Struggling to tame the frizz of my own coiled blonde mane thanks to the balmy New York City humidity of late, I took it for a mid-week test drive.Back in October, Jen Atkin—in true power-stylist-of-the-people form—began a social crowdsourcing initiative to create a new game-changing curly hair product for Ouai, her hotly-coveted and innovative haircare line. “Through Facebook Lives, Instagram posts, and Snapchats, we figured out the hair concerns curly girls face, as well as what’s missing in their current products,” explains Atkin. With an airy, touchable texture top of mind, she formulated Ouai Curl Jelly, a lightweight, water-based gel blending silk proteins with nutrient-packed absinthium and moringa oils that lock in moisture while repairing damage. Depending on the density of your hair, you “work a quarter-sized amount or more between your palms,” instructs Atkin. “Then, apply it to clean, damp curls from the mid-section to the ends and work it in near the roots.” Struggling to tame the frizz of my own coiled blonde mane thanks to the balmy New York City humidity of late, I took it for a mid-week test drive. After gliding the velvety gel-oil hybrid through my post-shower strands one morning, I scrunched, ran out the door, and let the tepid gusts of the subway blast my spirals. Thirty minutes later, I arrived at the office with air-dried curls that were supernaturally smooth and springy—feeling ready to cosign on Atkin's verdict of weather-proof definition without the crunch. After a few quick fluffs, I had silky, shapely ringlets that could hold their own amidst the soaring temps. But the real reason Atkin's latest offering promises to find a permanent place in my beauty arsenal? It's made to evade second-day curl slump by reviving the natural pattern the next morning with just a few pumps on dry hair. A true feat.
POST: 2024-04-24