Ouidad’s Defrizzing Shampoo Made My Waves So Happy

We put Ouidad's Advanced Climate Control Defrizzing Shampoo to the test after receiving a complimentary sample from the brand. Keep reading for our full product review. 

I’m a hairstylist and I have a confession to make: I’ve never consistently used products that cater to my hair type. I’ve used products to target problem areas or specific issues, but I’ve never used something that was made for type 2a/2b waves with any regularity. When I was asked to test Ouidad’s Advanced Climate Control Defrizzing Shampoo, I was hopeful because frizz is a constant struggle for my low-frills hair routine. I was also curious to see if it would be too heavy for my hair since the brand caters to curly textures and I have more of a wave than a prominent curl.

Using this shampoo made my hair bouncy at the roots while it was still wet, and well, it blew me out of the water (pun intended). Keep reading for my honest review. 

About My Hair: Loose curls 

I have wavy hair that falls somewhere between a 2a and 2b on the texture spectrum. My roots are normally flat, the waves that start mid-shaft are never uniform throughout my hair, and frizz has become so inevitable in my mind that I stopped trying to fight it all the time. I’ve never enjoyed styling my own hair very much, although my hair is extremely versatile and can hold a lot of different looks with ease and a headache (thanks to its weight). 

When it comes to my day-to-day hair care efforts, I’m constantly testing new shampoos and conditioners for my job, and I prioritize getting lots of moisture into my strands. I use a conditioning mask in place of my normal conditioner once a week, and I always use a leave-in spray after I’ve washed. I air dry my hair and mostly finger comb when I condition (in the shower and with the leave-in).

Besides that, I don’t brush. I don’t use silk pillowcases. I don’t use a microfiber towel. These are all terrible habits for my hair, trust me, I know. If a client told me they were this negligent, I’d be disappointed and try to empower them to do otherwise. But after having a traumatic first birth experience and then going through a year where I hardly saw anyone, my hair has just not been a priority in life lately. What can I say?

The Feel: Thick and creamy 

Although this shampoo had a thickness to it when I poured it into my hand, it didn’t feel heavy on my hair at all. It had a gel-like creamy consistency to it. It was rich without being weighted. 

The wildest part of this review experience was applying this shampoo in the shower and each time having the literal feeling between my fingers of my hair bouncing up into spirals while still soaking wet. I’ve never experienced anything like this before and I’m still in shock to feel the effectiveness of this formula and the impact it has on my hair. It left me with excitement between washes. 

Ingredients: Sulfate-free emollients and ceramides

The Ouidad Advanced Climate Control Defrizzing Shampoo is a gentle, sulfate-free formula. It uses a blend of shea butter and murumuru butter, also known as emollients, and ceramides to help repair the exterior of the hair shaft. This protective layer at the surface of every strand is what helps the curls find their shape and fights frizz before it arrives on the scene. 

The Science: Anti-frizz nano technology

Speaking of combating frizz, this formula was built to respect the natural protective barrier of the hair by giving it a frizz-free foundation. How does it do this? By using a protein derived from silk. 

What Ouidad calls their Anti-Frizz Nano Technology, is actually a silk-derived protein that works to seal the cuticle and provide a healthy barrier to block out all that unwanted frizz. This technology also has UV protection built in to protect the hair from environmental aggressors that may cause frizzing and other signs of damage.

The Results: Life changing 

This shampoo may be the product that completely shifts my relationship with my hair and gets me out of my lazy rut.

Overall, never have I seen my hair look more beautiful than after using this shampoo and watching it air dry. Now, keeping the frizz at bay didn’t last long for me, but I recognize that I have a lot of factors working against those efforts. It isn’t something that one product can do alone. This formula had a huge impact on my hair, and even though other lifestyle choices diminished the beauty of those results at the end of each day, I still loved my hair’s buoyancy and newfound pizazz. 

The Value: Exceptionally fair

For a shampoo to work this well, I would expect I’d have to pay $40 to $60 a bottle, which is what a curl shampoo from some similar brands like Briogeo cost. When compared to other curly-haired formulas like SheaMoisture, you can get twice the amount for half the price. I feel the Ouidad Advanced Climate Control Defrizzing Shampoo falls right in the middle of these two at roughly $20 for 8.5 fluid ounces. It isn’t a large amount per bottle, especially on thicker hair, but the results are exceptional. In my opinion, that makes the cost more than fair. I’d pay $40 for this bottle because I loved what it did for my hair.  

Competition: A similar product

Virtue Labs Smoothing Shampoo ($38): I really do love this shampoo and conditioner combo from Virtue because I love how minimal frizz is when I air dry after using it. But given the texture of my hair, I much prefer a shampoo that’s going to help enhance my natural wave pattern on top of fighting frizz—like the one from Ouidad.