I upgraded my haircare routine with this brand – and the shine is unrivalled

Jen Atkin counts the likes of Gigi and Bella Hadid, Kim and Khloe Kardashian, Emma Stone, Jennifer Lopez and Katy Perry her clients. But alongside her glitzy schedule, she founded her own haircare brand Ouai in 2016.

Getting its name from the French slang word ‘ouai’ (which translates simply to ‘yeah’), Atkin’s wanted the brand to reflect a fuss-free, conversational and casual approach to haircare. In other words, shaking off unrealistic Instagram expectations and embracing a more natural confidence.

Its considered range of products includes shampoos, conditioners and hair oils , as well as scalp serums, leave-in conditioners and hair glosses to suit a range of hair types. There are shampoos for thinning and curl creams for afro and coily hair, as well as anti-dandruff and frizz-fighting formulas.

The brand’s recognisable packaging is pleasingly minimalist and sleek (the kind of bottles that you want on display in your bathroom), while it also offers refillable sachets for reducing waste. All its products are lightly fragranced, with the scents proving so popular that Ouia has recently introduced a fragrance line.

With more than 50 million views on TikTok, the brand is no stranger to going viral with its detox shampoo (powered by keratin for smoothing) and its brand-new St Barts hair and body mist among its most buzzy products.

But with its haircare starting from £26, Ouai’s products certainly aren’t the cheapest. So, I got my hands on the brand’s bestsellers to see which ones are worth a spot in your beauty arsenal and which ones aren’t.

How we tested

I tested Ouai’s products for a number of weeks, swapping my usual haircare for the brand’s detox shampoo, medium conditioner, hair oil, leave-in conditioner, hair gloss and hair and body mist. For reference, I have frizz-prone hair and a dry scalp. Considering the ease of application, the feeling of the product on my hair and their benefits, here’s my verdict on Ouai’s haircare.

Ouai detox shampoo

Ouai medium hair conditioner

Ouai St Barts hair and body mist

Ouai hair oil

Ouai leave in conditioner

Ouai hair gloss

The verdict: Ouai