Ouai Detox Shampoo Review

January 13, 2023

If you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This keeps it 100% reader-supported and free of advertisements or sponsorships. Thanks for your support!

I remember when Ouai first came out in 2016 with they on-trend neutral minimalist packaging and I knew I had to try something from the line. In 2021 though they came out with a product I knew I had to have, which leads us to this Ouai Detox Shampoo Review.

I am in a perpetual struggle with my oily scalp and it was a few years ago that I first learned about clarifying shampoos and their ability to give your scalp a deep clean. At the time I had been doing apple cider vinegar rinses regularly and while it helped lessen the grease, I didn’t love that my hair smelled like apple cider vinegar. When I first heard about the Ouai Detox Shampoo had apple cider vinegar, I knew I needed to try it!

I’ll review how to use the Ouai Detox Shampoo for optimum results, the experience of the product in the shower, my results after using it for a month, and who I recommend it for.

So, what does the product claim to do?

What Does the Ouai Detox Shampoo Do?

Like any clarifying shampoo, the Ouai Detox Shampoo claims to “cleanse away dirt, oil, and impurities while also removing buildup from styling products and hard water deposits.” It is supposed to work for those with excessive oiliness as well as flaky and dry scalps.

The Details

Ouai Detox Shampoo Ingredients

The Detox Shampoo has chelating agents like apple cider vinegar which are meant to prevent and remove buildup in the hair. This is great for anyone with an oily or flaky scalp.

It also contains hydrolyzed keratin which strengthens, smooths frizz, and adds shine.

It is cruelty free, gluten free, paragon free, phthalate free and sulfate free. It’s also safe for keratin-treated hair and color-treated hair.

How to Use the Ouai Detox Shampoo

Ouai recommends using the Detox Shampoo once or twice a week in place of your regular shampoo. I used it once a week (using my regular shampoo in between), and then I started using it twice a week.

They also say to leave the shampoo on your scalp for one to two minutes before rinsing off.

Smell

Ouai is a brand that really cares about their scents as they have a lot of hair perfumes they’ve come out with. The Detox Shampoo uses their Melrose Place scent which has notes of bergamot, lychee, cedar wood, and white musk. I really like this smell and it’s not overpowering as many hair products can be, so if you’re sensitive to smell know that th e scent on the Detox Shampoo isn’t super strong.

Packaging

The shampoo is a bronze color which comes in their clear packaging. I find their shampoo and conditioner bottles to not be the easiest to dispense product out of, but the shampoos are a bit easier than the conditioners.

The packaging is also fully recyclable.

Lather

The shampoo works into a big lather after I’ve massaged my scalp for about 30 seconds. The directions says to squeeze excess moisture out of your hair before shampooing and this did help create a larger lather and cleanse the scalp more deeply.

I also followed up after shampooing with the Ouai Conditioner for Fine Hair.

My Results

For a little background, I have pretty oily hair and tend to wash my hair every other day. I use styling products sometimes, but often I let it air dry with no products used outside of the shower. While I was testing the Ouai Detox Shampoo, sometimes I had styling products in my hair to wash out and sometimes I didn’t.

I used this just once a week to start and found little difference in my hair. My hair was pretty clean, about as much as my regular shampoo, though I do mainly use shampoos that provide a pretty deep clean to my hair (Redken Volume Injection range and Living Proof Full range are in my rotation currently.)

After I had tested it just once a week, I decided to move to using it twice a week. At this point I noticed my roots were more lifted and my hair overall seemed a bit thicker (which I loved!) My hair also lasted almost an entire extra day before washing (which I super loved!)

All in all I was pretty happy with how this shampoo worked and I have been using it twice a week for the past month now.

Who Should Use the Ouai Detox Shampoo

I think anyone with fine or oily hair, or someone who uses a lot of styling products can benefit from the Ouai Detox Shampoo. I’ve already recommended it to some family members who struggle with the same scalp issues I do.

This clarifying shampoo isn't overly stripping either, so if you’re looking to try a clarifying shampoo but worried about stripping your scalp of necessary oils, this is a good place to start. Then again, if you’re really fighting greasiness and want something intense, this one may not be the best one out there, or you may want to pair it with a scalp scrub to see better results.

This was a better purchase for me than the Ouai Shampoo for Fine Hair which I find to be more hydrating than other fine hair-specific shampoo and conditioner sets I have.