Fab or flub? Ouai Finishing Creme promises to tame frizz

Recognized as “the most influential hairstylist in the world” by The New York Times, celebrity hairstylist Jen Atkin knows a thing or two about good hair.

The founder of ManeAddicts.com (a website devoted to showcasing the best in hair-related content), Atkin boasts an impressive roster of A-list clients that includes Jessica Alba, Chrissy Teigen, Sofia Vergara and all the members of the Kardashian/Jenner clan.

With such an extensive résumé, it should come as no surprise that in February, Atkin launched her own hair-care line called Ouai (pronounced “way”).

Developed over two years with input from Atkin’s famous clients, the line includes hair essentials like shampoo, conditioner, wave spray and hair oil.

For this week’s Fab or Flub? column, I decided to review the Ouai Finishing Créme ($24, Sephora). One of two products from the line I was most excited to try, the finishing cream turned out to be harder than I expected to find.

Not only did the product sell out the week that the line launched, but it continued to sell out every time it came back in stock. After a few weeks, I was finally able to secure my own tube of the hydrating cream, which promises to protect hair from heat styling and to smooth dry, frizzy ends.

First impression

Designed with a minimalist aesthetic, Ouai Finishing Créme comes in a sleek, white tube and has a beautiful floral scent that is fresh and not too overpowering.

Compared to John Frieda Frizz-Ease, which I use daily, the cream has a thicker consistency and is not as greasy.

After rubbing a little less than a dime-size amount of the product in my hands, I applied it through the ends of my hair, then smoothed it over the top of any frizzy strands. Instantly, I noticed that the cream added a nice dose of hydration to my hair (essential because of my regular use of hot tools) and helped tame most of my flyaways.

I also liked that it made my hair look shinier and that it left it smelling nice.

Fab or flub?

Flab. Does the Ouai Finishing Créme work? Yes. Is it worth its $24 price tag? That’s debatable.

While the product smells fantastic and does a wonderful job of smoothing away pesky flyaways, I’m not sure it performs any better than the trusty John Frieda Frizz-Ease that I’ve been using since sixth grade.

Both products leave my hair looking perfectly polished and perform so similarly that I don’t think it necessarily justifies going for the pricier one.

If you are going to put your money toward one product in the line, I highly suggest Ouai’s Texturizing Hair Spray instead. Not only does it perform as well as Oribe’s Dry Texturizing Spray, but it is $18 — less expensive than the cult favorite and guaranteed to give you effortless, textured waves that will give those around you hair envy.

This story was originally published April 8, 2016 at 2:46 PM with the headline "Fab or flub? Ouai Finishing Creme promises to tame frizz."