For the longest time, I had no idea how to pronounce the name of this brand: Ouai Haircare. I was saying, “Oh-ey,” like the Netflix sci-fi
show, The O/A. LOL! The proper pronunciation is “whey,” like the protein powder, and it’s a casual way to say “Yes” in French.
Ouai is a pretty new American line that was started in 2016 by celebrity hair stylist Jen Atkin. She’s worked on Gwen Stefani, Jessica Alba and many other locks of the A-listers. The products are cruelty-free and paraben-free, and they range from $24-32, so they’re in the Bumble and Bumble/R+Co/IGK price range. You can find the brand’s shampoos, conditioners, hair supplements and styling products (and a couple of body products thrown in for fun) at Sephora.
There are about 30-something products, give or take, so it’s a pretty streamlined brand. Jen’s aim was to make products that make it seem like you spent two hours styling your hair, when in reality you spent 15 minutes. And girl, when you’re chasing down a rambunctious toddler who is currently into everything, you don’t EVEN KNOW how much that speaks to my soul!
The line isn’t just about getting sh*t done in minimal time. The tubes and bottles also look lovely perched on a bathroom shelf (you know me and those sans serif fonts, man!), and everything — seriously, every product — smells like perfume from a hard-to-find fragrance boutique in Paris. Like, sometimes I spray the Dry Shampoo, which smells like violets, roses, musk and lemons, into my roots as an improv perfume. All of the products look and smell expensive and indulgent, but they’re also price-wise accessible.
