The Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray Gave My Flat Roots New Life

We put Oribe's Dry Texturizing Spray to the test after receiving a complimentary sample from the brand. Keep reading for our full product review. 

Undone, effortless texture has been a long-standing, covetable trait when it comes to hairstyles, so when hair care company Oribe put that “je ne sais quois” vibe into a single can, it made us all a little “hair-obsessed.” Ever since Oribe released its Dry Texturizing Spray to the world, dry texture spray has become a must-have item in the beauty closets of every hair type. It’s a product that gives the hair an instant refresh; a positive jolt of energy to the hair that makes it come alive. I was extremely impressed with how good my hair looked after using this spray from Oribe and how long it lasted. I was surprised at how tempted I was to keep spraying it for scent's sake with no end in sight. This highly tantalizing cult-favorite does not disappoint.

Keep reading for my honest review of Oribe’s Dry Texturizing Spray.

About My Hair: Wavy and overgrown

My hair is in dire need of a haircut: It’s long and wavy and I’ve been trimming it myself for over a year and hasn’t had any real TLC for quite some time. Because of this, my hair hasn’t been in its best shape. I mean literally, it hardly has any shape to it at all. And since my hair is wavy, the lack of shape in my cut has really been a drag. All the body and natural movement I have falls to the ends of the hair, leaving my roots flat and lifeless. I use conditioning products and oils to help my wavy texture thrive, but I neglect to put any products to my roots for fear that it’ll fast-track my route to dirty, greasy hair. 

As a hairstylist, I operate out of a totally different mindset. I love using products as a stylist because it gives me full control to manipulate my canvas however needed. The products I typically always have in my kit include Bumble & Bumble, Virtue Labs, and Oribe.

So, even if I don’t use it, I’ll always have their products in my lineup for clientele to see and find comfort in. I had way more experience using the Dry Texturizing Spray on clients than I did on myself, but this trial was a refreshing reminder of just how reliably fun it is to use. I’ve always used this product in my personal routine while air-drying. When the holidays came around and I had an excuse to dress up to go nowhere. I curled my hair for the first time in weeks and this spray made all the difference, pushing my style to last for three days straight without a touch-up. 

The Feel: Gritty

This spray has a grittiness to it, which is a part of its magic. It’s as if your strands get coated with these tiny little pearls that rub up against each other for that perfectly tousled friction. The grit is also what's responsible for the added hold. Now, it can be easy to get carried away with this product and use more than you actually need. If you overdo it, it can leave your hair feeling a bit weighed down and feel dirty the next day(s) even though it’ll still look great. This is not a lightweight spray, in my opinion, so I’d suggest easing in.  

The Scent: Addictive

A part of the problem I have with this spray that leads to overusing it on myself is that the scent is incredibly tantalizing. Now, I am extremely sensitive to scents. Ever since I was pregnant, I’ve had a really sensitive nose when it comes to working with hair products, and, sadly, it’s something that just never went away. Scented hair products, especially strong scents like this one, tend to give me a pretty bad headache. However, Oribe’s signature fragrance includes some of my favorite scented notes all in one; sandalwood, bergamot, jasmine, tuberose, and amber, along with more fruitful scents of crisp apples and warm citrus to balance things out. Oribe was the first haircare brand to cultivate a signature crafted fragrance, whereas most other companies typically chose from a stock library of scents. To embody the luxurious experience they wanted to be known for was to make it a sensual experience for its users, so pairing with a 19th-century perfume house to craft a unique, one-of-a-kind scent that would have us all craving more was the right move to make, naturally.  

Ingredients: Better than I expected

When I come across products from brands whose reputation is more focused on their results than their process, I automatically assume the ingredient quality is low-hanging fruit.  

Some ingredients worth noting include mango and aloe extracts, ginger root extract, pro-vitamin B-5, sunflower seed extract, kiwi extract, and the Oribe Signature Complex, which is made up of watermelon, lychee, and edelweiss flower. Oribe claims this product can help hydrate, soften, and strengthen the hair, as well as build volume and defend it from stress, deterioration, drying, color depletion, and damage.

Oribe does claim that its products are gluten-free. I’m no expert when it comes to production, but I wanted to note that Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein is a listed ingredient that is in fact a derivative of wheat germ that can have some of the same effects as gluten. I have a gluten sensitivity, where I experience rash reactions with any interaction with gluten products and an upset stomach when ingested, though I am not diagnosed with Celiac disease. I have not had any negative reactions while using this product and before this test, I’d been exposed to the spray for years without any adverse reactions. I did however think it was worth noting for those of you with stronger sensitivities, just to make you aware and be on the safe side in case you want to run it past your doctor. 

The Results

I first tried this product on my natural, air-dried waves to see how it would look in the style I wear every day. It definitely gave a little more life to my hair, and it still looked totally natural. I didn’t notice much of a difference until I looked back at the before and after photos. It definitely helped my drab and flat hair transform. The only drawback I experienced was that my hair felt a little dirtier the next day. My roots were greasier than normal, and I typically don’t get that feeling to my hair until the 3rd day after washing. 

I decided I would go ahead and style my hair that day to see how the spray worked on curled strands but also to experience its effectiveness doubling as a dry shampoo. I was very pleased with the perfectly tousled look it gave me. As someone who doesn’t like feeling “done up” and doesn’t curl their hair often, this spray gave my curls very cool and casual messiness that made me feel much more like myself and enabled me to enjoy having my hair done.

I didn’t need to touch it up with more spray and it held my curls so well that I didn’t need to take the iron to my strands again. My roots still felt greasier than I was used to, but that didn’t translate at all. My hair looked great up until it was time for me to wash it again. 

The Packaging: High-end vibes

Oribe’s Dry Texturizing Spray comes in a box with minimal, clean branding. Something about it assured me that there was luxury within. The box alone made me feel like I was about to open something worth savoring, and while I test and receive a lot of hair products, I can confidently tell you, that’s not a common trait. The spray was easy to take out and start using, no directions needed. 

The Value: Definitely pricey

This spray is nearly $50 a can, which is extremely pricey for a hair product. I think most competitive products range in price from $25 to $35, roughly. This aerosol is also larger than most of your average texture sprays and dry shampoos. Typically texture sprays and dry shampoos are offered at around 5 or 6 ounces, but this texturizing spray is 8.5 oz. So while you’re spending more upfront, you’re also getting more in return meaning it will last you much longer. And as I mentioned before, a little will go a very long way with this spray. It is a lot to swallow for a beauty product, but I can assure you that this multi-benefit spray is worth every penny. 

Similar Products

Un.done Volume and Matte Texture Spray from Amika ($10): What I love the most about the more affordable Un.done Volume and Matte Texture Spray from Amika is how lightweight it is. It’s extremely effective and works great on all hair types, never leaving my hair feeling too heavy or my roots any hint of oily. Similarly, it can also be used as a dry shampoo that leaves zero residue, and the way it fluffs up the hair is just perfect. 

When compared to Oribe’s Dry Texturizing Spray, which is more than double the price and almost double the size, Amika’s texture spray just doesn’t last in the hair the same way. The fact that my hair looked like I woke up with perfectly imperfect curls every morning for days on end as if I had just used the Oribe Texturizing spray, is something I haven’t found with any other product. Other sprays that are more affordable and have a lighter feel to them may be equally effective, but their life span isn’t quite as long. You’ll go through those less expensive products much faster due to using them more frequently.