OUAI was founded in 2016 by hairstylist Jen Atkin, and the name is pronounced like "way." The Wave Spray was there from the start. In a W magazine interview before the launch, Atkin said the discontinued product she missed most was an old texturizing wave spray, one that felt like conditioner had a baby with Bumble and bumble Surf Spray, and that you could find it in her Ouai Wave Spray coming out that February. Procter and Gamble bought the brand in December 2021, and Atkin stayed on as founder.

The big difference is the salt. Domino explained in 2018 that the spray left out sea salt because it can be drying with repeated use, and used rice protein for body instead. The current formula is still salt-free, with upcycled jackfruit for hydration and vitamin B5 for a soft finish. That is why OUAI wave spray feels softer than a classic salt spray, and why it suits hair that frizzes when it gets dry.

It is not a hold product. Think of it as texture and grip, the kind you can still run your fingers through.

The first grid is OUAI, from the wave spray to curl cream, a foam and two hair and body mists. The second grid is eight texture sprays and foams I compared them with. My tip: mist it on damp hair, twist a few sections away from your face, and let it air dry before you touch it.

OUAI Lightweight Heat-Protecting Hair Oil is the most reviewed OUAI product here, a light, color-safe oil that fights frizz and protects from heat. The Texturizing Wave Spray is the one this edit is about, with a 4.5 rating from almost a thousand reviews. Thickening and Volume Spray is for fine hair that goes flat, sprayed at the roots before a blow dry.

The two creams are for different textures. Anti-Frizz Curl Styling Cream is silicone-free and made for wavy, curly and coily hair, and Anti-Frizz Hair Styling Cream uses upcycled jackfruit and beetroot for smoother styles with heat protection. Air Dry Foam is the wash and wear option for waves, though it has the lowest rating in this grid.

St. Barts and Melrose Place are hair and body mists. St. Barts is tropical, with dragon fruit and orange blossom, and Melrose Place is champagne, bergamot and rose.

If your waves are loose, the wave spray alone is enough. If they are closer to curls, use the curl cream first and the spray only on the top layer.

What I would skip: wave spray on dry, second-day hair from roots to ends. Use a little on the lengths only, or it can feel tacky.

Bumble and bumble Surf Sea Salt Spray is the most reviewed spray in this edit, and it is the classic salt spray Atkin compared her formula with. It gives a matte, piecey texture and volume at the roots, best on fine to medium hair, though it can feel dry on thick hair. Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray is the one for day two, an invisible dry spray that adds volume and soaks up oil at the roots.

Drybar Triple Sec texturizes and refreshes, and Living Proof Full Dry Volume and Texture Spray adds a lived-in feel. Both go on dry hair, after styling, not before.

amika Un.Done and IGK Beach Club are both salt-free, like the wave spray in the first grid. The amika spray has a matte finish, and IGK adds a little more hold. RŌZ Wave Texturizing Spray was created by hairstylist Mara Roszak for beach texture without the drawbacks of salt sprays. Crown Affair Texturizing Air Dry Mousse is a weightless foam for soft waves without crunch, a good alternative to the air dry foam above if you want a softer, lighter hold.

What I would skip: a salt spray on bleached or very dry hair. Pick a salt-free spray or a mousse so the ends do not feel rough.

I think OUAI wave spray is still one of the best texture sprays for people who find salt too drying. It gives soft, bendy waves, not crunchy ones. Use it on damp hair and let it air dry, or mist it on the lengths after a blow dry. If you want more grit, compare Bumble and bumble Surf. If you want volume on day two, try Oribe. On very fine or thin hair, use half as much as you think you need and add more once it dries. And keep a mist nearby, because good texture looks better when it smells good too.