Ouai shampoo is sorted by hair type, fine, medium or thick, with an anti-dandruff formula and a dry shampoo alongside. Here is how to match the washes, conditioners, masks and oil in Jen Atkin's line to your hair.
Ouai Shampoo for Fine, Thick and Flaky Hair: A Guide to Jen Atkin's Line
Jen Atkin moved from Utah to Los Angeles at 19 with almost no money and started by cutting her own hair with shaving razors, because nobody could give her the Natalie Imbruglia cut she wanted. She became one of the best-known stylists in the business, and in 2016 she launched Ouai, pronounced way, a nod to the casual French yeah. She has said she went through many lab samples before she was happy with the formulas. Ouai shampoo is sorted by hair type, which I find genuinely useful. The Fine Hair Shampoo is color safe and gives flat hair some life, and the Thick Hair Shampoo strengthens and smooths hair that has a lot going on. The Anti-Dandruff Shampoo is for flaking and itching, and it still leaves hair feeling soft rather than stripped. The Cape Town dry shampoo is the one I keep for day two, since it absorbs oil and blends into hair. Choose by the hair you have, not the hair you want.
Conditioner, matched
The conditioners follow the same logic. The fine version is lightweight and color safe, so it softens without flattening, the medium one adds shine and smoothness, and the thick one is rich enough to fight frizz on dry, coarse lengths. North Bondi is the leave-in, a detangling, frizz-fighting spray that also protects, and it carries the brand's North Bondi scent. I use it on every wash, conditioner or not, and it makes combing wet hair far less of a fight. Match the conditioner to the shampoo, and apply it from the ears down. Rinse with cool water if frizz is your main complaint.
Once a week, and every day
The last row is the treatment side. There are two masks by hair type, one for fine to medium hair that is safe on color, and one for thick hair that restores hydration and shine. The Bond Repair Balm is for hair damaged by heat, color or breakage, the one to reach for after a big lightening appointment. The heat protecting oil is ultra light, and it smooths frizz without weighing hair down. What I would skip is using the thick hair mask on thin strands because it feels richer. It will just leave them limp, so stick with your type.
How I would shop it
Start with the shampoo and conditioner for your hair type, and add North Bondi. After a month, add the mask once a week. Keep the dry one for the days in between washes. Atkin has stayed on as founder and creative lead since Procter & Gamble bought the brand in 2021, and the line still reads like a stylist's advice rather than a marketing plan. If you want to keep browsing, I also put together Say Yes to Ouai Hair Oil and Redken Shampoo. Once you know your hair type, I sorted the best shampoo for fine hair by how much lift each one gives the roots.
