Today, I’m doing a first impressions review for two OUAI products I picked up at Sephora: Texturizing Hair Spray and the Wave Spray. When I first heard of the brand, I thought it was pronounced Ou-Ai…anyone else?? I’ve been searching for a texture spray that helps my hair from looking frizzy and gives me volume. I bought the texturizing hair spray in a Sephora favourites kit and I thought I would give the OUAI wave spray a try as well. Let’s get started on the reviews!
Texturizing Hair Spray
Like dry shampoo and hair spray had a baby—this ultra-lightweight hair spray builds incredible volume and texture. Packed with volcanic minerals to absorb oil and refresh hair.
Wave Spray
A weightless texture mist for effortlessly chic, undone hair. Infused with rice protein to add hold and memory for that “just got out of the ocean and my hair dried perfectly” look.
Both sprays have the same mix of fragrances listed:North Bondi: Bergamot, Italian Lemon, Rose De Mai, Magnolia, Lily, Blackberry, Violet, Cedar-wood, Amber, Patchouli, Sandalwood, and White Musk.
I prefer the Wave Spray to the Texturizing Spray since it comes in a plastic bottle instead of an aerosol can.
RATING: 3/5
I’m rating them both the same. They both work well to texturize and give some volume, but I had to dock off points for the fragrance. They’re a bit too perfume-y for me, so unfortunately, I will be giving the texturizing hair spray to my friend and returning the wave spray.
I went a little crazy during the Sephora Sale! This is the most I’ve spent at Sephora in one go. I always saw these massive Sephora Hauls and thought, “Wow! This person bought so much!” But, those people are smart because there are usually 3 or more sales each year. So, if you buy everything you’ll need/want during a sale, you’ll be good for the next six months until the next sale. Over the years, I’ve been buying things during the sales AND also buying things throughout the year at full price! WHAT A DUMMY! From now on, I am only going to make purchases during the sales. This will also help me cut down on impulse buying because if I have to wait for the next sale, I can properly test things out and research reviews.
If you read my wishlist, you’ll know that I didn’t pick up some things and I bought some things that weren’t on the wishlist.
I didn’t pick up the MAC Fix+, Clinique Even Better Eyes Dark Circle Corrector or the Urban Decay Eye Shadow Primer Potion, but I bought a Saturday Skin facial spray and eye cream, and I picked up the NARS Eyeshadow Base. I still have half a bottle of the Mac Fix+ and I’ve been using my Thayers Witch Hazel Toner as a spray as well, so I can probably replenish during the next Sephora sale.
I didn’t get a chance to go in store to get a sample of the Waso Fresh Jelly Lotion, so I decided to pass on it this time. I still have my Clinique Acne Solutions Clinical Clearing Gel, so I didn’t get the Origins Super Spot Remover Blemish Treatment Gel. I think I will skip on getting those types of spot treatments from now on because they have alcohol in them and tea tree oil has been working so far. I still have a concealer and colour corrector for under eyes, so I skipped the Becca Under Eye Brightening Corrector. I have two brow pencils at the moment, so I didn’t get the Lancome Brow Pencil.
All of my purchases were skincare, hair or makeup bases. I didn’t buy any eye, cheek or lip products because I’m trying to finish some of the products I already own before purchasing more. Everything is new to me; I haven’t previously purchased anything on the list. So, here’s what I purchased online during last week’s ROUGE sale.
Saturday Skin No Bad Days Set
Daily Dew Hydrating Essence Mist
Rub-A-Dub Refining Peel Gel
Wide Awake Brightening Eye Cream
Featherweight Daily Moisturizing Cream
I’ve heard of Saturday Skin, but never tried anything. The brand is only available online for Sephora Canada. Although, sometimes I see things that are ‘online only’ in store, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen Saturday Skin in store. If I end up liking the products, I will pick up the full size bottles in the next sale.
Sephora Daily Brush Cleaner
I bought this years ago and it worked well, so I thought I would get it again. Although, it smells different than it used to (it used to be more perfume-y).
KOPARI Coconut Deodorant
I want to start using deodorant that doesn’t have aluminum in it and I’ve see good reviews on this and it smells really good.
Lancome Teint Idole Ultra Long Wear Foundation Stick SPF21 in 260 Bisque N
I know a lot of people love the Hourglass stick, but I wanted to try this one and review it first. I will eventually get my hands on the Hourglass stick. I’m planning to test this one out and see if I like it enough to keep it.
Lancome Teint Idole Ultra Wear Camouflage Concealer in 260 Bisque N
I bought this concealer to match the foundation since they have the same shade names and I swatched them and it matches. Although, I think the foundation blends out a little better, so we’ll see if this is too dark for me.
Amika Perk Up Dry Shampoo
The larger size wasn’t available, so I went with the travel size one.
NARS Pro-Prime Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base in Medium
I’ve seen a lot of positive reviews on their old eyeshadow base and a lot of people commented saying it should be tinted and now they’ve come out with a tinted one. I wanted to get an eyeshadow base that’s not as thick as others I’ve tried.
Sephora Favorites Party Hair Kit
IGK Beach Club Texture Spray
Living Proof Full Dry Volume Blast
Amika Un.Done Volume & Texture Spray
Drybar Triple Sec 3-in-1
Ouai Texturizing Hair Spray
Verb Sea Spray
I wanted to try out some texturizing sprays, so I thought a Sephora Favorites Kit would be the best way to sample different brands since you get 6 travel-sized bottles.
So, that’s all I bought online for this sale. Once I’ve properly tested out the products, I will review them on the blog and on Instagram.
Spot any favourites from my haul?What did you purchase during the sale? If you wrote a post on your haul, link it down below!
If you love the Wet N Wild MegaGlo Highlighting Powder (read my review), you’ll love the Maybelline FaceStudio Master Chrome Metallic Highlighter in 100 Molten Gold. It’s absolutely beautiful! I originally thought it might be too dark on me since champagne/opalescent highlighters look better on my skintone…boy, was I wrong! When highlighters are too peachy or bronze, it can look like I just have a sparkly bruise.
I love that highlighters are dual-purpose, you can use it as it’s intended (highlight your cheekbones, bridge of the nose, brow bone, cupid’s bow), but you can also use it as a shimmery eyeshadow or just put on the inner corner of the eyes.
Clinique’s Take the Day Off Cleansing Balm is awesome! You get a small dab on your finger and rub it into your skin and it easily takes off your makeup without having to rub at your eyes. It starts off looking similar to coconut oil and then it melts as you put it onto your face. It doesn’t make your face feel sticky or oily and I love that it’s not liquid so you don’t have to worry about it leaking when you travel!
My only wish is that it wasn’t so expensive. I’m going to save it for eyes and lips only because those are the areas that take a bit longer to remove my makeup. I love the Garnier Micellar water for removing makeup too, but it doesn’t always clean my eye makeup.
I’ve been using Clinique’s Even Better Eyes Dark Circle Corrector for a month. I got it from December’s MAC warehouse sale as part of a pack with Clinique’s dark spot corrector for $30. After the first week, I saw a difference. My dark circles were getting better, but then I had a few late nights and they started to show up again. With a good night’s sleep and staying hydrated, I do notice that the dark circles aren’t as bad and my under eye area is softer and more hydrated than before. I also like the metal applicator, it feels nice and cool under my eyes. At $55 (the normal retail price), I don’t know if I’d buy full price and I’m sure there are cheaper other creams that do just as well, but for less than $30 at the sale, this was a great deal.
I’ve talked about the Tangle Teezer Original Detangling Hairbrush twice before (read my review) and my post comparing it to a Claire’s dupe. I also really love the amika perk up dry shampoo. It smells amazing, refreshes your hair and gives you some volume when you need it.
At the MAC Warehouse Sale in December, I got a very vibrant pink lip gloss in the charity bag. I wasn’t sure if I’d like it because it’s described as a Hot Intense Fuchsia and it has a bit of shimmer. It’s the Vamplify Lip Gloss in What’s Going On. It’s on sale on the Canadian MAC website for $14.40. It’s a longer tube than a regular lip gloss- it has a similar size to the YSL Touche Eclat pen. I also like how the applicator is angled a bit, flat and longer than most doe foot applicators I’ve used. It might just be me, but the smell reminds me of vanilla extract. If you want a pop of hot pink gloss, this is a great option! It’s so bright, you can put it on and then wipe it off after a few minutes and it gives you berry stained lips.
I bought a two-pack of the Bumble and bumble Soft Black Hair Powder at the MAC Warehouse Sale and just got around to trying it out. It was $25 for 2 cans, regular price at Sephora is $49.50 CAD for 4.4 oz. I’ve been reading about this to get an exact idea of what this is because nowhere on the can does it say that it’s a dry shampoo, but the exact definition of a dry shampoo is “a dry substance that cleans your hair without the use of water. Dry shampoo works by absorbing oil from your scalp and hair, and making it look and feel freshly washed again” (www.womansday.com, 2011). Also, when you click ‘Dry Shampoo’ on the Bumble and bumble website, the Blondish and Brownish hair powders come up on the page.
A tinted, dry cleanser for dark, inky brown, and black hair colors.
What it does: This hair cleanser absorbs excess oil and adds volume. Use it to extend the life of a blow-dry and leave hair with a matte texture.
The tint easily washes off clothes or fingers, but that also means it’s easily transferable. If you accidentally touch your head or lie on a pillow, it will probably come off.
It smells likes the stuff you spray on your boots to waterproof them. This product wasn’t for me. If I’m going to spend $50 for a dry shampoo or powder (which I wouldn’t), I want it to smell nicer than this hair powder does. I don’t even spend half that for my regular shampoo. Since it’s in an aerosol can, it starts off as a liquid like spray paint, but then you let it dry and it’s more powder-like. After letting it dry though, it has a sticky hairspray feeling. Also, the fact that it sprays means you have to protect your clothes and don’t get too close to any walls in your bathroom or wherever you’re spraying it. Other dry shampoos that are cheaper smell a lot better than this. I’d rather use the amika perk up dry shampoo which smells amazing and it’s $28.60 CAD for 5.3 oz)
RATING: 1/5
I’ve only ever tried aerosolized dry shampoos, I’ve never used a powder one, but I think if I were to try a powder shampoo, I would get Cake’s The All Powderful Tinted Dry Shampoo (Dark). It comes in powder form in a regular bottle so it’s not bad for the environment to dispose of like aerosol cans. Plus, you’d be able to take it on a plane.
What are your fave dry shampoos? Have you used Bumble and bumble products?
Last year, I got a travel-sized Amika Perk Up Dry Shampoo in my 1st TopBox. It smells absolutely amazing and I wanted to save it because a full-size can of the shampoo is expensive (about $30 CAD for a 5.3 oz can). So I thought I would try a different dry shampoo. I went to Winners and to giveaway as prizes for C’s wedding shower, I bought a three-pack of Colab Sheer+Invisible Dry Shampoo Rio Tropical. I saw a full-sized can at Rexall on clearance for less than $4, so I bought a full-sized one too.
RATING: 4/5
I give it a 4/5 because it’s a good price and does what it’s supposed to do, but I just didn’t like the smell of this one. Maybe I will try a different scent next time. I did like that it is invisible when you spray it on. If I missed a spot when I was massaging it into my hair, it wouldn’t look like I have white hair or I was recently snowed on. It did what it was supposed to do, made my hair look less oily and gave it a bit of volume.
I might try a powder one next since aerosol cans aren’t good for the environment. I know batiste is said to be a good brand for dry shampoos, so I might give that a try too.
Any suggestions? I’d love to hear your thoughts on dry shampoos (aerosol or powder).
I got my first Topbox in the mail and enough time has passed that everyone should have received theirs, so I wouldn’t be ruining what’s inside for anyone. Topbox sends a spoiler alert email anyway saying what’s inside the box, but since Canada Post was possibly going on strike and the delivery of the boxes may have been delayed, Topbox was sweet enough to include a bonus item as a thank you for waiting. I must say, the container that the makeup comes in is so cute. I even like the pattern. As soon as I opened the box, I could smell the hand cream’s scent.
The contents of July’s box were:
The Face Shop Character Face mask (Pig-moisturizing)
Be Delectable Ultra Nourishing Hand Cream (coconut and cream)
Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara
Amika Perk Up Dry Shampoo (Sea Buckthorn Berry- Obliphica)
I’ve used TheFaceShop’s character face masks (pig- moisturizing) before, so that one wasn’t a big deal for me. They’re moisturizing and my face feels soft after using them.
The hand cream has shea butter, coconut oil and aloe vera. I’ve used shea butter hand cream before and I find that it smells really nice in the bottle, but once I use it, it smells different. Maybe because my body oils and chemicals are changing the smell, or it’s just how it smells once it’s outside of the bottle, but either way, it always smells nicer in the bottle.
I’ve heard of the Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara, but I never pay more than $15 for mascara because I would prefer to have multiple mascaras for different uses (lengthening, volumizing, etc.) than only have one mascara. Since I usually stick to drug store brand mascaras like Maybelline and L’Oreal, this mascara was a treat for me, even if it is a travel size one. I compared it with another mascara I have (right now, I actually have about 6 mascaras and most of them were free- I got them from Sephora promos and Beauty Insider points). I believe I used Make Up For Ever’s Smoky Extravagant mascara on one eye and the Better Than Sex Mascara on the other. What a difference! I liked the Too Faced Mascara much better because 1) it didn’t look clumpy 2) my lashes felt super soft 3) When I used my finger to feel the lashes, no mascara came off on my finger (it did for the Make Up For Ever mascara). I probably wouldn’t splurge on the Too Faced mascara, but I definitely see why people love it.
This was my first time trying dry shampoo, so I read up on how to use it. I absolutely love the smell of the shampoo and the little can it came in is adorable. It’s great for travelling and you want to freshen up a bit after a long drive or something. Given the normal price tag, I would never buy it, but, similar to the Too Faced mascara, I see why it’s popular.
I got a bonus eyeliner in ultra turquoise. It has a bit of sparkle to it. It’s really pretty on and great for a night out. It’s not waterproof, so the colour smudges easily, but the sparkles stay on your skin. I was cleaning the swatch off my hand and the colour smudged off easily, but the sparkles went all over my hand where I had rubbed it off. There’s still a few sparkles that I missed with the soap on my wrist right now.
I’ve talked about the 
