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

On top of her work as a stylist for Bella Hadid and Kim Kardashian, Jen Atkin founded her own brand, Ouai, in 2016.

Atkin wanted to convey a fuss-free and streamlined approach to haircare with her brand, shaking off unrealistic Instagram expectations and embracing a more natural confidence.

Its 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 and St Barts hair and body mist among its buzziest 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 its benefits, here’s my verdict on Ouai’s haircare.