here in the UK and they have done an incredible job at it. You can check out their website here and their lifestyle page here.
I am sure if you have heard about OUAI hair care (which is pronounced as "Way") you would already know that it was created by Jen Atkin. She is a seasoned celebrity hairstylist who has done amazing work with many celebrities but many know her for the way she slays Kim Kardashian West's hair (and I think the other Kardashians as well). Her signature hair style is creating effortless lived in waves for both the everyday and glam woman/girl. She created OUAI with an aim to capture this modern effortless vibe so anyone can try to recreate it for themselves. If you are wondering about the name OUAI and its meaning well I have got you covered. The word OUAI is culled from the word Ouais which means Yeah or Yes in a casual way in French (the sexiest language on this planet). I really like the name as I feel it just captures the essence of the brand and everything behind its development. I was kindly gifted the following: OUAI Smoothing Shampoo*, OUAI Smoothing Conditioner*, OUAI Treatment Masque*, OUAI Finishing Creme* and OUAI Texturizing Spray*. There are four ranges to the shampoo and conditioner line including Smooth, Volume, Repair and Clean. I love that the shampoo and conditioner are targeted to suit different types of hair conditions. The products are split into three categories- Daily Care, Styling and Treatment. They don't test on animals and many of the products are free from Parabens and Sulfate which I am very impressed about. You can check out the entire range on the OUAI haircare website here.
Packaging
My oh my!! The joy I feel just staring at the minimalistic packaging is just insane and if I ever have a brand, I would definitely adopt minimalistic packaging. I love the white color scheme (with some grey) and I am so convinced that less is definitely more. All the products look super classy, elegant, sophisticated yet relatable and I am loving it. Imagine having an all white marble bathroom with all your OUAI products neatly arranged--->total bathroom goals. More importantly, the packaging is practical. The products are easy to dispense from their packaging and they have secure lids to prevent any accidents. I wonder if Jen Atkin would launch a travel size range. I think I would totally buy any minis that are ever launched because they would look super cute.
OUAI Smooth Shampoo*// Link //£22
The OUAI haircare website describes this shampoo as a hydrating cleanser infused with their unique Smart Technology complex that calms frizz, cleanses strands and replenishes moisture leaving the hair smooth. I fell in love with the slim tall bottle and it just looks so pretty in my bathroom. I love the lid as it's shaped in a hexagonal design. The first thing I noticed was the lovely fragrance. I can't even describe its exact fragrance (which is unhelpful, I know) but it's a super pleasant one. I think it's more of a fresh floral smell and I love it. When hair products smell nice, it's always a plus in my books. It is Sulfate and Paraben free which is incredible and I am super pleased about it. My hair does not feel stripped at all and it leaves it very soft. It forms a good lather which is easy to work into the hair and easy to rinse off. My hair feels super clean and I am impressed. I have also used it on my hair extensions and it did an amazing job at restoring their natural shine and bounce.
OUAI Smooth Conditioner*// Link //£20
OUAI describes this conditioner as a soothing hydrator that calms the hair without weighing it down. It is also infused with their unique Smart Technology complex for nourished healthy looking hair. I just noticed that the conditioner's bottle is slightly smaller than the shampoo which is surprising. I generally use more conditioner than shampoo on my natural hair as it tends to be on the dry spectrum. Anyway, I really like the conditioner as it just sits right on my hair. I use it straight after the shampoo and leave it to soak into my hair. It smells so lovely just like the shampoo and I love how beautiful my hair smells after I use it. Sometimes, I leave it on for a little longer just so my hair feels extra soft. It's also easy to rinse off but it still leaves my hair super soft. More importantly for me, it makes my natural hair curls pop so well. Generally, my hair gets curly when water hits it but the curls are not always defined. However, when I used the OUAI Smooth Conditioner, the curls totally came through and were very defined. I was pleasantly surprised and I guess that's why I reach for it much more than my other conditioners. I love it!!
OUAI Finishing Creme* // Link //£20
I generally shy away from using finishing creams on my natural hair because they contain water which reverts my hair from straight to curly (which is a no-no after I have spent hours straightening it). I prefer to use finishing creams on my hair extensions because they work best that way. I currently have some hair extensions on and I have been enjoying using the entire OUAI range on them (and some on my natural hair). When I am done styling my extensions in the morning, I love to use the OUAI Finishing Creme to keep them sleek. I just add a dime size amount on my palms and smooth it down across my hair. First off, it catches any stray fly away hair and keeps them in place but it also gives a nice natural shine. I find that extensions may sometimes look less than healthy after a while so using this silky finishing creme adds some oomph back to them. If you have naturally straight hair, you would love this a lot. It does not feel sticky at all and it's not greasy which is a big plus.
I had no idea I would fall so hard for this spray. I am not a big fan of using hair sprays on my natural hair and even my extensions because I haven't seen any I love. However, I thought I might as well give this a try and it has captured my heart! I have to say this is the best hair spray I have used!! The description on the can totally captures its essence- "like dry shampoo and a hair spray had a baby" and I absolutely agree. First off, it smells absolutely gorgeous!! It's just smells like the richest perfume ever and I wish I had the fragrance used as a normal perfume. I love that it is super light weight and it does not weigh my hair down at all. I use it mainly for my extensions and it just does an incredible job. The other day I decided to add some waves to my hair and gave my hair a quick spritz with this spray. My goodness!! I felt on top of the world and I took loads of photos. My waves/curls stayed popping all day and looked and smelled incredible. The next day, they dropped to effortless waves which I loved even more and they looked incredible. I got loads of compliments with the waves and I think I may stick with them for a little while. Basically, I am addicted to this texturizing hairspray. It does not feel sticky at all and I love it so much for that. It's an absolute winner!!
OUAI Treatment Masque*// Link //£25 (for 8 sachets)
OUAI describes the mask as a restorative healing mask that's formulated to repair damage within minutes leaving strands incredible soft and smooth after just one treatment. It is infused with Artichoke Leaf Extract to seal the cuticle and protect hair from future damage. I have not used this just yet because I am saving it for when I apply color to my hair. I am really impressed with all the other products so I have high hopes for this mask. It actually comes in a pack of 8 but I just have one for now. Once I use it, I would come back and update this post.
Where to buy
You know how sad we feel in the UK when amazing products are launched in the US and never make it down here. Well, that's not the case this time around because OUAI launched in the UK in April 2016. Yahhhh *cues in drum rolls* They are exclusive to Selfridges so you can buy it online or in-store. I think it's incredible that they are available in the UK. It means you can always test it out there so you can decide which product is best for your hair type.
Overall Thoughts
I am seriously impressed with the entire range and all the products I have tried. I know many people have second thoughts when it comes to hyped products but seriously, this is one hype that meets all expectations and even more. I love everything about the products from the packaging down to how well they perform on all hair types including my afro. I am keen to try the hair oil because it looks gorgeous. That's pretty much my review and I hope you enjoyed this post. See you in my next post. Have you tried any products from OUAI haircare?
*Gifted PR Samples + Affiliate links, read my full disclaimer here.
I don't have anything from Ouai but I want to get the texturizing spray. I've really been into hair care recently.
ReplyDeletePerfect Shade of Mauve
You would absolutely love it. Everything from the packaging to the fragrance is just on point and the products actually work well!!...xx
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