Editors and Stylists Agree: This Might Be the Best Haircare Brand of All Time
For as long as I can remember, the hair salon has been my happy place. (Except for that one time when a colourist nearly bleached every last hair off my head, but that's a whole other story. I digress!)
After graduating from kid's hair sometime in my early elementary years, my glamorous mama finally allowed me to tag along to her fancy-schmancy salon appointments. I'd eagerly perch atop a leather-bound swivel chair and proceed—probably quite creepily—to stare her and her stylist down for the full two hours it took for signature colour and cut. I loved everything about being at the salon—the buzz, the energy, the before-and-afters, the posh decor, and, last but not least, the heavenly scented bottles of beautifully packaged hair products lining the walls.
Eventually, my mum allowed me to get baby highlights (this was the era when zebra-esque streaks were the cool thing to do), and so began my obsession with getting my hair done. Twenty years later, the salon experience feels just as magical to me, and ever since I started going, I'm pretty sure I've seen Oribe's stunning collection of products displayed at quite literally every salon I've visited.
There's a reason celebrities, professional hairstylists, and editors fawn over the brand. For one, it's amazing, and while I'm not a gambling type of gal, I'd bet a full paycheck you'd fall head over heels for any of Oribe's crème de la crème hair potions suited to your hair type and texture. What's more, unlike most luxury haircare brands on the market, every new launch seems to be better, and more ingeniously formulated, than the last. I swear, it's like some kind of witchcraft.
Since Oribe is known as one of the most premier haircare brands in the business, we're often asked as editors which products are the best or most "worth the splurge." (Because yes, each stunning bottle is, indeed, an investment!) That being said, what works for me and my hair won't necessarily work for you, and the same goes for my fellow WWW beauty editor Courtney Higgs. So I decided to reach out to Oribe HQ directly to get the brand's best-of-the-best picks. Out of all of Oribe's amazing offerings, the pros at Oribe HQ (plus the celebrity hairstylists they work with) are sharing their all-time favorite formulas below. Keep scrolling!
The Best Oribe Products, According to Professionals
"Oribe’s Dry Texturizing Spray is a must-have product for modern styling. It has been the biggest game-changer for hairstyling since its launch! The spray is my go-to product for instant texture and an easy, cool style. It is one of the top three products I cannot live without.”—James Pecis, Oribe global ambassador
"The Gold Lust Shampoo (above) and Conditioner (below) are ideal for anyone with damaged, overprocessed, or compromised hair. They are formulated with our Bio-Restorative Complex, which includes plant collagen, caffeine, biotin, and niacinamide. This powerful blend of ingredients works to repair damage by penetrating the root to fortify and deeply nourish the cuticle while also energizing the scalp and rejuvenating hair follicles.”—Michele Burgess, Executive Director of Product Development, Oribe Hair Care
"I absolutely love using the luxurious Gold Lust Nourishing Hair Oil on my clients. I like to apply this from midlength to ends on damp hair before blow-drying. I'll also add a little after the style is finished for added hydration and healthy shine."—J. Michael, celebrity stylist
"The Royal Blowout Heat Styling Spray is the perfect mix of luxury and performance. The formula has argan oil for nourishment and a special silicone complex that provides heat protection and helps speed up drying time. Mist it on wet hair for a quick shiny blowout or onto dry hair of any texture for a little gloss and moisture."—Adam Livermore, Oribe educator
"Oribe's Superfine Hair Spray is perfect for adding shine while giving the perfect amount of hold. I like to layer it for looks that need more hold or if I want a firmer-looking style.”—Kylee Heath, celebrity stylist
"The Supershine Light Moisturizing Cream is my favorite hair cream to use on set! The lightweight formula adds instant hydration and shine while sealing the cuticle for a long-lasting, polished look. I use this on nearly every photo shoot. It is the perfect product to tame flyaways and polish up split ends."—Michael
"I love Maximista Thickening Spray whenever I want to create volume and add thickness to fine or medium hair. It also provides heat protection so I can use hot tools safely. As a result, the hair moves well and stays lifted for hours.”—Philippe Tholimet, celebrity stylist
"I use Rough Luxury Molding Wax on myself because it has just the right level of a stronghold for a paste. It doesn’t crack or flake, and it's not too matte or too shiny—right in the sweet spot. It is great for definition and separation on short complex cuts, and it’s a smart edge control for ponytails and sleek looks, too.”—Livermore
"The Silverati Illuminating Pomade is perfect for anyone with grey, white, silver, or platinum locks looking to add vibrancy and flexible hold to their style. The formula contains silver pearl pigments to add a glassy shine and enhance brightness while arctic root extract restores elasticity. Pro tip: for shorter lengths, work through damp or dry hair, roots to ends, for shine and style. For longer lengths, use on dry hair to separate layers or to create sleek ponytail styles.”—Burgess
"I love the Moisture & Control Deep Treatment Masque because it’s packed with oils and butters that penetrate the hair and keep it hydrated. Use once a week (if possible) to minimize tangles and damage. Hair is left silky, hydrated, and healthier than ever.”—Stacey Ciceron, Oribe brand ambassador
"You need proper butter and gel products to keep curls hydrated and looking their best, especially in humid climates. The Curl Gelée for Shine & Definition is great for this because it’s lightweight but has a bit of hold so that curls will stay defined, not frizzy. It seals in moisture and provides a medium hold.”—Ciceron
"If you want a treatment that you can really get a good scrubbed-clean feeling with, the Serene Scalp Exfoliating Treatment is incredible! It detoxifies and exfoliates the scalp with soft polymer scrubbing beads that break down in use, and also has glycolic acid which exfoliates the scalp and conditions the hair in one step.”—Livermore
"It’s all about the product when it comes to blowouts. Oribe's Imperial Blowout Transformative Styling Crème gives a beautiful blowout with lots of volume and great lasting power. You can help the curls last longer by winding each section into a loop as you’ve just blown it out and clipping it in place to cool.”—Livermore
"The Bright Blonde Essential Priming Serum includes skincare-inspired ingredients that work on natural and professionally coloured blonde hair to prevent and repair damage caused by heat styling and UV rays. The serum includes hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid which acts as a barrier on the hair fibre to lock in hydration and protect the hair from moisture loss. Paired with sodium hyaluronate to moisturise dry hair, the ingredients work together to give a double dose of moisture without weighing hair down, which is important for maintaining healthy hair and vibrant color.”—Livermore
"One of the products I am most proud of is not a hair care product, but our incense. Oribe is known for its signature fragrance, it’s a beautiful mix of bergamot, cedarwood, and Cuba’s national flower, la mariposa blanca, and we were able to capture the fragrance in the form of incense. It’s beautiful. We worked with the historic Koh-Shi incense house on the Awaji islands off the coast of Japan. I love burning it throughout the day. It’s such a luxurious and sensorial experience.”—Daniel Kaner, Oribe Hair Care President and Co-Founder
The Best Oribe Products, According to Our Editors
Not only does this dry shampoo smell divine and weightlessly absorb excess oil that can sabotage our styling game, but it's also approved by our editors' loved ones as well! My mum is a huge fan, as is Courtney's grandma.
A 2023 version of Sun In that's actually good for your hair? You're looking at her! As someone who loves to brighten and lighten my bleach blonde strands as much as possible come summer, I've been absolutely addicted to this new spray from Oribe. Unlike the sketchier formulas of our youth, this peroxide-free version is activated by heat (aka your hairdryer) and/or the sun and utilises hair-healthy ingredients like lemon and chamomile to illuminate strands. Not to mention, it even infuses hair with UV protection and a hit of moisture.
I have only met two—yes, two—leave-in detangling formulas that truly detangle and condition my damaged hair so well that I quite literally only lose a few strands during my comb-through. And this stellar formula is one of them! I'm hooked for life, and I recommend it to anyone and everyone who is sick of subpar leave-in conditioners and detangling cocktails.
Nothing is more frustrating than waking up to find your previous day's style a little more bedraggled than you'd hoped. I'm obsessed with this restyling spray because it makes quick do-overs and impromptu styling spruces piece-of-cake easy. And again, in true Oribe form, it will leave your tresses smelling heavenly.
Next Up, 17 Effective Products for Hair Growth, According to Editors Who've Tried Them
Erin has been writing a mix of beauty and wellness content for Who What Wear for over four years. Prior to that, she spent two and half years writing for Byrdie. She now calls Santa Monica home but grew up in Minnetonka, Minnesota, and studied writing, rhetoric, and communication at University of Wisconsin, La Crosse. She studied abroad in Galway, Ireland, and spent a summer in L.A. interning with the Byrdie and Who What Wear family. After graduating from UW, she spent one year in San Francisco, where she worked as a writer for Pottery Barn Kids and PBteen before moving down to L.A. to begin her career as a beauty editor. She considers her day-to-day beauty aesthetic very low-maintenance and relies on staples like clear brow serum (from Kimiko!), Lawless's Lip Plumping Mask in Cherry Vanilla, and an eyelash curler. For special occasions or days when she's taking more meetings or has an event, she'll wear anything and everything from Charlotte Tilbury (the foundations are game-changing), some shimmer on her lids (Stila and Róen do it best), and a few coats of the best mascara-type product on earth, Surratt's Noir Lash Tint.